Rabbit dachshund - description of the breed, size, character, what they look like

The dachshund is a small “sofa-room” breed that invariably holds the lead in domestic and foreign statistics of bites of people and animals. However, there is a huge army of supporters of this dog breed. These owners will never trade smart and loyal dogs for others. How does this little dog combine loyalty to its family and aggression towards strangers? Let's get to know this dog better, evaluate all the pros and cons of the Dachshund breed, reviews from owners, which are both positive and negative. We hope that our material will help you understand whether this dog is right for you or not.

What does a rabbit dachshund look like?

She is easily remembered for her appearance. An elongated body and small short legs are their distinguishing feature. The rabbit species differs from the ordinary one only in size. Other external features include:

• hanging ears;
• the tail tapers towards the end;
• The front legs are larger than the hind legs. But both couples are strong and muscular;
• head held high.

Character and behavior

The distant hunting past has affected the temperament of the rabbit dachshund. Her energy and high activity cannot be taken away from her. The main thing is that you should not neglect education and training so that these traits do not turn into a disadvantage. Other equally striking features include:

1. Bravery and bravery. “Rabbits” are quite small and funny, but this does not at all prevent them from rushing into battle with ill-wishers without fear and doubt.
2. Curiosity. They love to discover and learn new things. Therefore, in order for your pet to always be in an upbeat and cheerful mood, you often need to take him to places where he has not been before.
3. Love for people. They become very attached to a person and worry if he is away from home for a long time. In addition, dogs love children and get along well with them.
4. Good mental health. The nervous system is not subject to disturbances.
5. Emotionality. Thanks to expressive facial expressions, it is easy to understand about her current emotions and feelings.

Dachshund rabbit color

This purebred dog has a lot of color options, which will be discussed later in the article.

Chocolate

This color means a light shade of brown with tan, the color of milk chocolate.

Ginger

Orange individuals often have coal hairs that grow mixed with the main ones.

Marble

There are brown and charcoal marble. This implies that there are stains on the base color of the body.

Boar color

The color is so called because of its resemblance to the color of the boar's bristles. That is, each hair contains orange and charcoal pigments.

Black

It is an intense and bright charcoal color, without any spots or additional shades.

Black and Tan

This color is considered a classic. With it, there are tan marks on the face, chest and paws of a reddish-red color.

White

White coloring is not limited to albinos. The white individual has a dark nose, eyelids and lips.

Grey

With a gray color, the tan is almost invisible.

Blue

This color is close to gray, but has a bluish tint. And if there is also a tan, then the dog will look pure blue.

Brown

The brown color is usually quite intense and expressive. If the tan marks are reddish in color, then the dog is brown and tan.

Cream

This color is not found in individuals with short coats. Cream is close to white, but has a yellow or apricot tint.

brindle

With this color the baby will look like a real tiger cub. Uniform dark stripes covering the body stand out clearly against the general background.

Sable

An interesting and unusual color that visually creates a sputtering effect: the tips of the coat are painted charcoal.

Double merle

The double merle color means that the pure white coat has marbled spots.

Isabella

This is the name of a color similar to coffee with milk, i.e. the color of clarified chocolate, similar to beige.

Spotted

Similar to the double merle color type, however the spots can be of different colors.

Two-color

With this color, there are large spots on the fur coat of a color different from the main one.

Miniature rabbit dachshund fur

Shorthair

This is the most common type, otherwise called smooth-haired. The length of the fur coat does not exceed two centimeters.

Longhair

In such individuals, the fur can reach a length of up to five centimeters. Especially long hair grows on the tummy, tail and chest. Such a fur coat requires careful care because it gets dirty faster.

Dimensions and weight of an adult dog

The final parameters of a rabbit dog are formed no earlier than at the age of fifteen months. The height of a mature individual at the withers is about twenty centimeters. And the weight, as a rule, is no more than three kilograms.

