Miniature Dachshund

What about playfulness?

Miniature Dachshunds are playful by nature having very comical personalities. They enjoy playing interactive games, but care should always be taken when playing with them when they are young just in case a dog damages their spine by slipping over.

Children and Other Pets

Miniature Dachshunds thrive in a family environment where the children are slightly older and who therefore know how to behave around such a small dog. If a Miniature Dachshund has been well socialised from a young enough age, they generally get on with other dogs although if they feel threatened in any way, they will stand their ground even when faced with a much larger dog.

Exercise

The Miniature Dachshund is a high energy, intelligent dog and as such they need to be given the right amount of daily exercise and mental stimulation for them to be truly happy, well-rounded dogs. Once a puppy is fully vaccinated, they can be taken out for short 5-minute walks building up the time they get exercised over a period of time. When a Miniature Dachshund puppy is around 5 months old they can be taken out for longer 15-minute walks a day and at 6 months, the time can be increased to 25 to 30 minutes.

Mature dogs can be given anything from 30 to 40 minutes exercise a day with as much off the lead time in a safe and secure environment as possible.

Feeding

If you get a Miniature Dachshund puppy from a breeder, they would give you a feeding schedule and it's important to stick to the same routine, feeding the same puppy food to avoid any tummy upsets. Older dogs are not known to be fussy eaters, but this does not mean you can give them a lower quality diet. It's best to feed a mature dog twice a day, once in the morning and then again in the evening, making sure it's good quality food that meets all their nutritional requirements.

Introduction

Dachshunds are native to Germany and they boast a long and interesting ancestry. They were originally bred to hunt badgers, rabbits and to track wounded deer. The Miniature Dachshund is the smaller of the two types with the Standard Dachshund being the larger dog. Today these charming short legged dogs are among the most popular companion dogs and family pets both here in the UK and elsewhere in the world.

Appearance

Height at the withers: Males 13 - 18 cm, Females 13 - 18 cm

Average weight: Males 3.6 - 5.0 kg, Females 3.6 - 5.0 kg

The Miniature Dachshund is a very striking looking dog with short legs that accentuate the length of their well-muscled, compact bodies. Their heads are long and when seen from above they seem conical in shape without being too narrow or too broad. They only have a slight stop and their muzzles are only slightly arched. Their lips are tight with dogs having extremely strong jaws.