Alice White
Dogs of this breed require attention, care, careful care. After all, dachshunds have a genetic predisposition to serious diseases, for example, overweight, heart disease, spine.
Proper care of the dachshund helps to increase its life span, as well as avoids serious health problems.
How Much Should a Dachshund Eat?
It should be fed 2 times a day with dry or natural food. The second feeding should be done after the walk. If you feed the dog before the walk and he has to run with a full belly, then he will feel bad, in addition, there is a risk of volvulus.
On an average adult dachshund, feed should be given at the rate of 40 g per 1 kg of dog weight per day. The main thing is not to overfeed. Dachshunds love to eat, and without exercise, especially in winter, they quickly gain weight.
Dachshund Walking
One of the important conditions for proper dachshund care is daily walking. It is better to walk a dachshund on a leash, if you are going to walk in a park where there are not very many people and there are no loud sounds frightening the dog, then it is quite possible to let it off the leash.
The dachshund is walked 2-3 times a day for 1.5-2 hours. In urban conditions, long walks with the dog are not always possible, usually, in the morning, very little time is allotted for walking, about 20-30 minutes, which is associated with a rush to work. Dachshunds love long walks, so if possible, you need to walk for at least 1.5 hours.
In winter, the walking time is reduced and depends on how quickly the dog begins to freeze. In winter, 20-30 minutes is usually enough. In winter, shoes and warm clothing should be worn to protect against frostbite.
Often, walks are fraught with danger, because dogs love to sniff everything, gnaw on bones, branches, etc. As a result, worms appear, to combat which deworming is carried out.
Moderate exercise is necessary to keep your pet in good shape and healthy. Dachshunds are hunting dogs, so you need to give them the opportunity from time to time to run over rough terrain, hunt, swim.
How to Wash a Dachshund
You can wash the animal no more than 2-3 times a year. Frequent washing leads to skin problems and also worsens the condition of the coat. The water should be warm, since hot water is unpleasant for dogs, and it also dries the skin.
To wash dachshunds, use a special shampoo, the choice of which depends on the type of wool. A small amount of shampoo is applied to the wet coat, rubbed in with light massage movements, then washed off. An improperly selected shampoo causes dandruff, redness, and dryness of the skin.
After walking, wipe the paws with a damp cloth.
Different Dachshund Coats
Smooth-haired dachshunds do not need special care for their fur, it is enough to wipe the pet with a terry towel, and brush long-haired and hard-haired dachshunds with a brush. Long-haired ones need to be brushed about 3 times a week. First, the wool is combed out with a brush with sparse teeth, then with a brush with fine teeth. Long-haired dachshund hair can be plucked by hand, making light tweaks, thereby removing dead hair.
Dachshunds like to be stroked, pulled at their fur, and given a massage. Such actions have a positive effect on the condition of the coat.
Use flea talcum powder, flea collars, drops, or special tick sprays if infested with fleas, ticks, or for prophylaxis. The choice of the drug depends on the age of the dog, the tendency to allergic reactions, the type of coat.
The hair on the feet should be trimmed regularly as it can collect dirt and bacteria. The optimum coat length is 1–2 mm. from under the pillows.
If the coat is heavily soiled, you can simply rinse it under a warm shower without using shampoo.
Do Dachshunds Shed?
The natural change of wool occurs 2 times a year, usually in spring and autumn. The molting period lasts for 1-4 weeks. If a dachshund sheds for a long time or out of season, then the dog has something wrong with its health. There can be many reasons for this, for example, a lack of vitamins, the presence of parasites, and an unhealthy diet. Females sometimes shed before the heat begins.
During the shedding period, you can comb the hair with a rubber brush with pimples, several times a day, preferably after a walk, combined with cleaning the paws.
Dachshund Ear Problems
Checking the ears is a daily part of caring for your dachshund. The resulting earwax is removed once a week with a cotton swab dipped in hydrogen peroxide (3%) or a special antiseptic agent designed to clean the ears. You can wipe dog’s ears with napkins soaked in a special compound, which are sold at pet stores. The use of special drops is acceptable. Cleaning begins from the very depths of the ear, gradually approaching the edges with light movements.
If the dachshund often scratches his ears, then it’s time to clean them. Without this procedure, an infection can get into the ears and, as a result, inflammation can develop. In this case, you should contact your veterinarian. Cleaning is carried out after washing your hands.
An examination of the ears is needed not only in order to remove sulfur but also in order to detect ticks and other insects that accidentally climbed during a walk.
Dachshund Eyes
The mucus accumulating in the corners of the eyes is removed with a cotton swab (disk) dipped in a weak tea solution. If the discharge is intense, then the eyes can be rinsed. If there is no positive result within 2 days, you should contact your veterinarian.
Dachshund Dental Care
Tartar, which forms throughout a dog’s life, destroys teeth and causes foul odor from the mouth. To keep the dachshund’s teeth strong, gums healthy, the dog is given special edible treats (tendon bones) designed to remove tartar. If the situation is neglected, then it is better to go to the veterinarian and carry out an ultrasonic cleaning of the teeth.
You can use a special paste to brush your teeth. You need to brush your teeth 1-2 times a week.
When examining the mouth, one should pay attention to the condition of the gums and tongue.
Trimming Dachshund Nails
Trimming the nails is one of the mandatory steps in caring for a dachshund. If the nails have grown back, then they are cut off with nippers, claws. Nippers are usually distinguished by the presence of a limiter, which is very convenient. The limiter does not allow you to cut off the extra millimeters of the nail.
Cut off a maximum of 1.5 mm. the tips of the nails, very carefully, trying not to touch the painful areas. In case there is blood, the wound should be treated.
The dachshund has 5 toes on its front legs, and 4 on its hind legs, do not forget to trim all nails. Do not twist the nail on the fifth toe, otherwise, it may grow in.
If there are fears that you cannot cope with this task on your own, then it is better to contact a veterinarian or a pet salon.
In adult dogs, nails often grind on the asphalt during walks.
