Long Live the Dachshunds
Dachshunds are considered the second longest-living dog breed, but they do have some health challenges. First of all, the long back of a dachshund is subject to injury and should be protected with as little jumping and stair climbing as possible, tho I find that mine just love to jump on things, and our property does have stairs that our dachshunds have access to. Our long hair dachshunds do shed some hair, which should be considered before taking on such a prized animal in your home. They love to live indoors, but are somewhat stubborn and require careful training, especially during the first year of life, to be clean indoors. They also love to run and have very keen noses, but usually are not so observant of motor vehicles, lacking fear of cars. Outdoors, dachshunds need to be protected from cars; our own family has a few stories about dachshunds that were sleeping under a car and did not stir when the car was cranked. Let’s just say I grew up with dachshunds all around me, and was introduced to the tears of losing a beloved pet long before my age was double digits. Be careful with your dachshund—they love to travel with you, but cars can be deadly to them.
Monthly Spa Day
My dachshunds are healthier and happier when I take the time each month to do a “spa” day. Here are some tips for creating an enjoyable routine with your puppy:
Nail clipping does not have to be a “Pawful” experience!
Long before you need to actually clip your pup’s nails, handle his toenails, one at a time, while talking calmly. Lay the clippers close by so the sight of them is associated with those pleasant petting moments that you have had. Continue the nail petting moments in between a monthly nail clipping. Clip only a very short piece of the nail at any given time, because the quick grows out with the nail. If you ever have a dog with long curled nails (like a rescue dog who has not been tended to regularly), you have to clip little bits off the nails every 10 days until you slowly get the length reduced.
Bath time doesn’t have to be “ruff!”
Dawn dish detergent is excellent for killing fleas on contact. Wet dog thoroughly, except for head. Rub dog with Dawn, starting with the neck and paying close attention to the arm/leg pits. Continue to gently massage the shampoo into the coat, while giving it a couple of minutes to contact every potential flea. Just because you haven’t seen any fleas is not a guarantee that there aren’t a few. Fat fleas that wash off with the Dawn or flea shampoo indicate a serious problem. After a good rinse, apply a gentle dog shampoo that will make the coat shiny or smooth. Ross and Marshalls and TJ Maxx have good dog product departments with good prices. Rinse the 2nd shampoo out well. Have a towel ready.
Avoid cooking your hot dog!
During the entire washing process, make sure you constantly monitor the temperature of the water over your hands, and remember that your dog’s underbelly is much more sensitive to hot or cold than your hands. Avoid getting water into the dog’s eyes. Teach your dog to stay in the wash basin/tub without jumping out; this will take some patience; stay calm and talk gently to your dog during the entire bathing process, using her name and tell her what a good girl she is. Of course, if you have a boy, use the correct gender words-lol! A long-hair dachshund will shed hair in the bathing process; this is good, and will reduce any hair that might get on your furniture or rugs. I find that my long-hair dachshunds do not leave behind globs of hair on my furnishings, and perhaps that is because they get at least a monthly bath. Wrap your dog in the towel and gently lift her out of the basin, rather than letting her jump out at will; you’ll be glad over the long haul to reduce the chances of a wet pet with shampoo jumping out and running all over everywhere; furthermore, unless the basin is very close to the ground, jumping down can be dangerous. I bathe my dachshunds in a laundry room sink and it would be a very long way down to the floor. Dry your dog gently, and pay special attention to the ears. Long, pendant ears of dachshunds are susceptible to infection; if you see any black gunk in the ears as you dry them, your dog probably has ear mites, and you will need to treat the mites. Do not ever leave your dog’s ears wet with wash water, lest they get a fungal infection.
After the bath, I always have a couple of special treats ready for my dogs. This is a really good time to apply any flea medications or treatments. It’s also a great time to give your dog clean bedding and a sprinkling of First Saturday Lime or Diatomaceous Earth in the kennel and bedding areas.
I keep a monthly record page of baths, nail clipping, flea and heartworm treatments, ear cleanings, dewormer brand, dosages and dates given, weight.
