Useful information
Historically, the standard, miniature and rabbit/kaninchen (the German word for rabbit) are the three sizes of Dachshunds originated from Germany. Not every country recognises the Kaninchen Dachshund as the smallest dachshund variety, and we are proud that Australia is now one of the lucky ones.
These active dogs will enjoy playing inside and even more outside when going on walks. Just be careful when they are off the leash. Make sure that you have trained them to come back at your command or you may end up searching for them in a forest.
Dachshunds bark. They bark at children and adults, at dogs and birds. It is a manageable condition though, the more you train your dog, the more rewarding it is. Start early training, reward your dog for being a good dog, introduce young puppy to everything you need them to be friends with. Take them to cafes, to beaches, let them explore as many places and people as you can and this is how you can help your puppy to become well mannered, socialised and adaptive dog. In my subjective opinion I would not recommend take your puppy to dog parks, as other dogs health and vaccination status is unknown, large or poorly socialised dogs can easily injure or frighten a small puppy, and one negative experience can cause lifelong fear and anxiety.
Dachshunds shed. If you are looking for a hypoallergenic dog, then you need to look for other dog breeds.
Dachshunds have long spines which need special care.
Because they have that long body structure, there are few things that you need to be aware of before considering buying a dachshund.
Never let them get fat, it's very important not to overfeed them.
Be sure to support their backs and rear legs when you are holding them. Because of their long backs, they are prone to Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD), which can result in partial or full paralysis. So do not let them jump from furniture and go up or down long stairs. For an owner with children, always remember that children need to play with dachshunds on the floor, to prevent them slipping out of hands. Teach your children how to pick up and hold your dog, holding their chest and supporting rear legs. Doxies are very good with children in their own family, but NO dog should ever be left unsupervised with children.
PRA - is a degenerative eye disorder that eventually causes blindness. Fortunately, it is detectable years before the dog shows any signs of blindness. A DNA test for PRA is available and reputable breeders should have a clearance certificate for their breeding dogs, as it could be a genetic disease. Our dogs have their tests done and they are CLEAR of PRA.
The gene that causes blindness is not fully understood by genetic specialists. Recent genetic studies have shown that the test cannot tell us which dogs will develop PRA. They are finding that even affected dogs rarely develop PRA and that two PRA clear parents can produce a PRA carrier or affected offspring. Genetic specialists know there must be an additional trigger and research is underway to find this trigger. At this point, some genetic companies are no longer doing the PRA test, because it is not a good indicator for which dogs will develop the disease.
Dachshunds are people dogs, and they aren't meant to spend their lives locked up in a crate, so let them explore the world starting from your house, backyard and neighbourhood.
If you have read all the information about the health and care of dachshunds not only here, but also from other sources and still think that this breed is for you, please put yourself in the waiting list with some information about yourself (see Home page).