How to Take Care a Dachshund Essay Example for Free

How to Take Care a Dachshund Essay 1. Learn how to hold your dachshund. You cant hold them like normal dogs because of their long backs. Hold their ends while supporting their back with your other hand. Although its an awkward position at first, after a while you will get used to it. Practice with something light first because you may hurt your dachshund. Make sure you never hold them by their paws or head. 2. Dont let them climb stairs or go down stairs. When dachshunds climb stairs, it puts pressure on their backs because of their height. Their backs bend the wrong way. When they go down stairs, a lot of pressure is placed on the discs with each step. Always carry them when youd like them to come upstairs or downstairs. a. Put a baby gate up to keep them off the stairs and from being their naturally-curious selves. 3. Get a light leash. If your dachshunds leash is too heavy, you will end up lugging the dog around the block instead of taking him for a walk. Make sure that your leash is made out of light material, and that the metal clips arent too big. A good choice of a leash is one specifically made for smaller dogs. 4. House train them. Start off with getting them to urinate on eco friendly puppy pads or newspaper. Then, gradually put less and less newspaper on the floor. Once all the paper is gone, take them for walks. Reward them if they do their business. Whenever they mark their territory outside, say, Good dog, good duty. Good Fito. Of course, replace Fito with your dogs name. b. Make sure that when you reward them, you say their name along with good dog. This makes them associate their name with good dog, so theyll consider themselves a good dog. c. If you punish your dog, dont say their name along with bad dog. This will make them believe their name means bad dog, which is not a good thing. 5. Brush their teeth. Start off by rubbing their teeth with meat. (It sounds weird, of course!) This will make them comfortable with your hands in their mouth. Then use dog toothpaste. This must be done at a young age. 6. Give them toys. This is especially important while your dog is teething. Theyll want to chew on something, and if you dont supply them, theyll pick a nice Italian shoe out of your closet instead. 7. Let your dog run. Because of their short legs, they need to run around often. If they do not exercise, they will become overweight. This is especially bad for dachshunds because their stomachs weigh down their backs. If your dachshund becomes obese, they will most likely encounter back problems as well. 8. Dont let your dachshund jump. Even though it may look extremely cute, this is also bad for their backs. If they can stand up on their hind legs, this is okay. If they jump very high and fall back down, dont let them do it. d. Dont let them sit up on their hindquarters. Again, its very cute, but it puts a lot of pressure on the discs in the back. 9. Clip you dogs nails. Buy a special tool for this, since you dont want to hit the quick. If you dont think you can do this, leave it to the vet. 10. Wash your dog. Use special dog shampoo for this. Unless your dog has a skin problem, there is no need to wash him or her other than for your own enjoyment, although its probably also good for your dachs. Shoot to wash him or her every couple of months. 11. Brush your dog. Make sure you pay special attention to the stomach and ears. Make sure your dog doesnt get matted hair, as they are painful to your dog and hard to remove. 12. Do stuff with your dachshund! If you are interested in any dog sports, get your dachshund into them! Dachshunds can compete in conformation, agility, obedience, flyball, and much more! Dachshund Diet 1. Talk with your vet. Dachshunds need a special diet to maintain a healthy weight and a happy pup! The first week you get your dachshund, you should always go to the vet and get a checkup. While you are there, you should discuss what type of food your dachshund will be eating. * Make sure your commercial brand of dog food is not purchased at a grocery store! Most of the time, brands of dog food at grocery stores have a high fat content, high sodium content, and lots of preservatives and artificial flavors. You should purchase your dog food online from a trusted website or from your local pet supply and specialty store. * Which brand to choose is the hard question. Make sure your brand of food has no animal byproducts or artificial flavoring. You should try to steer clear of foods with corn and soy also. * Select a higher-quality brand. Better brands of dog food are usually more expensive, but that is not always the case. You may want to choose a brand of food that is formulated especially for dachshunds. Recommended brands of food are Fromm, Blue Buffalo, and Organix. There is also The Honest Kitchen and Dick Van Patterns Natural Balance. Last but not least, if you would like to purchase a food specially formulated for your dachshie, there is Eukanuba Dachshund Formula. * Look at the nutrition label, if the first and main ingredient isnt meat, it probably isnt the best food for any breed of dog. 2. Consider commercial brands. If you and your vet discuss it, and you decide to get a commercial brand of food, choose wisely. There are many brands of food out there, and some of them are very good, and others are very bad. 3. Never let your dachshund become overweight. This greatly increases the risk of IVDD (disc disease) and paralysis. If your dachs puts on weight, replace some of her food with canned pure pumpkin, which will help her to lose enough weight so that she has a nice, tucked waist. Tips * Discourage them from bad behaviors (nipping, barking, scratching, etc.) * Buy a comfortable harness or collar for your dog that is light. Make sure its not too tight. * Make sure to schedule regular vet appointments (two a year) to make sure your dog is up to date on exams and shots! * Give your dachshund lots of space if it is eating a bone. * Praise your dachshund if he or she does a very good job. And if it is working hard on something hard (like a treasure hunt) encourage your dachshund to do a good job. * Freeze Dried foods like Grandma Lucys are a great choice since they are high in protein, but low in fat and carbs. * Talk to your dachshund in a sing-song voice (if it is blind) Warnings * Only use special dog toothpaste when you brush your dachshunds teeth. * Take your dachshund to the vet every six months, even if there are no symptoms of disease. Dachshunds need their routine vaccinations, or just a checkup! * Dont let your dachshund get overweight, this can cause major back and health problems. * An unsocialized dachshund is not pleasant; get your dachshie socialized with other dogs and people! * Dachshunds nails are always dark, so be very careful when cutting them. Try not to hit the qwick (blood vessel in nail). * Consider buying health insurance for your pet. Dachshunds can be bold and daring a trait that can get them in trouble, often resulting in the two options: surgery or putting the dog down.