How to Prepare Your Home for a Dachshund
Preparing a home for a new Dachshund requires just as much diligence as it does to prepare for a child. If the house isn't Dachshund-proofed, Dachshies — who'll gnaw on or swallow just about anything and who are too short to jump safely — can get themselves in a lot of trouble or even hurt.
How do you Dachs-proof your home? Try to see the world from his point of view and then you get busy and make a few changes before you let that puppy loose in the house.
Prepare for a demolition dog: You'd be surprised how much of a mess your little Dachsie can create. Keep collectables well above the level any Dachshund can reach or put them away for a while. Puppies are exuberant and curious, and they haven't yet learned what areas are off limits to them. Protect your breakables the same way you would if you were dealing with a child.
The world is his chew toy: Although a Dachshund is small, he has a pretty big mouth, and he loves to chew and chew and chew. In fact, just about anything he can get his teeth around will be considered fair game. The best way to combat this is to have a good supply of acceptable chew toys on hand. Stow them everywhere so one is always within reach.
Choking hazards: Take a good look around your home for small objects on the floor or within reach that would fit in your Dachshund's mouth like bottle caps, rubber bands, string or thread, loose screws, twist ties, small blocks or balls (such as cat toys), and even small wads of paper trash. String-like objects can actually cause internal damage.
Avoid giving your Dachshund cat toys, even if you have a Mini. Dachshunds are more determined than cats and can break up the toys to reveal a number of choking hazards.
Put away poisons: When you have a chew-happy puppy, the number of things that could poison them are everywhere. Common household poisons include cleaners, medicine of any kind, pesticides, houseplants, coffee grounds, potpourri, and even foods. Don't forget to include your garage and your yard when looking for poisons.
Many people foods can be poisonous to dogs. The worst are chocolate, onions, grapes or raisins, and even sugarless gum. Even small amounts can be fatal.
If you know or suspect that your dog has been poisoned, call the National Animal Poison Control Center (NAPCC) at 1-888-426-4435, a 24-hour emergency veterinary poison hotline.
Stairs: A big thing to consider when Dachs-proofing your home is how to make your stairs Dachshund-friendly. If you have stairs in your home, the best bet is a baby gate at the top and bottom of the stairs. A ramp is great alternative outside.
Ledges, couches and beds: Some Dachshunds are impossible to keep off beds and couches, and when they decide to get down, they get down before you can stop them. Some people build little ramps everywhere; others recognize that their pets are going to jump. You have to determine what works best for you.
Dealing with diggers: Dachshunds love to dig, almost as much as they love to chew. If you have a digger, you may want to consider purchasing a few carpet squares or remnants that are reserved for your Dachshund. He can dig and scratch on them to his heart's content.
Dogs Glossary
A-B-C assessment
Checking a dog’s airway, breathing, and circulation.
Dogs Glossary
animal shelter
1. An animal control agency run by local government to protect people from animals, take in strays, and manage animal issues and problems within the community. 2. A privately run shelter managed by individuals who want to protect, advocate for, and find homes for animals.
Dogs Glossary
BARF diet
A method of feeding dogs as closely as possible what they would eat in the wild: raw flesh and bones, along with vegetable matter from the stomachs of their prey. The acronym stands for either Bones and Raw Food or Biologically Appropriate Raw Food.
Dogs Glossary
blow out
A twice-yearly shedding of a dog’s undercoat.
Dogs Glossary
blue slip
An application to register a purebred puppy.
Dogs Glossary
breeder
A person who raises, sells, and often shows dogs of a specific breed. Reputable breeders screen parent dogs in an effort to produce healthy dogs that conform to breed standards.
Dogs Glossary
castrate
The removal of a male dog’s testicles to render him infertile.
Dogs Glossary
clicker
A small hand-held device that makes a sharp cracking sound when pressed. Paired with a food reward, an effective dog-training tool.
Dogs Glossary
cohesive bandage
A stretchy wrap that clings to itself used to cover and secure gauze bandages without tape.
Dogs Glossary
come into season
The advent of a female dog’s term of fertility.
Dogs Glossary
dead ring
The stationary ring on a training collar that pulls on the collar, not the dog’s neck.
Dogs Glossary
double coat
Two layers of fur — a top coat of stiff guard hairs and an undercoat that serves as insulation.
