Wire haired dachshund

The Wire haired dachshund is the greatest individualist among dachshunds, relentless, confident and brave beyond measure.

Nature

The rough-haired dachshund is endowed with a great temperament and strong character. Very affectionate, strongly attached to the owner. He doesn’t like to be alone, so he should spend as much time as possible with his family. Cheerful and curious, he will be a good companion for older children. It is not recommended for families with very young children. Sometimes distrustful of strangers, but he shouldn’t be aggressive. He is a vigilant, though a quite noisy guardian.

His relations with domestic animals are good, and he can also work together in a group of dogs. He is tolerant towards foreign quadrupeds, but he will respond to any aggravation – even from a dog much larger than himself. He has a strong hunting instinct, which is sometimes a source of trouble – on walks you have to remember that he loves to chase animals. When the wind turns an interesting clue, he may not respond to the call.

The wire-haired dachshund is not a sandwicher – he is an active and exuberant dog. He likes long walks, eagerly retrieves and swims well. In his case, movement is very important, because it prevents obesity and strengthens the back muscles (this is important because of occurring back problems). However, it should be remembered that long-term, consistent effort (e.g. running by bicycle) is not recommended for dogs of this breed.

Skills

This is an excellent utility dog, endowed with the strongest hunting instinct in the dachshund family. It is characterized by high durability, strength and maneuverability. It is a great vole for hunting foxes and badgers. Thanks to the specific body structure and courage, he can enter the game into a narrow cavity and hold it until the hunter appears. He can work as a fluffer in dense thickets and groves, hunting for pheasants and wild rabbits. He is a good hound and retriever, also from water.

He has a great sense of smell, so he will also cope as a hawker, announcing finding a trace of wounded animals with loud barking. Hereditary sharpness and a rough coat adapted to work in difficult conditions make him exceptionally good as a wild man. Due to the short paws, however, it is not suitable for work in mountainous terrain or in deep snow.

In order to preserve the inherited predisposition of the breed, work trials and burial contests, trackers and rockers are organized, the completion of which is one of the conditions for obtaining the title of interchampion (international beauty champion). In the United States, dachshund races are very popular, they were organized several times at exhibitions. Today, most representatives of this breed are companion dogs.

Wire haired dachshund. Training and education

The rough-haired dachshund is intelligent and smart, but at the same time stubborn and independent. During the hunt, he was expected to be independent, which is why the enforcement of orders can be embarrassing. A dog of this breed should learn the basic commands, but it is better not to count on great successes in the field of obedience.

An independent dachshund requires a firm and consistent upbringing from a puppy, otherwise, he will quickly subordinate his household members. Early socialization of the puppy, which must be in contact with people, dogs and new situations, is important.

Who is this race for?

The rough-haired dachshund is a dog suitable for active people who are able to subordinate such an individualist. The owner does not have to have much experience, but should show firmness, consistency and patience.

Wire haired dachshund. Advantages and disadvantages

Disadvantages

• stubborn and independent
• it can be noisy
• bored can dig pits in the garden
• has a tendency to gain weight
• longer hair needs trimming

Advantages

• very attached to the owner
• suitable for older children
• alert and brave
• good utility dog
• active and busy
• inexpensive to maintain
• tolerates other dogs
• suitable for a small apartment

Wire haired dachshund. Health

The most common disease that occurs in dachshunds is discopathy. The breed also has a tendency to build up tartar, which sometimes requires removal by a veterinarian. As a precaution, it is worth using toothpaste or lotions to clean your teeth, and also regularly give your dog special biscuits and chews.

Due to the admixture of terrier blood, the rough-haired dachshund is quite resistant to weather conditions. However, it may not tolerate hot weather and harsh sun – it feels much better at lower temperatures, although it does not like a strong wind. After a walk in the rain, remember to thoroughly wipe the dog with a towel. During large frosts, dachshunds in old age can be worn.

Feeding

Dachshunds usually have an excellent appetite, which is why they gain too much weight. Therefore, the diet must be adapted to the age and lifestyle of the dog. You can give ready-made dry food – there are special for dogs of this breed – or prepare meals yourself.

In the first case, you do not need to use additional vitamins and microelements, unless your veterinarian recommends them; in the second, it is necessary to supplement the diet with appropriate calcium and vitamin preparations. The daily portion for an adult dog is best divided into two smaller meals.

Care

Rough-haired dachshunds come in two types of coat, which is why their care can be more or less labor-intensive. A dog with short, hard coat does not require trimming, but it must be combed once or twice a month with a metal comb (preferably several with different density of teeth) to remove dead hair.

You can also use rubber brushes or gloves. A long-haired dachshund needs regular trimming all over his body.

The speed of hair growth is an individual matter, so it is difficult to accurately determine the time of the first treatment – we usually do it when the hair is slightly pulled in the fingers. Then we repeat the trimming regularly three or four times a year. Do not shorten the coat with scissors, because it will become too soft and lose its typical structure.