Rabbit Dachshund Breed Standards

The reference characteristics are established by the Federation Cynologique Internationale (FCI). They describe the ideal representative of the rabbit dachshund. Typically, this information is required for show pets and experienced breeders. So, the signs include:

1. Body structure. It should be elongated and compact. The chest is oval, with developed ribs. The tummy is toned.
2. Shape of the skull and head. It should taper towards the nose, and itself have an elongated shape.
3. Bite. It must be correct, that is, the upper and lower jaws close tightly.
4. Size and position of the eyes. The eyes are set wide apart and have an oval shape. Convex ones no longer fit the “standard”.
5. The tail is at the same level as the back.
6. The paws are clearly muscular and strong. The pads on the paws are plump and elastic.

History of the origin of the breed

It is believed that this breed is one of the most ancient. In the distant past, the nobility amused themselves by hunting various animals and the dachshund helped them in this. The dachshund was perfect for these purposes, since it successfully coped with prey that hid in holes, thanks to its elongated body and short limbs. In addition to such abilities, the dachshund was a good guard, chasing away rats, mice, and other predators that encroached on various poultry.

Despite the fact that no official data on the breeding work carried out existed until the 18th century, these small dogs were bred in Germany. Although there were no planned activities for breeding this breed, crossing was carried out on the basis of the external data of the animal. Some time passed and these dogs with an elongated body and short legs began to appear in the paintings of artists, in various fiction, as well as in the houses of rich people, including in their chambers.

In addition to the fact that this very interesting dog did not require special care and could also make a lot of noise in case of danger, it became a real companion not only for the owner, but also for the hunter. As a rule, several dachshunds were used in the hunt at once, which effortlessly drove down foxes, rabbits, and badgers that were hiding in holes. Unfortunately, some dachshunds died because, without any fear, they simply dived into any hole where serious danger awaited them. Often they simply found themselves trapped and could not get out of the hole.

Interesting to know! Only the smallest representatives of this breed were lucky, who could freely penetrate into any hole.

Small dachshunds were valued quite highly if an ordinary dachshund gave birth to several puppies, among which were small dachshunds. At the same time, they were as active and healthy as their brothers. The situation changed dramatically after just one century. Miniature dachshunds began to be crossed with each other. As a result, puppies with the best characteristics were born. The beginning of the last century was marked by the fact that the “rabbit dachshund” breed was included in the catalog of recognized dog breeds by the International Association of Cynologists.

The German breeder Engelmann did a truly colossal job; at the initial stage of his efforts, he crossed representatives of this breed with miniature pinschers. At the same time, the offspring that were born did not have the necessary working characteristics. He abandoned this idea and subsequently began to select the smallest dachshunds in order to preserve the short stature of future offspring.

Although mini-dachshunds were not particularly fertile, they retained basic hunting qualities, such as an excellent sense of smell, courage, and endurance in pursuit of prey. This work related to breed data is carried out even today, so a dog, especially a breed dog, must meet all the working characteristics that are inherent in a hunting dog.

Rabbit dachshund. CONVERSATION WITH THE OWNER: character, features of keeping, complexity of the breed.

Pros and cons of a miniature dachshund

The advantages of having such a baby in the house are:

1. Intelligence and intelligence.
2. Ability to learn quickly.
3. Love for people.
4. Knows how to express his emotions.
5. Devotion.
6. Funny appearance.

The objective disadvantages are as follows:

• Without proper attention and education, the baby will become overly stubborn and disobedient. This will lead to the fact that she will begin to spoil and break things, bark incessantly and rush around the house;
• hunting instincts. This becomes a problem if there are small animals (hamsters, rats, etc.) or birds at home.

Character

Representatives of the breed are companions for the owner and his family. Dachshunds are perfect for living in a large family with children, for one person, or for the elderly. If there is a child in the house, the pet will become for him, on the one hand, a toy, a partner in fun, amusement, and on the other, a protector, nanny, and security guard. However, Dachshunds will not tolerate bad treatment. If children and adults treat them inappropriately, the animals will not tolerate it. They will definitely fight back either with their behavior or even with aggression.