Dogs Glossary
dropped ears
The term for hanging or drooping dog ears.
Dogs Glossary
Elizabethan collar
A wide, cone-shaped plastic or cardboard collar that prevents a dog from being able to scratch her head. Used to prevent further injury or hasten healing.
Dogs Glossary
euthanize; put to sleep
To kill an animal to relieve suffering.
Dogs Glossary
fall
Hair that extends over a dog’s eyes.
Dogs Glossary
feathering
Long hair that runs from armpit to paw on the backs of a dog’s legs.
Dogs Glossary
free-feeding
Keeping a constant supply of dog food available so that the dog can decide when and how much to eat. It works best in single-dog households where there’s no competition for food.
Dogs Glossary
heartworms
Parasites that live in dogs’ hearts and cause heart failure. They’re transferred through mosquito bites.
Dogs Glossary
heat
The period when a female dog is fertile.
Dogs Glossary
heel
A command and position in which a dog walks at your left side staying with you as you change direction or pace.
Dogs Glossary
hip dysplasia
A painful malformation of a dog’s hip socket. Some breeds are genetically predisposed to the condition.
Dogs Glossary
hot spot
A localized area of skin infection. It’s usually round, red, and warm to the touch.
Dogs Glossary
live ring
The floating ring of a training collar. Attach a leash to this ring for training purposes.
Dogs Glossary
neuter
A general term to describe either spaying or castrating a dog to render it infertile. Neutering and castrating are often used interchangeably.
Dogs Glossary
pantaloons
The tufts of hair on the backs of a long-haired dogs legs that make him look like he’s wearing bloomers.
Dogs Glossary
pedigree
A diagram of a dog’s ancestors for three or more generations that lists the registered names of the dogs and the titles they earned.
Dogs Glossary
pinch collar
A training collar with interlocking prongs that pinch a dog’s neck when tugged on. Some veterinarians recommend them above all other collars for training purposes.
Dogs Glossary
praise
A verbal reward for a dog , such as an enthusiastic “good dog!”
Dogs Glossary
prong collar
A training collar with interlocking prongs that pinch a dog’s neck when tugged on. Some veterinarians recommend them above all other collars for training purposes.
Dogs Glossary
pulse
Normal dog pulse is between 70 and 120 beats per minute. The pulse of a puppy ranges from 120 to 160 beats per minute.
Dogs Glossary
puppy mill
A place that supplies puppies to pet stores, usually without screening for possible genetic defects or properly socializing the puppies.
Dogs Glossary
registration certificate
The paper certifying a dog’s registration with an accredited organization.
Dogs Glossary
registration slip
An application to register a purebred puppy.
Dogs Glossary
release word
A word that lets a dog know that she is free to move.
Dogs Glossary
rescue group
A network of animal lovers who rescue and find new homes for their favorite breeds or animals.
Dogs Glossary
reward
To give a dog a treat for a correct response while he’s still in the desired position.
Dogs Glossary
ruff
The long, thick fur around a dog’s chest, shoulders, and neck.
Dogs Glossary
separation anxiety
A condition in which your dog becomes anxious and stressed when you leave him.
Dogs Glossary
shed
A twice-yearly process of casting off the undercoat in a double-coated dog.
Dogs Glossary
single coat
A single layer of hairs that comprises a dog’s fur.
Dogs Glossary
spay
To remove of both the uterus and the ovaries of a dog to render her infertile.
Dogs Glossary
stripping
Plucking the dead hairs from a dog’s coat.
Dogs Glossary
titer tests
Tests that check a dog’s immunity levels to determine exactly which vaccinations are needed.
Dogs Glossary
top coat
The top layer of a double-coated dog composed of stiff guard hairs that tend to be naturally water-repellant. The top coat protects the dog’s skin and undercoat.
Dogs Glossary
training collar
A collar that enables you to guide your dog and to check her as necessary — a brief, sharp tug tightens the collar around the dog’s neck.
Dogs Glossary
treat cup
A plastic container filled with small treats or dog food. Shake it and give treats from it as a reward as you train a dog.
Dogs Glossary
undercoat
Fleecy or downy fur shorter than the top layer of a double-coated dog. The undercoat serves as insulation.
