A Sausage Tail To Tell...

This weeks blog is by my super dedicated and lovely friend Beth who is currently on a dog grooming apprenticeship as well as studying for a Canine Behaviour degree and assisting me! Enjoy! xx

As a child I saw Dachshunds in the parks, streets and shops and always been in love, as I grew older and realised my passion for dogs I joined Debra at Rixton Dog School to pursue my dream of being a canine behaviourist, and once again, I was reconnected with sausages in dog school! After months of dedication to the job and persuading my mum to let me have a Dachshund, Debra’s magic touch persuaded my mum and for my 18th birthday she came only with not one but two Miniature Dachshunds: Phoebe the Chocolate & Tan and Rolo the Black & Tan. They have become the highlight of my life becoming the centre of my world. With Rolo passing his Kennel Club Bronze, Silver & Gold awards at the age of 1year and 1week I knew he was a superstar. They are the most loving, stubborn crazy dogs I have ever come across. With them being the best sofa and bed sharers along with the millions of dog kisses they share it is no wonder why they are my fur babies! However, having Dachshunds isn’t all fun and games. With them being bred for hunting and alerting their owners of any small mammals such as badgers, rabbits or squirrels since the 18th century, it is no wonder why they are extremely loud and with their hound instincts they have incredible scent receptors which allow them to smell these small animals for up to 1.2miles away! Furthermore, their instincts of alerting their owners of movements means barking is a regular occurrence in our house, however, through positive reinforcement, patience and commitment this is slowly reducing, which means time of rest is more common! Enough with the negatives though, they have the biggest characters in such a small body, along with being such unique individuals considering they are brother and sister. With Rolo loving a good cuddle and snuggle on your lap it is no wonder why he is the perfect lap dog. Then we have Phoebe who should have been called Dora who loves the explore! Furthermore, with her desire to chew one of her seven sets of keys it is no wonder she has a beautiful smile! They both enjoy walks no matter what the weather (rarity for a Dachshunds, I must’ve been lucky) with their favourite place being the beach. However, due to their long sausagey spines, they are more likely to develop IVDD (Intervertebral disc disease) which is a condition where the cushioning discs between the vertebrae of the spinal column either bulge or burst (herniate) into the spinal cord space. These discs then press on the nerves running through the spinal cord causing pain, nerve damage, and even paralysis, hence the rule of ‘breaking in’ Dachshunds to exercise and walking. This should be started at 3months at 5minutes and increasing by 5minutes every month to build up muscle support and support their bone structure. So, if you love a dog to cuddle with heaps of personality and a little dog who can sausage sprawl across the sofa or bed then this may be the breed for you! I hope you enjoyed my sausage tail and I hope to be back soon!