The wiener dog officially goes by the name dachshund. They were first bred in Germany in the early 1600s. Her bold temperament combined with a long body made her ideal for digging into the ground and fighting off nasty badgers. The dachshund comes in three different coat varieties: smooth, long-haired and wire-haired. They have friendly, fun-loving personalities and make great family pets.
Ultrasound Before Birth
Dachshunds usually have somewhere between one and six puppies in an average litter. If you are breeding your dachshund, consider taking her in for an ultrasound the week before her due date. If you know ahead of time how many puppies she is going to have, you will know whether to take her to the vet immediately if there is a problem and she doesn't deliver all of her puppies. Also, by knowing ahead of time, you can set it up so that there are homes ready for them upon birth.
Inbreeding and Litter Size
According to a study of 42,855 litters of dachshunds in Germany from 1987 to 2002, increased inbreeding in dachshunds can result in a decrease in the size of their litters and can increase the amount of stillborn pups. Inbreeding can also lead to less efficient birthing.
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Writer Bio
Brian McCracken lives in Portland, Ore., where he writes on pets and animal wildlife as well as a wide array of other topics, ranging from real estate to personal development.