dachshund

Doxie Info

Hot dog, wiener dog, sausage dog, slinky dog what ever you call it the Dachshund is probably the most recognizable and nicknamed breed in the world. The dachshund was breed in Germany to hunt badgers and dig them out of there wholes. There short legs allowed them to traverse narrow passages without sacrificing body strength. There short legs also alowed them to penetrate dense thickets and also kept down there pace, allowing there hunters to follow them on foot. Today's Dachshund more typically hunts for morsels under the table than for varmints underground, but he retains the conformaion and temperment of a hunter. To ignore these traits that are so dominantly apart of the breed would be like ignoring his very soul. Dachshunds have burrowed into the hearts of people around the world. They've done this with a mischievous sense of humor and a loving sense of family few other breeds can chanllenge-and they've done so in a medley of alluring coats, colors, and sizes. Choosing the dachshunds as your breed is the easy part. Choosing which Dachshund you will get is the far more difficult decision you will have to make. Dachshunds come in a unparalelled assortment of sizes, coat types, and colors, each with its own special appeal
Sizing up the Dachshund
Your choice of size has some practical implications. If you want as a hiking companion or if you have small children or other large dogs, you should probably get yourself a standard size dachshund as they are slightly more resistant to injury. If you would like your dog to hold and cuddle and lay on your lap, a miniature dachshund would be much more suited for you. Tweenies have all of the wonderful attributes of the other sizes, but they can not compete as miniatures or standards in the show ring. That means that even though they do not make show dogs they still can be great pets. The two sizes of Dachshunds now recognized by the AKC are the standard and the mini dachshund. The standard are heavier than they look, usually weighing 16 to 32 pounds. Miniature Dachshunds can weigh up to 11 pounds, and then the tweenies are the ones that weigh between 11 and 16 pounds.
Smooth, Long, or Wire Hair Dachshunds
The familiar dachshund most of us grew up with had a short sleek coat, perfect for stroking. But Dachshunds also come in a long coat and a wire coat. Their differences may be more than fur, or even skin, deep. They derived from different ancestors, the three coat types tend to have slightly different personalities. all are first and foremost dachshunds in temperment. But the smooth tend to be more oneperson or one-family dogs, remainig fairly aloof with strangers. The longhaired dachshunds are described as the sweetest members of the breed. Wirehairs are the clowns of the breed having a tendancy to play more than the other two coat types.
A Doxie of a Different Color
For many people, if it is not red or black and tan, it can't be a doxie. But the dachshund truely is one of the most colorful of all breeds. Dachshund colors are red, black and tan, cream (American or the English cream), Wheaten, wild boar, red boar, sable, chocolate and tan, blue and tan, and isabella and tan. Patterns in all of these colors are Brindle (irregular dark stripes superimposed over their base coat color), Pieblad (spotted with areas of full color over a white background), Dapple (pattern in which lighter areas are intermingled with darker areas of coloration superimposed over any base coat color in a random distribution), and Double Dapple(these occure when two dapples are bred together(they have dappling with usually some areas of white).

Have I picked the right breeder?
These are some great guidelines to follow when deciding if your breeder is a responsible one and one that you can trust to raise quality dogs:
1. puppies should be raised in the home not in kennels or garage
2. has puppies and adults that seem acclimated to living as part of there family rather than in cages or pens.
3. has out going, confident adults and puppies with temeterments you like.
4. is familiar with and screens for dachshund health concerns
5. charges neither bargain basement prices nor extrordinarily large amounts for the puppies.
6. Has the mother of the litter available to meet.
7. Has photos and pedigrees of both parents and other relatives.
8. Breeds sparingly and dedicates themselves to breeding quality dogs.
9. Ask you a lot of questions about your past history with dogs and facilities that you will be keeping the puppy in.
10. Seems interested in keeping in touch with you to see how the puppy is doing after it goes home with you and can tell you how other puppies from past litters are doing in there new homes.
11. Wont alow puppies to go home with you until they are 7 to 9 weeks of age depending on the puppy.
12. does not require puppy-back agreements that require you to breed the dog.
13. Requires that if you should ever need to relinquish the dog that she gets first option to have him/her back.
14. Provides you with a medical history, pedigree, registration informtion, and or wrtten care instructions with each puppy.
15. Agrees the sale is contingent on you having your veterinarian check the puppy within the first few days you have it
Picking a puppy
Good breeders have waiting lists for their puppies before they breed a litter. That means that you may have to wait several months to get the puppy of your dreams. Even then, the breeder may be the one choosing your future friend. A responsible breeder knows the puppies personalities and will make sure you get the best match for your needs. You may get to choose from among several puppies, though, so be prepared to choose with both your brain and your heart. Dachshund puppies should be plalyful, curious, alert, and self-confident. Choose wisely in picking the puppy making sure that its temperment meets with what you are wanting. Give extra points to the puppy who picks you by crawling in your lap or crowding into the way when you're trying to look at the others. If you work away from home or have limited patience or heirloom rugs, consider getting an adult. Breeders sometimes have retired adults available that would relish the chance to live as pampered pets, and rescue organizations have mostly adults. Adults may already be housetrained-but don't count on it! In fact, it may be more difficult to train an adult who has been raised as a kennel dog. So take all of these things into consideration when picking out the dachshund for you and your family and remember that as you open your heart to a dachshund you are taking the first steps in the adventure of a lifetime. Take the steps now to have a safe and stress free journey and enjoy it along the way!