Distinctive character traits are activity, energy, and curiosity. If you plan to keep your dog alone within four walls all day, it is better to choose a different breed. Bonded to people, cheerful dachshunds will not survive in such conditions. They experience a long separation from their owner especially acutely.

The hunting skills of the representatives of the breed, which are in their blood, periodically make themselves felt even to dogs that have lived their entire lives as decorative pets. If a rodent or other small animal runs nearby, the dachshund will immediately react and be ready to chase it.

The hunting instincts of the rabbit dachshund prevent it from living peacefully in the same house with other animals, especially rodents. Small puppies can play with them, and over time they will begin to see them as their target.

The mini rabbit breed is small in size and weight. Despite this, the pet is always ready to defend its owner and his property when danger arises. The guarding instinct appears in puppies immediately after birth. High intelligence does not allow them to behave inappropriately. They will never attack first or show causeless aggression.

Dog care and maintenance

The baby is not capricious and unpretentious, but this does not mean that she does not require proper care and education. After all, the lifespan of a pet depends on proper care.

Feeding your pet

You can feed them with ready-made dry food or create a diet made from natural products. In the first case, you need to choose well-known brands of manufacturers with proven quality, who are conscientious about creating food.

It is better to avoid economy-class products, because they not only contain few beneficial microelements, but also many harmful ones. Well-proven feeds include the following:

1. "Royal Canin Dachshund Adult." This is a French product that is in great demand. However, it contains a lot of carbohydrates and other additives. Therefore, its quality is regarded as average.
2. "Eukanuba Breed Specific Dachshund". Dutch-American premium food. The quality is also average.
3. The highest quality food is considered to be the holistic food “Almo Nature Alternative” from Italy. It contains no potential allergens or excessive amounts of carbohydrates. Owners note that after switching to this food, the pet’s health improves and there are no problems with stool. The only negative is the price.

In general, any holistic approach is an ideal option for a four-legged animal. Neither premium nor super-premium food will provide him with a complete supply of the necessary vitamins and minerals.

If the owner is determined to feed his pet natural products, he needs to know the rules of such nutrition. And first of all, you need to remember those types of food that are prohibited to give:

1. Pork, lamb (and other fatty types of meat).
2. Smoked, sweet and flour products.
3. Potato.
4. Seasonings, spices, salt.

What to feed the dog? Permitted and useful products include:

1. Turkey, lamb, beef (lean). In general, meat should make up 40-60% of a pet’s total diet. Chicken often causes allergies, so it should be given with caution or avoided altogether.
2. Sea fish. Naturally, without bones. It is better to avoid river fish, but there is no strict ban on its consumption. The main thing is to cook it and make minced meat to destroy possible parasites.
3. Porridge. Rice, buckwheat, oatmeal are the most suitable. There is no need to give pea, pearl barley and corn cereals.
4. Raw vegetables and fruits.
5. Milk and sour milk. Low-fat kefir, natural yogurt, yogurt, etc. - all of these are valuable sources of protein and healthy fats. But milk should not be given after reaching three months of age - this causes diarrhea.

You must ensure that your dog always has access to clean, filtered water. It needs to be changed daily.

You cannot combine feeding with prepared foods and natural products. This will greatly affect the pet’s digestive system and create an unbearable burden on it.

You can’t overfeed either: the dog is prone to obesity.

Walking outside

The dachshund is always full of activity and a desire to frolic. Therefore, walking is a daily activity. You need to walk your pets for an hour or two every day (more is possible).

The walk should include:

1. Active games. You need to be careful and not let the dog jump down from a great height. Due to the nature of her body, she is easily injured.
2. Teaching commands and practicing them.
3. The ability to run without a leash (but only if the dog knows the “come to me” command).

If it's quite cold outside, you need to put a jumpsuit on your baby. Otherwise, she may get wet, freeze and get sick.

