Rabbit dachshund: types and rules of maintenance

The rabbit dachshund belongs to the representatives of hunting dog breeds and is the smallest among them. The animal was specially bred to hunt rabbits in order to climb into their narrow burrows. The dog replaced the then popular albino ferrets. The variety of rabbit dachshunds was formed and consolidated closer to the beginning of the 20th century. Now dachshunds have the status of decorative dogs and are extremely rarely used in hunting for game. However, with training, it will be easy for the dog to develop its predatory instincts for hunting.

Before you know the standards of the breed and its differences from dwarf dachshunds, you should study its history. Dachshunds, like cats, are animals with a rich ancient history. The first images of dogs were found on the walls of the tomb of Pharaoh Thutmose III. The painting showed an unknown creature with short legs and an elongated muzzle, standing next to ordinary hunting dogs. The image dates from around the 2nd century BC.In Assyrian sculpture, there are also exhibits of short-legged dogs.

But these creatures cannot be called the ancestors of modern dachshunds. It is believed that dachshunds began their ancestry from marriages. Animals are close in exterior, similar in character. German breeders have put a lot of effort into breeding rabbit dachshunds. The task was to obtain dogs of small size, but fast, capable of penetrating into narrow holes, while maneuvering in them for prey.

The blood of the miniature pinscher allowed the dachshunds to acquire their tiny size, but at the same time the character of the animal or the exterior suffered. As a result, the breeders decided to move away from the idea of ​​obtaining puppies by the method of interbreeding and chose the path of selection. Representatives of the mini-breed interbred with each other, producing us the light of miniature puppies, which were selected by the breeders according to the necessary parameters, repeating this chain until the desired result was achieved.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the breed was put on stream.

Exterior parameters.

• The head is elongated, gradually tapering towards the nose. The superciliary arches are pronounced, the nose is narrow, straight. The skull is flattened, the stopper does not protrude. Its absence indicates the presence of greyhounds in the blood family, which is not allowed.
• The jaw is strong, the bite is scissor, the teeth are tightly closed. The lips are tight and dry. Dark dogs have black or brown lip pigmentation.
• The eyes are medium, oval, not protruding. The iris is brown in any saturation. Blue-eyed is acceptable in marbled dachshunds. The eyelids fit snugly around the eyeballs.
• Ears of mini-dachshunds hang freely from the head, set high. The tip of the ear is semicircular. The fold of the ear is at or below the crown of the head.
• The neck of an adult dog is long, with protruding muscles, the scruff is visible, which passes into the withers. The skin does not hang down, does not form folds.
• The body is elongated. The back is lowered closer to the croup. The sternum is oval, the keel can be traced, forming depressions on the sides. Dachshund belly should be tucked up, but not too sunken.
• The tail is visually in line with the back. A saber-shaped tail, a slight bend in the tip, is acceptable.
• The limbs are short, strong and parallel. The articulation angles are pronounced. The elbows are directed back. The legs are oval, the toes are tightly pressed. The paw pads are puffy. The nails are hard and short. The thighs are well muscled and prominent.

A correctly developed animal moves easily, moving with a sweeping step. Jumping is elastic, free.

The rabbit dachshund is a calm animal, does not show sudden aggression, the dog's nervous system is stable. Dachshund is alert, dignified, brave. These traits allow the animal to easily get along in the house with its other inhabitants, people. The dachshund is considered an excellent companion.

Breeders also note the manifestation of the animal's independence, signs of intelligence, quick reactions and decision-making. Dachshunds are sensitive to pressure, rudeness, physical punishment. Friendliness, softness are pronounced in this breed.

The disadvantages of character include jealousy. The dog shows a sense of ownership in relation to the owner, to personal toys, things. However, she treats other family members well and quickly gets used to them. Rabbit dachshunds need constant games, entertainment, and run after objects with pleasure.

Dachshunds also show such character traits as stubbornness, cunning. This is part of the hunting instincts, they allow the dog to stay in rabbit holes for a long time, not allowing the prey to get out of the shelter.

Courage is another trait prescribed for this animal. Brave dachshunds easily attack big game like wild boar. The dachshund's courage is not tinged with recklessness; the animal weighs all its decisions. In relation to prey, the dog shows aggressiveness, perseverance.

On average, rabbit dachshunds live 12 years. The signs of aging begin to appear in the eighth year of life. The animal becomes less dynamic, there are problems with joints, appetite decreases, the coat loses its shine, white hairs appear.

Aging of an animal occurs at different times, some individuals begin to show signs of it at the age of 7 or 10 years. Factors affecting the onset of old age: weight and height of the animal, breed, state of health. Small dogs tend to live longer than their larger counterparts. There have been cases when dachshunds lived up to 20 years.

When an animal enters the aging period, the owner needs to adjust the pet's diet, change the rules of keeping. It is definitely worth taking your pet to a veterinarian for examination twice a year, taking blood and urine tests. More attention should be paid to the dog's teeth. Clean your mouth regularly, remove tartar, and heal your gums.

In the process of combing the animal's fur, it is necessary to feel the dog's body for the presence of tumors. Examine ears, eyes, paws.

The main difference between a rabbit dachshund and a dwarf dachshund is size. Dwarf dachshunds no more than 21 cm tall. The animal's chest girth is 30–35 cm, weight is about 4.5 kg. Dwarf individuals are also long-haired and short-haired. When choosing a dachshund, emphasis should be placed on the external characteristics of the animal. Buying a small pet, you can slip a regular dachshund. Therefore, it is better to take animals in nurseries, where each individual has its own documents, in which the entire pedigree of the dog is recorded. Or to acquire an adult individual and navigate by its size.

