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Caring for Dachshund Puppies/Dachshunds The more time you spend caring for your miniature longhaired Dachshund the happier you and he will be.
1. Teeth Learning to clean your dog's teeth may not be at the top of your list of priorities. However, this is the ideal time to start getting your new dog used to brushing. Puppies have the greatest capacity to learn and absorb information before they reach the age of 12 weeks. Introducing a home-care regime for oral hygiene at this age becomes part of their daily routine and can effectively delay the onset of periodontal disease. Brushing Getting your dog used to brushing should be done slowly and by using the positive re-enforcement technique. Do not punish bad behaviour or failure to comply, but reward good behaviour with a treat and praise. Your dog wants to please you, and will hopefully learn to accept brushing, providing each step is taken slowly and gently. The tongue acts as a fairly efficient toothbrush, so there is no need to attempt to brush the inside of the teeth. The areas to concentrate on are the large cheek teeth (premolars and molars) and the fang teeth (canines). Toothpaste There are several flavours of dog dentifrice: poultry, malt, mint and seafood. Unlike human toothpaste, it contains no fluoride, doesn't 'froth' and is designed to be swallowed as dogs and cats don't have the ability to spit. When choosing a paste, make sure it is an enzymatic one, as this will increase the effectiveness of the paste and help to break down plaque. Toothbrushes Various sizes of soft brushes are available - specifically designed for cats and dogs. Choosing the right type of brush for your dog's mouth size and shape is imperative.
Technique There are no hard and fast rules about how long each stage should take. It depends on how well the dog accepts each step. The main thing is not to force the dog. Forcing will cause resentment and fear, as well as putting the person attempting to brush at risk of being bitten, albeit unintentionally on the part of the dog. With dogs, it is easier to have them in a sitting position. Lifting their head back slightly, and positioning your hand (the one you are not using to brush) around the muzzle, prevents them from opening their mouths. Lifting the lip reveals the teeth which are known as a scissor bite. This interlocking formation means that it is possible to brush the lower and upper teeth with the same brush stroke. The larger teeth at the back of the mouth will not be easily viewable, so the toothbrush must be slotted in between the cheek and teeth and pushed as far to the back as possible. You may find it easier to move position to brush the second side of the mouth, after doing the first. If they can open their mouths, they will often attempt to chew the brush or lick all the paste from the brush!For maximum efficiency in the delay of periodontal disease, brushing should be done on a daily basis. Different types of enzymatic 'activation' time of pastes by saliva mean the length of time spent on brushing each side will vary. It is the mechanical effect of brushing that is of most benefit, but how much you can actually manage it is usually dictated by the length of time your dog will happily tolerate it.
If at any time your dog resists, stop and wait until the next day before trying again, repeating previous steps if necessary. Once you have become quite adept at brushing, try to use a rotating brush action on the large teeth at the back of the mouth and the fang teeth. 2. Grooming Grooming for a miniature longhaired Dachshund takes longer than for the smooth haired given you have a lot more hair to deal with both on the body and the feet. Feet on long haired Dachshunds does grow long rapidly and can cause the dog difficulty in walking if allowed to grow to a long length particularly in the pad area - please watch the video to see how to trim. Click here for Video on Miniature Long Haired Dachshunds Trimming paw hair Brushing Choose a good firm brush that can go through a fairly thick coat and work your way along the dog. A good wire brush can be particularly effective if you brush your dog while you are shampooing him and will take out a lot more dead hairs than if you brush dry. Pay particular attention to the ears as Dachshunds have a habit of rolling around on the floor and getting knots in the hair behind their ears given they seem to manage this fairly frequently we would suggest doing this at least weekly. Feet The hair on the feet of a long haired Dachshund grows both under the pads and out from between the toes and needs trimming back to between the pads and clear of the toes and so it's feet look the same as a short haired dog. A long nosed pair of scissors is worth getting hold of for this task. Nails Nails should be kept trimmed to ensure they don't develop into a hook curved shape back on them selves - quarter of a circle shape is ideal from the top to bottom. Cutters designed for this can be bought from most pet stores. Hair As for Humans there are many products on the market for different types of hair so we suggest you go and talk to the hair/coat product suppliers/traders you find at the various Dog shows to see what's best for your Dog. How ever as a starting point we use as an aid to coat growth initially and for a bitch after pups Click here for Canine Sho-Glo And for hair/coat care we use Click here for Shampoo - Vital Prof Shampoo
2. Parasites If you walk your dog it will at some time pick up parasites from other dogs, pets, long grass etc. Fleas No big deal various solutions available from a lea collar to treatments you put on your dog all of which can normally be bought from most supermarkets. Worms No big deal various solutions available to give your dog all of which can normally be bought from most supermarkets. All our puppies are wormed before we let new owners have them so you don't need to worry about another worming for a month or so. Check with your vet who will advise. Our last worming is normally the day before you pick the puppy up. Ticks No big deal various solutions available for you put on your dog all of which can normally be bought from most supermarkets and the vets. Often dabbing some insect replant onto the visible bit of the tick will cause it to fall off. Be very careful NOT to get it in the bite area as this can cause discomfort to your dog. DO NOT be tempted to pull the tick of as you can leave the head behind which will cause the bite area to become infected etc.