Training and raising a dog

Without education and training, an active rabbit dachshund will turn into a real problem. You need to start working with the puppy at a very young age. Kids are smart, but sometimes they can be stubborn. Therefore, the owner must be patient and work persistently.

Experienced breeders advise punishing a pet for disobedience by ignoring it. You can’t shout at him, much less raise your hand. This will discourage your pet from working and may make him angry.

The very first thing you need to teach your dachshund is going to the toilet. At the same time, you need to accustom her to a leash.

Commands that can be taught to a dachshund:

1. "To me".
2. “Ugh,” “No way.”
3. "Lie".
4. "Wait".
5. "Sit".

Hygiene, grooming

Rabbit dachshunds have delicate skin, so they are bathed quite rarely. This will only be necessary in cases of heavy contamination. The dog must be washed using a special dog shampoo. If it gets a little dirty, it is better to use a cloth soaked in warm water.

Dachshunds with smooth or short coats should be brushed twice a week, especially when shedding. To do this, you need to purchase either a brush or a special rubber glove. Wire-haired pets need to be trimmed periodically with a trimmer.

Mating a rabbit mini dachshund

Sexually mature individuals are ready to continue the race by one and a half or two years. It is not recommended to breed a female during her first heat, because she has not yet had time to fully form and get stronger. A direct meeting of the male and female must be organized on the territory of the former.

Before knitting a mini pair, you need to give them anthelmintics and treat them against skin parasites. This is necessary not only to prevent infection of each other. The fact is that the pregnant female and her future offspring will be harmed by anti-parasitic treatment.

Diseases, vaccinations

Rabbit dachshunds are prone to a number of diseases, including:

1. Obesity.
2. Epilepsy.
3. Spinal dysplasia (i.e., underdeveloped bone and cartilage tissue).
4. Diseases of the ears, joints.

Vaccination is an important procedure aimed at preventing a number of serious infectious diseases. Approximate vaccination schedule:

1. At 2 months: first vaccination against plague, hepatitis, enteritis, adenovirus.
2. At 2 and a half months: revaccination against the same diseases.
3. At 6-7 months: vaccinations against the same diseases are repeated, and vaccination against leptospirosis is performed.
4. At 1 year of age – rabies vaccination.

Coat types

• Straight hair. The coat does not exceed 1 cm in length, smooth, close to the body, not rough. The undercoat is also short, soft, but not fluffy.
• Long-haired. On the body, limbs and ears the hair is wavy, thick and quite long - from 5 to 10 cm, and on the head it is short, smooth and narrow.
• Coarse-haired. The coat is short - up to 3 cm, bristly, dense, dense. On the face it forms the eyebrows, mustache and beard typical for this species.

Life expectancy of a rabbit dachshund

The lifespan of a rabbit dachshund is between twelve and fifteen years. The better you take care of your little pet, the longer he will live. However, in addition to this, predetermining factors for life span include:

1. Genetic predisposition.
2. Vaccination.
3. Presence of congenital diseases.
4. Was castration done? It extends life by several years.

What is the difference from the standard fee? How is it different from dwarf?

Rabbit dachshunds differ little in character from other dogs of this breed, except that they are a little more active and energetic.

External differences relate only to size: the dachshund rabbit is about two to three times lighter than a standard dachshund, weighing about 9 kg and weighs about a third less than a dwarf or, in other words, a dachshund, which weighs from 4 to 5 kg, 5 kg.

Often, rabbit dachshunds grow to almost miniature sizes, so only a specialist can determine which size variety a particular dog belongs to.

Price of a rabbit dachshund, where you can buy a puppy

You should buy a rabbit dachshund no earlier than it is 2 or 3 months old. You can do this:

1. In the nursery.
2. From a trusted breeder.
3. On the Internet platform (Yula, Avito, etc.).

The price of a puppy will depend on whether it is bought for an exhibition or not, and on its pedigree. When purchasing, the baby must have all the required documents (passport, vaccination card). The average price of a rabbit dachshund is 10-12 thousand.

