Miniature Dachshund

Miniature dachshunds have a typical weight of 8 to 11 pounds in the United States.[1] They also are normally a height of 5 to 7 inches at the withers.[2] Some of their nicknames include "wiener dogs", "hot dogs", or "sausage dogs."

Miniature Dachshund

History

The Dachshund breed was developed in Germany and has existed since at least the 16th century. The name dachshund comes from the German words dachs (badger) and hund (dog). During that late 19th century, German hunters desired smaller Dachshunds to be used on European hare, which lived in smaller burrows than the Dachshunds historic quarry -- badgers and foxes. At first, some of these Miniature Dachshunds were just runts of their litters, but later others were created intentionally by crossing Dachshunds with Toy Terriers and Pinschers. Most of the Miniature Dachshunds produced this way did not have the characteristics of the dachshund breed (particularly its hunting prowess), however, and this type of cross-breeding was abandoned by 1910 in favor of the more time-consuming process of reducing the size of the Dachshund through many generations of selective breeding.

Appearance and characteristics

Like their standard size counterparts, Miniature Dachshunds come in three coats: smooth, longhaired, and wirehaired. They also come in a variety of colors and patterns. Red, cream, black and tan, chocolate and tan, blue and tan, and isabella and tan are seen in all three coats. Wildboar and wheaten (similar to cream) are seen primarily in wirehaired dogs. The coat patterns seen in Dachshunds are brindle, dapple (merle), piebald and sable. Piebald and double dapple are not considered acceptable patterns under the American Kennel Club breed standard.

Brick red, smooth-haired, pure-bred miniature dachshund
Female black and tan, smooth-haired, pure-bred miniature dachshund (7 weeks old)

Miniature Dachshunds are low to ground, long in body and short of leg, with robust muscular development. Where the muscles contract, the skin of the Miniature Dachshund is elastic and pliable without excessive wrinkling. Appearing neither crippled, awkward, nor cramped in his capacity for movement, the Miniature Dachshund is well-balanced with bold and confident head carriage and intelligent, alert facial expression. His keen nose gives him an advantage over most other breeds for trailing.

There is only one size of Miniature Dachshund in the United States, Great Britain, and most English speaking countries. In Germany and those countries which belong to the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (World Canine Federation), however, there are actually two smaller sized Dachshunds: miniature (or zwerg size in their native Germany) and the rabbit (or kaninchen in Germany). The kaninchen are smaller than the FCI miniature dachshunds. The two sizes are differentiated by chest circumference rather than weight.

Temperament

Bred to hunt, Miniature Dachshunds are by nature high-spirited and independent. They have a keen intelligence and the ability to think on their own has been highly cultivated. All varieties have their own brand of charm since they have slightly differing ancestry that helped in the development of the coats. They are great for families that have older children; they need patience and maturity to be handled well. They are also devoted to their family, will voice loudly when strangers are near yet generally accept that same stranger after an introductory period.[3][4][5]

Health and care

Miniature Dachshunds can live comfortably in both rural and urban areas. They are very active dogs and definitely benefit from exercise. The longhaired and wirehaired varieties need weekly brushing. Miniature Dachshunds usually live at least 12 to 14 years (and often longer). A disease that is common in both the Miniature Dachshund and its standard counterpart is Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD).[6] Onset of this disease typically occurs between 3 and 6 years of age. Complications that may occur are paralysis in the hind legs and the loss of control of the urinary bladder and bowel movements.

References

  1. ↑ National Miniature Dachshund Club. (2007, June 6). NMDC standard of the dachshund. Retrieved December 10, 2012, from http://www.dachsund-nmdc.org
  2. ↑ Rheingold, T. (2004). Miniature Dachshund dogs [Fact sheet]. Retrieved December 10, 2012, from http://www.dogster.com
  3. ↑ National Miniature Dachshund Club. (2007, June 6). NMDC standard of the dachshund. Retrieved December 10, 2012, from http://www.dachsund-nmdc.org
  4. ↑ Rheingold, T. (2004). Miniature Dachshund dogs [Fact sheet]. Retrieved December 10, 2012, from http://www.dogster.com
  5. ↑ American Kennel Club. (2012). Get to know the Dachshund. Retrieved December 10, 2012, from American Kennel Club website: http://www.akc.org/breeds/dachshund/index.cfm
  6. ↑ Discovery. (2012). Dachshund (Miniature) guide. Retrieved December 7, 2012, from Animal Planet website: http://animal.discovery.com/breed-selector/dog-breeds/hound/dachshund-miniature.html
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