Rabbit dachshund: types and rules of content

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 holes. The dog replaced the then-popular albino ferrets. A variety of rabbit dachshunds was formed and fixed closer to the beginning of the 20th century. Dachshunds now have the status of decorative dogs and are rarely used in hunting for game. However, if you engage in training, the dog will be easy to develop their predator instincts for hunting.

Before learning the standards of the breed and its differences from dwarf dachshunds, you should study its history. Dachshunds, like cats, animals with a rich ancient history. The first images of dogs were found on the walls of the tomb of Pharaoh Thutmose III. The picture showed an unexplored creature with short legs and an elongated muzzle, standing next to the usual hunting dogs. The image dates from about II century BC. In Assyrian sculpture also exhibits of short-legged dogs.

But these creatures can not be called the ancestors of modern dachshunds. It is believed that the dachshunds began their lineage from the marriages. Animals are close to the exterior, similar characters. German breeders have invested a lot of work in breeding rabbit dachshunds. The task was to get dogs of small size, but fast, able to penetrate the 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 interbreeding and chose the path of selection. Representatives of the mini-breed crossed 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 is achieved.

At the beginning of the XX century the breed was put on stream.

The parameters of the exterior.

• The head is elongated, gradually tapering towards the nose. Brow arc pronounced, nose narrow, straight. The skull is flattened, the stopper does not protrude. Its absence indicates the presence of hounds in the blood genus, which is not allowed.
• Jaw is strong, scissor bite, teeth tightly closed. Lips tight, dry. Dark dogs have black or brown lip pigmentation.
• The eyes are medium, oval, not convex. The iris is brown in any saturation. Marble dachshunds have blue eyes. The eyelids fit the eyeballs tightly.
• Mini-dachshund ears hang loosely from the head, set high. The tip of the ear is semicircular. The level of bending of the ear falls on the crown of the head or below.
• The neck of an adult dog is long, with protruding muscles, a nape is visible, which passes into the withers. The skin does not hang down, does not form folds.
• The body is elongated. The back closer to the rump goes down. Sternum oval, keel can be traced, forming a depression at the sides. The belly of the dachshund should be taut, but not too hollow.
• The tail is visually in line with the back.A saber tail shape, a slight bend of the tip is acceptable.
• Limbs shortened, strong, in parallel. The angles of the joints are pronounced. Elbows pointing back. Paws oval, fingers tightly pressed. The paw pads are plump. Claws hard, short. Thighs muscular, stand out.

Properly developed animal moves easily, moving with a sweeping step. Jumps are elastic, free.

Rabbit dachshund is a calm animal, does not show sudden aggression, the dog's nervous system is stable. Dachshund alert, with dignity, courageous. These traits allow the animal to live easily in the house with its other inhabitants, people. Dachshund is considered an excellent companion.

Breeders also note the manifestation of the independence of the animal, signs of the mind, speed of reaction and decision-making. Dachshunds are sensitive to pressure, rudeness, physical punishment. Friendliness, softness pronounced in this breed.

By cons character should be attributed jealousy. The dog shows a sense of ownership in relation to the owner, to personal toys, things. However, it is good to other family members and quickly gets used to them. Rabbit dachshunds need constant games, entertainment, happy to run after objects.

Dachshunds also exhibit such traits as stubbornness, cunning. This is part of the hunting instincts, they allow the dog to be long in the rabbit holes, not allowing the prey to get out of the shelter.

Bravery is another trait prescribed to this animal. Brave dachshunds easily rush to big game such as boars. The courage of the dachshund does not wear a shade of recklessness; the animal weighs all its decisions. In relation to the prey dog ​​shows aggressiveness, perseverance.

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

An animal’s aging occurs at different times, some individuals begin to exhibit its signs at the age of 7 or 10 years. Factors affecting the onset of old age: the weight and height of the animal, the breed, the state of health. Small dogs tend to live longer than their tall brethren. There are cases when dachshu lived to 20 years.

When an animal enters the period of aging, the owner needs to adjust the pet's diet, change the rules of maintenance. Be sure to twice a year to drive a pet for a visit to the veterinarian, to take blood and urine tests. More attention should be paid to the teeth of the dog. Regularly clean the oral cavity, remove tartar, treat gums.

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

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

In rabbit dachshunds, there are three types of wool.