3. Vaccinations We give all puppies the first injection before they leave us the certificate for which will be in the paperwork we give you along with details of when the next injection needs to be done. They must NOT be allowed to mix with other dogs unless you know the have had their vaccinations until after the second injection. Your vet will tell you when it's safe. Yearly booster When you have the second injection done your vet will let you know when the yearly booster is due as well as when it's safe to take your dog out. No boarding kennel will accept a dog for boarding unless it has had it's injections not to mention the health risks involved.
4. Bedding/sleeping area All dogs need an area to call their own in which needs to be at least a bed of some form bean bag, cushion etc as well as fluids always available night and day. Many people keep their dogs in the utility/washer room as it normally has a lino floor that's easy to clean and a door that allows them immediate access to the outside for toilet.
5. Toilet/House training When they leave us most of our pups will go on newspaper that has been put down for them. Generally, dogs are very clean animals - they won't soil close to where they eat, or where they sleep. But living in a house is unnatural for an animal whose instincts would be to roam wherever she wants to go, so you will have to help her learn where and when she can relieve herself. It is essential that you form good toilet habits for your dog as early on as possible. Trying to break the habit of a dog is quite difficult and it can be very frustrating. You need to use guidance and encouragement to help the pet. Animal behaviourists have some helpful tips that you can use to help with the housebreaking of your pet. Believe it or not, dogs are sanitary creatures. If a dog does soil accidentally in the wrong place, it is likely that it will be far from his dog dish, at least six to ten feet. This is true for the place where the dog sleeps as well. But, unless you find a good place for her to go and train her in that manner, the rest of your house is okay to them. The process for housebreaking a dog is the same if he is a puppy or an adult dog new to your home. You’ll need to take him outside every few hours and also 30 minutes after he eats. Take your pet to the designated bathroom spot. Stay with the pet until he goes, and then praise him when he does. If she does not go, bring him back inside and try again in fifteen minutes. Watch him though. If the dog starts sniffing and circling take them out right away as this is a sign that he is about to go. Pay attention to his signs and take him out. Soon, he will relate to going outside to going to the bathroom. Some dogs are housebroken much faster than others. Some dog’s personality will cause him to go one way or the other. But, if you take him outside at the right time, it will go smoother. A puppy of less than four months old will need to go out during the night. Older puppies can hold it that long. A dog that cries to be let out has an urgent need. Get up and take him out, he needs every chance to succeed that he can get. Positive reinforcement is necessary for success. How you treat accidents will affect your dog’s overall learning curve. If you catch your dog going in the act, distract him with a clap or call his name. Take him outside calmly at that time and praise him for finishing outside. Clean up any accident that you find on the floor. If the dog approaches during this time, ignore him. Don’t talk to or punish him at this point. The worst thing that you can do is to yell at him or physically punish him. This will cause him to fear you and to not bond as well to you. He won’t connect it to the accident at all. Ignoring him is the best course of action here. Early on and certainly until the puppy gets used to his new home make sure you have newspaper where he knows it is in each room, if you don't as it isn't his bed he'll just wee anywhere!
6. Punishing your dog - DON'T DO IT! Quite simply if your dog does wrong for example chewing some furniture take them to a toy they can chew and when they chew that praise them. When they do wrong DO NOT EVER shout or hit them as this will simply teach them to fear you and it's all downhill from there. If he does wrong DO NOT MAKE A FUSS OR GIVE ANY ATTENTION - When he does right make a BIG FUSS - If you keep to this simple rule he will be trained in next to no time. If you need help or advice call or email us and we'll get back to you as soon as possible.
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