For delicate places – on the stomach, tail or behind the ears – you can use the trimmer. We bathe the dachshund, if necessary, in shampoo for rough-haired dogs and thoroughly wipe with a towel. You can dry it with a dryer set to medium temperature.

The preparation of the rough-haired dachshund for the exhibition is multistage. For a dog with longer hair, the first intensive trimming should be done about three months before the planned show. As the hair grows back, you need to make corrections every few weeks. People without experience should use the services of a specialist salon or ask for help from a breeder. A dachshund with shorter, hard hair does not require such labor-intensive preparation – just fine correction of the coat.

Accessories

Due to the strong instinct for pursuit, the dachshund should walk on a leash. Do not use the harness, because especially at a young age can lead to deformation of the shoulders and chest. Food is best served in metal bowls – narrow and tall, so that the dog will not get his ears dirty. Dachshunds like to sleep in covered lairs – so all kinds of booths will be useful.

Dogs of this breed are happy to play with cotton strings, but they should not be stretched during the tooth exchange period, as this may lead to biting deformation.

Wire haired dachshund. History

The origin of the dachshunds is not entirely known. According to some theories, the roots of this breed go back to ancient Egypt, as evidenced by archaeological discoveries. The researchers’ attention was drawn to, among others drawing from the time of Pharaoh Sezostris III, depicting a small dog with a long body and large standing ears, which was found in the tomb of an Egyptian dignitary. Apparently, during excavations, mummified remains of such animals were also found.

However, many cynologists are of the opinion that, apart from their slight physical similarity, they have nothing to do with modern dachshunds. Short-leggedness is also typical of many other breeds. It is a type of genetic mutation called chondrodysplasia, which consists of inhibiting the growth of long limb bones, with the normal development of flat bones, e.g. of the skull or pelvis. Individuals affected by it do not show any other anomalies – the functioning of internal organs or the ability to reproduce are not disturbed. The mutated gene is passed down from generation to generation.

The more probable theory about the origin of the breed says that the ancestors of the dachshunds could have been hounds called Dachsbracke, found for centuries in Germanic lands. In the veins of these short-legged quadrupeds, apparently, blood of sebaceous and pinscher also flows. The name “bracke” was used to describe different varieties of hunting dogs used for tracking and chasing. The word “Dachs” in German means “badger”; and refers to both the type of game that dachshunds initially hunted and to their physical similarity to the badger.

Near Cannstatt in today’s Germany, remains of similar quadrupeds were found from the time of Roman conquest. The first written references contained in family laws, dated V-IX century, mention a fine for killing a dog used for hunting underground. The oldest known woodcut depicting hunting with dachshunds can be found in the hunting treaty of 1561, written by the French nobleman Jacques de Fouilloux.

Initially, the breed was called Dachskriecher, and later Dachshund. Phonetic changes have led to the term Dackel and Teckel – the latter is widely used in Western European countries. In Russian, the breed is called “taksa” and before World War I Polish hunters also spoke about it.

For the first time, dachshunds were shown at an exhibition in Berlin in 1878, a year later at the congress of German cynologists the first pattern was set. In 1880, a pedigree book was created in Germany, in which over 300 representatives of the breed were placed. The first cynological organization dealing with breeding was the Dachshund Club, founded in 1881. In 1888, the German Dachshund Club (Deutsche Teckelklub) was established.

In 1895, dachshunds were systematized, divided according to the type of hair into short-haired, long-haired and rough-haired, and by weight into heavy, medium and light – standard, miniature and rabbit are used, and the circumference criterion is the chest circumference.

The rough-haired dachshund was created as a result of pairing the short-haired variety with dandie dinmont terrier and miniature schnauzer. Captain v. Wardenburg is considered the first representative of the new breed. Work on obtaining the current appearance of the rough-haired dachshund consisted of gradually eliminating the features of a schnauzer and making it externally similar to a short-haired cousin, from whom – apart from the type of coat – it should not differ.

Template

Wire-haired dachshund – group IV FCI, section 1, reference number 148

• Country of origin: Germany
• Size: standard: weight 6.5-7-kg (no more than 9-kg), chest circumference over 35-cm; miniature: weight 4 kg, chest circumference 30-35 cm; rabbit: weight 3.5-kg, chest circumference not more than 30-cm
• Coat: rough, close-fitting, dense and hard except for the muzzle, eyebrows and ears; the fur on the muzzle forms a beard and bushy eyebrows above the eyes
• Color: wilderness (in various shades) with tan, black tan and chocolate tan; white patches on chest acceptable but undesirable
• Maturity: 1.5 years
• Lifespan: 14-18 years
• Weather resistance: high

Interesting facts

Dachshunds are low so that they can get into any thickets. In turn, the rough coat makes them perfectly adapted to the hardships of hunting.