Accessories

The Dachshund loves to surround itself with a variety of little things. If you do not purchase special toys for your pet, he will begin to entertain himself with surrounding objects. There should be quite a lot of rubber balls and bones. The only thing the owner should take care of is the proper organization of the sleeping area. The rabbit dachshund especially loves comfort. Feedback from owners makes it possible to understand that a dog develops correctly only if its space is properly organized.

There are special mattresses and houses for dachshunds on sale that can be placed both in a large home and in a small apartment. The dog should not sleep on toys. Healthy sleep for your pet is of great importance. The bed should not be very soft. A hard mattress will help avoid spinal problems in your dachshund.

Reviews from rabbit dachshund owners

Maxim, Moscow:

“We bought a rabbit dachshund from a nursery, the baby quickly got used to us. Gets along great with children. And a two-hour walk every day is beneficial not only for the dog, but for all of us.”

Angelina, Kazan:

“We really wanted a rabbit dachshund, but we were worried that he wouldn’t be able to get along with our middle-aged cat. But everything went smoothly. Now they play together. The active dog never sits idle for a second. He's fun and funny to watch, especially when he's playing."

Artem, St. Petersburg:

“A very kind and loyal dog. He always greets me and rejoices at my arrival. And it’s a real pleasure to train, the dachshund is smart and quick-witted.”

Dream

Photo: pixabay.com
An undoubted discovery for you will be that this sausage with legs also likes to sleep comfortably. It takes superhuman willpower and a wagon of patience not to give her a chance to win a place on the bed from her childhood. Whining, night raids and sabotage await you, just don’t try to give in, because then you will have only one thing left - when you discuss your pet with the same victim, ask: “Does yours sleep entirely under the covers or does she also prefer her butt on the pillow?”

We take turns going on vacation

When we had one dog, I left it to my sister. But now no one will take on such responsibility for caring for a special dog. And we won’t leave it to anyone. We need to help her go to her needs. She understands what she wants, but she can't stand it. If Gerda crawls or goes into the corridor, you need to take her out immediately. Sometimes we don’t have time to leave, then everything remains on the floor in the corridor. There are “misses” at night. We know about this, others don’t. Of course, we go on vacation, but we take turns. This year, for example, my husband and son went, and then I and my daughter.

Gerda and I developed a special relationship during her illness. She has confidence in me. He knows that I won’t give her to anyone, I won’t betray her. She feels when I just enter the village where we live. Waiting for me at the door or looking out the window.

The trouble that happened to Gerda changed my whole life

If Gerda had not gotten sick, I would not have become such an avid dog lover, I would not have read thematic literature, I would not have joined social groups. networks to help animals, I wouldn’t have fostered puppies, I wouldn’t have gotten carried away with cooking and proper nutrition... Trouble crept up unexpectedly and completely turned my world upside down. But I really wasn’t ready to lose my dog. When I was waiting for Gerda at the vet. clinic near the operating room, I realized how much I became attached to her and fell in love with her.

Photo: from Yulia’s personal archive

And it all happened like this: on Friday Gerda began to limp, on Saturday morning she fell on her paws, and on Monday she could no longer walk. I don’t know how and what happened. The dog immediately stopped jumping on the sofa, lay there and whined. We didn’t attach any importance, we thought: it will pass. When we arrived at the clinic, everything started to spin. Many complex procedures, anesthesia, tests, images, MRI... Treatment, rehabilitation.

I understood that the dog would forever remain special. And you will need to devote a lot of effort and time to caring for her. If I had worked then, I would have had to quit or go on a long vacation. Mom and Dad were very sorry for me, they repeatedly hinted: wouldn’t it be better to put me to sleep? The argument was: “Just think about what will happen next?” If you think globally, I agree: it’s a nightmare and horror. But if, slowly, you go through every day and rejoice in small victories, then, it seems, it’s tolerable. I couldn’t put her to sleep, Gerda was still so young: only three and a half years old. Thanks to my husband and sister, they always supported me.