Rabbit dachshunds have three types of coat.

• Short-haired individuals, or in another way smooth-haired - the coat is smooth, the hairs fit tightly to each other, to the body of the dog. The fur coat is thick.

• Longhaired - the hair is soft, shiny, about 5 cm long. The hair falls down. Long hairs form an expressive fringe in the area of ​​the limbs, on the neck and on the body in the abdomen. The undercoat is developed.

• Wire-haired - the coat is coarse, in the muzzle area forms a beard, the brow ridges are similar to shaggy eyebrows. On the rest of the dog's body, the coat is short, the undercoat is pronounced.

The colors of the breed are varied, they are divided into monochromatic, two-color and patterned.

• Monochrome. The red color is presented in light or with a yellowish undertone. This is the standard color for rabbit dachshunds.

• Bicolor. Presented in a combination of two shades.

1. Black and tan. The entire body of the animal, with the exception of the area on the muzzle, limbs, sternum, and neck, is colored black.The highlighted areas are formed by hairs of a light brown shade.
2. Chocolate and tan. It differs from black only in a shade of the main color. In this color it has a rich warm brown tone. Light areas do not stand out strongly in contrast.

• Marble dachshunds. The main color in marble specimens is black, gray or brown. The animals look unusual and very attractive. A pattern of chaotic, medium-sized spots forms on the dog's body. The spots can be gray on a black background, wheaten and dark brown on a grayish background.

• Tiger. The color is represented by a fawn or red variant with dark vertical narrow stripes. As a rule, the spots are clearly visible on the sides of the pet, ears. The drawing is attractive, unique. Wire-haired subspecies can be painted in the so-called wild boar color, expressed in light and dark colors. Each hair on the body of the dog is two-colored. The back, sides, neck and belly of the animal are colored with light gray-black hair, while the head, legs and tail of the pet will be solid, black and light brown.

Domestic mini-dachshund is unpretentious in care. The pet's coat must be brushed weekly with a natural bristle brush. For long-haired dachshunds, a furminator is used - a special brush that avoids the formation of tangles, accelerating the shedding process. During the moulting period, the dog's coat is combed every day.

Water treatments are held once a season. The animal itself is clean, avoiding dirt. Dogs love water, they are happy to bathe on their own in open reservoirs.

Dental care is reduced to periodic cleaning of the oral cavity using tooth powder or toothpaste. This procedure is mandatory; tartar is easily formed in rabbit dachshunds. Dry food, tough treats made from animal veins can also remove plaque.

The claws of the dog are trimmed with a clipper if necessary. Usually, the claws are naturally grinded while walking on rocky surfaces. If the animal is old or rarely walks, the claws are treated every two weeks. The cut should be done carefully, performed in the light, so as not to touch the capillary vessels.

Pet's ears and eyes require special care. They are regularly examined for dirt, mucus, or insects. Daily cleaning after walking will reduce the risk of infections, breed diseases. The treatment is performed using special lotions applied to a cotton pad or cotton swab. Movement should be damp, it is allowed to wipe the ears with a product.

As toddlers, pets are shielded from access to stairs. It will be better to carry the dog in your arms. Puppies are not taken by the scruff of the neck, as this method of carrying the baby can provoke the displacement of the vertebral discs.

Also, at a young age, the dog can easily be taught to walk to relieve in a litter box or diaper. It is recommended to purchase a soft bed with low sides for your pet. The dog's house should be placed in a place protected from drafts and high noises.

The animal needs toys, it is advisable to purchase many different models for it. The place for eating should be equipped with bowls placed on a stand - so it will be easier for the pet to absorb food and drink water.

Rabbit dachshunds are prone to obesity, in order to avoid this, it is necessary to maintain a correct pet diet. It is forbidden to give your pet handouts from the table. The food consumed should not contain a high percentage of fat.

The diet includes fish and meat without fail. These products occupy 2/3 of the amount of food consumed. The rest falls on fermented milk products, vegetables, cereals.

The addition of vitamins and minerals to food is due to the breed's tendency to pathologies of the skeletal system. Products necessarily contain calcium. The amount of minerals must be balanced, otherwise an excess of one substance can have a negative effect on the animal's body in the form of salt deposits in the joints and bones of the spine.

Food is served finely chopped, boiled, without adding salt or spices. You can not feed the animal with products that have passed the smoking procedure, canned, pickled.

When feeding "drying", it is allowed to introduce wet food into the diet. Clean drinking water should always be readily available. It is advisable to place the bowl slightly away from the bowl of food so that the water does not get dirty.

An animal, like all relatives, requires socialization, education, so that the pet grows into an attentive, affectionate, patient creature, capable of behaving correctly with a person. A sharp mind, the ability to independently make decisions can aggravate the situation in the behavior of a dog if it is not trained from infancy.

During classes with a pet, it is forbidden to use physical punishment, shout and anger the dog. All correctly executed commands must be supported by positive reinforcement - a delicacy. The vindictive dog almost does not lend itself to training, it is better to give such individuals to work for specialist cynologists.

The training process should take place in a playful way. Do not expect that the dog will immediately understand what is required of him. Do not put pressure on the dog, show and teach him to your commands by voice, action. Commands are given clearly, without shouting.

A good memory allows rabbit dachshunds to memorize a large number of commands. The most important age for training is 2-6 months. During this period, the animal is the most curious. At the same age, the puppy is taught to walk with a leash. The hunting instinct can make an animal chase cats and squirrels. Until the pet fully masters all the commands and rules, control must constantly follow him, including during walking. The fenced area does not guarantee that the pet will not dig a hole and run away.

You can watch the video for even more information on rabbit dachshunds.