Dachshund care: exercise, grooming and careful handling

A Dachshund is small in stature but can be remarkably adventurous outdoors. Their hunting background and independent nature call for clear walking arrangements. Their long body and smooth, long-haired or wire-haired coat also affect the care they need.

Did you know?

A Dachshund's size classification is based on chest circumference, rather than height at the shoulder. The Raad van Beheer explains this for the smooth-haired Dachshund. For sitting, the practical point is to provide your dog's well-fitting harness and show how to put it on. Source: Raad van Beheer: smooth-haired Dachshund.

Choose exercise to suit their build

Sniffing walks and searching games give a Dachshund something to do without making everything about speed. Constant twisting and jumping after a bouncing ball is not a sensible default activity. Adapt play and exercise to your dog's age, condition and any existing advice.

Take care to support their long back when handling them. Show a sitter how to support your dog if needed and do not let children carry them. If your Dachshund has an existing back problem, pass on the vet's individual advice rather than devising a general exercise plan yourself.

Take the hunting instinct into account

A Dachshund may find a scent or moving animal very interesting. Discuss lead use, safe routes and how reliable your dog's recall is. Give the sitter clear arrangements for contact with small pets too. What seems calm outdoors can change as soon as something darts past.

Keep training gentle and consistent, using familiar cues and rewards. A sitter does not need to invent a new approach: familiar rules are most useful at handover.

Three coat types, different care

Grooming a smooth-haired Dachshund is generally simpler than grooming a long-haired one. Longer hair needs more attention with a comb. For a wire-haired Dachshund, hand-stripping by a skilled groomer may also form part of maintenance.

Provide your dog's own schedule and the equipment used. Show where you check for knots and what the sitter should do if grooming becomes uncomfortable. Our tips for helping a dog get used to brushing calmly may help.

Monitor feeding and condition

Excess weight is an important concern for Dachshunds, partly because of the load on their bodies. Choose complete food for the right life stage and use the packaging guide as a starting point. Size or coat type alone does not give the correct daily portion.

Measure food and include rewards. Prepare the same portions for the sitter and agree suitable treats. Ask your vet if unsure about weight or feeding; a healthy weight does not guarantee freedom from back problems.

Pass on these arrangements

During a Petbnb meet and greet, look beyond the garden to the route to the sleeping place and front door. Are there stairs, high steps or furniture your dog normally jumps onto? Show the access and assistance included in your existing routine. The sitter follows any individual exercise advice; a meet and greet is not the time to test what your dog’s back can cope with.

For example, ask:

• Can we follow the same rules here about walking routes and which furniture my dog can get onto?
• How would you guide my dog if they wanted to follow a trail on a walk?
• Which routine grooming can you provide for their particular smooth, long-haired or wire-haired coat?

Add the pet sitter checklist.

Sources

• Raad van Beheer: smooth-haired Dachshund — German hunting dog; smooth-haired variety as the original form; size described by chest circumference rather than height at the shoulder.
• LICG: Dachshund — build, handling, exercise, hunting instinct, coat types and weight.
• LICG: feeding your dog — general guidance — complete food and individual quantities.
• LICG: holidays when your pet stays at home — preparation and care arrangements.