Whatever we did to get the dog on its paws. We injected her with hormones, massaged her, took her to acupuncture, and swam in an inflatable pool in the summer... We definitely made progress: from a dog who didn’t get up, didn’t walk, relieved herself on her own, Gerda became a completely independent dog. We put off purchasing a stroller for a long time. They were afraid that she would relax and not walk at all. She was taken for walks every two and a half hours using special supportive panties with scarf straps. It was on the street that the dog came to life, it became interested: either it would see the dog, or it would follow the bird.

But we wanted more, and we decided to have surgery. Which I really regretted later. Another anesthesia, a huge stitch, stress, shock... And again rehabilitation. Gerda had a very difficult recovery. She began to walk under herself again, did not get up, bedsores formed, and the muscles on her hind legs completely disappeared. We slept with her in a separate room so as not to disturb anyone. At night I got up several times and turned the dog over, because... She couldn’t turn around on her own. Again massage, swimming, training...

Six months later, the dog got back on its feet. She, of course, will never be the same. And her walking differs from the movements of healthy tails. But she walks!

Then there were more difficulties, dislocations. And again the operation to implant a support plate. And again restoration.

When walking, I try to always be close to Gerda, supporting her if she falls. We finally bought a stroller. And this is a very good solution.

Photo: from Yulia’s personal archive

The dog walks on 4 legs, and the stroller protects against falls and supports its back. Yes, what’s going on there? With a stroller, Gerda runs faster than her healthy friends. We don’t wear this device at home; he moves around independently as best he can. She makes me very happy lately; she gets to her feet more and more often and walks more confidently. Recently Gerda was ordered a second stroller; she used the first one in two years.

Hunting

It is not customary to hunt with a dwarf dachshund, since the breed is too small to work on a burrowing animal, especially if we are not talking about cowardly young animals, but about foxes and badgers with experience. Of course, once in the hole, the dachshund will try his best to chase the prey, but the animal is unlikely to be impressed by the size of its pursuer. Nevertheless, some owners practice forays into the forest and field with the breed, but more for entertainment purposes than for practical purposes. At hunting competitions, dwarf dachshunds periodically appear with first degree diplomas in fox and badger, but it is important to understand that, basically, these are individuals working at baiting stations, and not in natural conditions.

Finding a dwarf dachshund from hunting lines in Russia is extremely difficult, but if you manage to get such a puppy, you can try your hand at baiting. However, first you need to go through the preparatory stages with your pet, that is, socialization, education and training of the commands “Sit!”, “Lie down!”, “Near!”, “Place!”, “Walk!”. Keep in mind that baiting is not training to hunt, but just an attempt to awaken the getter and pursuer in the dog. You can take your pet to such classes no earlier than he is 6 months old. If at the baiting station the dachshund does not react to the artificial hole, this means that the working instinct has not awakened in it, and the animal just needs to be taken home to wait a month or two. Usually, fox cubs are used for the first baiting, since an adult animal can deal harshly with a miniature and inexperienced dachshund. Working with adults is possible only when the dog is accustomed to the hole.

Popular nurseries

• Golden Daxhund, Moscow region, Odintsovo
• From Omsk Fortress, Omsk
• Caladium opposite, Moscow
• Caroline Yudzhel, Moscow
• Kinchville, Moscow
• Fox Nose, St. Petersburg
• Minidogland, Smolensk
• Myshkin House, Moscow
• Magic Rainbow, St. Petersburg
• Norden Licht, Moscow
• Rus Bramers, Moscow
• From beautiful mountains, Krasnoyarsk region, Divnogorsk
• Stayer, Tula
• Formula for success, Moscow
• Certus, St. Petersburg

It is easy to find the websites of these kindergartens on the Internet, as well as contact information for their owners.