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At the mention of the Dachshund breed, before each average person, a picture of a squat dog with smooth mirror coat and short legs pops up. However, dachshund is a common characteristic of hunting dogs, which have a special body structure - a short leg and an elongated body. Dachshunds are divided into standard, miniature and rabbit. In addition, there are not only smooth-haired, but also long-haired, as well as wire-haired dachshunds, the latter are quite rare. Today we’ll talk about wire-haired dachshund, learn about the features of its nature and content. This will help some future owners make the right dog choice. After all, the wire-haired dachshund is an amazing animal that will captivate you with its immediacy and kind look.
History of breed origin
Dachshund is one of the oldest breeds of dogs, images of pets with short legs were found in letters and pictures of rock paintings in ancient Egypt. The first extensive descriptions of the breed were dated the 15-16th century, in those days the dog was used as a quick and nimble hunter who could penetrate holes and bring badgers, rodents and other small game. The dog was not just fast and strong, it was distinguished by its excellent savvy, sharp wit. In addition, the dog had thick fur that protected the animal during hunting from small thorns, branches and other obstacles.
People liked the breed so much that breeders took up it. They wanted to keep all the predominant indicators of the dachshund, but to make her disposition more aggressive and malicious with respect to prey. The goal was to increase hunting efficiency. Purebred representatives of dachshunds were crossed with short hounds and toy terriers. Long and rigorous selection, lengthy breeding did their job and as a result, the breeders presented the world with three main types of dachshunds. In Germany, the wire-haired dachshund was officially registered at the beginning of the 20th century, and already in the post-war years appeared in Russia. Wire-haired dachshund is not so popular today. The only reason is that people like smooth-haired dachshunds more. However, the wire-haired representative of an unusual breed has many advantages, which we will talk about today.
Description of the wire-haired dachshund
The wire-haired dachshund has a characteristic beard, due to which the muzzle visually acquires a rectangular shape. In appearance, you can immediately identify a female wire-haired dachshund - it is more graceful and feminine, in other dog breeds this is less pronounced. At the same time, the female is not inferior to the male in performance indicators - the animal is just as fast and brisk.The wire-haired dachshund has a rather long, stiff and straight coat, with a pronounced undercoat, the dog is not afraid of cold weather. Such wool is able to protect not only from low temperatures, but also from rain and other types of precipitation. But in a snowfall the dachshund moves with great difficulty, even small snowdrifts are an obstacle for the short-legged breed, not to mention the fact that snow coats constantly form on long wool. In addition to the beard, the hair has elongated areas on the eyebrows and mustache, which gives the image special touches. Any color of hair is allowed - from gray to brown and red dachshunds, mixed colors and a combination of shades are often found.
The nature and character of wire-haired dachshund
Dachshunds have long been very popular, even among celebrities, they were loved for their cheerful disposition and good nature. The dachshund coexists perfectly in the family, loves to play with children, and is gentle and reverent to older people. This is a rather active and agile dog, which always strives to throw out its energy. You will have to walk with a dachshund often and for a long time - a pet cannot do without physical activity. Moreover, you will have to find ways to entertain the dog so that it does not just walk, but runs, hunts, and satisfies its natural instincts. If this is not done, the dog may begin to spoil the property. Remember that the dog does not behave in this way from evil, it is physically necessary for him to pour out the accumulated strength.
The dachshund, despite its awkward appearance, is incredibly active and mobile, so this breed of dog is perfect for sports people. If you regularly go for a walk in the forest, do jogging, organize picnics, the dachshund is perfect for you. She perfectly tolerates the road and constantly entertains fellow travelers, because the dog knows very well that she will have a good pastime, and this raises the dog's mood. A hunting temper can play a trick on a dachshund. If the dog sees a rodent or other small prey, it will head straight for hunting, despite the surrounding circumstances. This can be dangerous for the dog itself.
At the same time, dachshunds are very smart and sometimes even cunning. From the very first day a pet appears in your house, you should clearly show who is the boss in your family. If a person is soft or inconsistent, the dog may begin to dominate, not obey commands. Starting from a month of age, a dachshund should be taught basic commands that need to be pronounced clearly and loudly. During training, try to abstract from extraneous matters and irritants. The main problem of the dachshund is its incredible curiosity. She will be distracted by the doorbell, birdsong outside the window and other extraneous sounds. Stand your ground and give the dog a treat only if the dog executes the commands correctly. Otherwise, the dachshund will find a loophole to outwit you, be sure.
Maintenance of wire-haired dachshunds
The main care for the dachshund is to maintain the normal appearance of the animal's coat. Many wire-haired breeds - dachshunds, terriers, schnauzers, etc. need a trimming procedure. Rocks with hard hair have a soft undercoat and long and very hard single hairs. Over time, they grow back, but do not fall out, and become like a long wire - stick out, spoiling the entire appearance of the wool. As a result, the dachshund looks scruffy and disheveled. You can’t cut dachshunds, as new hair can grow soft, this will not only ruin the appearance of the dog, but also reduce its working qualities. Therefore, for such breeds, trimming becomes an ideal solution. This is a procedure for a single removal (plucking or cutting) of hard hairs. Trimming is done by a specialist using certain tools, the procedure is relevant once every six months.After such a “haircut”, the appearance of the dachshund is completely transformed, the dog looks well-groomed. You will have to bathe a dachshund often, because the dog likes to rummage in the ground and dig deeper not in the cleanest areas of the lawn. However, coarse wool can repel dirt, so regular rinsing will suffice. A dog should be washed with detergents every few months.
Dachshunds are considered quite strong dogs in terms of health. The most common diseases occur against the background of the extraordinary structure of the body. Diagnoses are usually associated with disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Obesity is especially dangerous for a dog; therefore, the owner must clearly monitor the pet's nutrition and physical activity. If you do not feed your dog special dry food, the natural diet should be drawn up as competently as possible. The menu should include meat, fish, offal, cartilage for joint health, cereals, vegetables, fruits, herbs, dairy products. It is imperative to provide the dog with unlimited drinking water. An adult dachshund is fed twice a day - this is enough.
Dachshunds are an amazing breed of dogs that gets along with almost any person and in any conditions. Dachshunds feel equally good in an apartment and in a private house. But remember that at the dacha, beds and plantings can suffer from dachshund - a swivel digger will not give up the pleasure of digging into the soil. Love the dachshund and take care of it, and the dog will certainly reciprocate.
Video: dog breed wire-haired dachshund
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