• Shorthair individuals, or smooth coat in a different way - the hair is smooth, the hairs fit snugly to each other, to the dog's body. The fur coat is thick.

• Long haired - hair is soft, shiny, about 5 cm long. Wool falls. The long hairs form an expressive eye in the zone of the extremities, on the neck and body in the abdominal region. Undercoat is developed.

• Wire-haired - coarse hair, in the area of ​​the muzzle forms a beard, eyebrows look like shaggy eyebrows. On the rest of the dog's body, the coat is short, the undercoat is pronounced.

The colors of the breed are diverse, divided into one-color, two-color and patterned.

• Monochrome. Red color is represented by light or with a yellowish subtone color. This is the standard color of rabbit dachshunds.

• Bicoloured. Presented by 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, neck painted black. The selected zones are formed by hairs of a light brown shade.
2. Chocolate and tan. It differs from black only in the shade of the main color. In this color it is of a deep warm brown tone. Bright areas in contrast do not stand out much.

• Marble dachshunds. The main color of the marble species is black, gray or brown. Animals look unusual and very attractive. On the body of the dog a pattern of medium-sized chaotic spots is formed. Spots can be gray on a black background, wheat and dark brown on a grayish background.

• Tiger. The color is represented by a fawn or reddish version 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 boar color, expressed in light and dark colors. Each hair on the dog's body is bicolor. The back, sides, neck and abdomen of an animal are painted with light gray-black wool, while the head, paws and tail of a pet will be uniform, black and light brown tones.

Home mini-dachshund unpretentious care. Pet hair must be cleaned weekly with a natural bristled brush. For long-haired dachshunds, a furminator is used - a special brush that avoids the formation of tangles, which accelerates the molting process. During the molt, the dog's hair is combed every day.

Water treatments are carried out once a season. The animal itself is clean, avoids dirt. Dogs love water, gladly bathe in open reservoirs with pleasure.

Teeth care is reduced to periodic cleaning of the oral cavity using tooth powders or pastes. This procedure is obligatory, tartar is easily formed in rabbit dachshunds. Dry food and hard delicacies made from the veins of animals can also remove plaque.

Dog's claws are trimmed with a clipper if necessary. Usually, claws are worn in a natural way while walking on stony 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.

Special care requires the ears and eyes of a pet. They are regularly examined for dirt, mucus or insects.Daily cleaning after walks will reduce the risk of infections and breed diseases. The treatment is done with the help of special lotions applied to a cotton pad or cotton swab. Movement must be pro-blotting, ears may be wiped with a cleaner.

As babies, pets are barred from accessing the stairs. It would be better to endure the dog in his arms. Puppies are not taken by the scruff of the neck, as this method of carrying a baby can provoke a displacement of the vertebral discs.

Also, at a young age, it is easy to teach a dog to walk to relieve a need in a tray or diapers. It is recommended to get your pet a soft stove with low sides. The dog house should be placed in a place protected from drafts and high noise.

Animals require toys, it is desirable to purchase for him a lot of different models. The place to eat should be equipped with bowls placed on a stand - it will be easier for the pet to absorb food and drink water.

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

The diet includes a mandatory fish, meat. These products occupy 2/3 of the volume of food consumed. The rest falls on fermented milk products, vegetables, and cereals.

Adding vitamins and minerals to food is due to the tendency of the breed to pathologies of the skeletal system. Products necessarily contain calcium. The amount of minerals must be balanced, otherwise an excess of one substance may 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, spices. You can not feed an animal with products that have been smoked, canned, pickled.

When feeding "drying" allowed the introduction into the diet of wet food. Clean drinking water should always be freely available. It is advisable to place the bowl slightly away from the cup with food so that the water is not contaminated.

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

During classes with a pet it is forbidden to use physical punishment, shouting and anger the dog. All correctly executed teams are required to be supported by positive reinforcement - a delicacy. The vindictive dog almost does not give in to training, it is better to give such individuals to work to specialists-cynologists.

The process of training should occur in a game form. Do not expect that the dog immediately understand what is required of him. Do not put pressure on the dog, show it and accustom it to your commands with voice, action. Commands are given clearly, without screaming.

A good memory allows rabbit dachshunds to remember 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 force an animal to chase cats, squirrels. Until the pet fully masters all the teams and rules, control must constantly follow him, including during walking. Fenced territory does not guarantee that the pet does not dig a hole or run away.

More information about rabbit dachshunds can be viewed in the video.