About DachshundsDachshunds were originally bred in Germany to "go to ground" to hunt badgers, thus the name "Dachshund" which translates to badger hound in German. The breed's name is pronounced "Dach- Sund", not dash-hound, and not datsun. They are scent hounds, categorized in the hound group at AKC events, and will follow a scent for miles if not properly conditioned/trained.
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Socialization |
We have found that dachshunds are sweet, funny, loyal, courageous and tough. They are devoted to their owners and can be wary of strangers until that stranger becomes a friend. We have also found that socializing the breed from the time they are puppies is critical to achieving dogs with great temperaments. So once they are totally immunized, make sure to take your pup as many places as you can to expose them to all kinds of people and other animals. Good places are big box stores, pet stores, even to your vet to drop in and just say hello. We don't recommend dog parks as one never knows if sick dogs have visited there, and we feel better safe than sorry. We've also followed the recommendation that a critical time for pups to be socialized by the breeder is between 4-8 weeks of age. We expose our pups to many sites, sounds, potty training and the other dogs in our pack to make sure you get a happy and outgoing puppy.
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medical and physycal |
Before you pick up you pup, please remember to have an appointment/well check exam scheduled with your veterinarian within 72 hours of your pup leaving us. We want to ensure that you know your pup is healthy. Please remember that when you get follow-up vaccines for your dachshund, you should immediately advise your vet to not give the leptospirosis, or lepto vaccine. Dachshunds do not do well with this. If there is known lepto in your area, please discuss the best way to deal with the illness prevention with your vet. You and your vet should have the final say but if there is no known lepto in your area, please SAY NO TO LEPTO!
Historically, dachshunds and most long bodied dogs can be prone to back/disc injuries causing IVDD (Invertebral Disc Disease). Dogs will be dogs, and dachshunds love to run, play and jump. To help prevent the possibility of IVDD, we suggest ramps up to couches (or no couch time, leave them on the floor with nice beds), minimal stairs (some people carry their dogs up and down steep flights), and soft landing spots if they do jump; carpeted floors (throw rugs are fine as long as they stay in place). Please don't overfeed your dachshund. Obesity is the biggest contributor to IVDD. Dachshunds should be lean and kept in great physical shape. I will give you the best feeding instructions to maintain a healthy weight for your dachshund pup to adulthood. Genetic testing We test our breeding dogs based on the recommendation of the Dachshund Club of America, the parent club of all local AKC dachshund clubs. Our dogs are tested for progressive retinal atrophy or PRA, patella (knee) luxation and congenital heart abnormalities. Certificates of clean bills of health are on file at Tiny Tails Ranch and are registered with the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA). |