Do you own this wonderful breed of dog called a dachshund?Dachshunds are breeds of dogs that have a lifespan of around 12-16 years. They are omnivorous dog breeds with a height of 8-9 in (20.3-22.8 cm) and the miniature dachshund has a height of 5-6 in (12.7-15.2 cm), they run at a top speed of 15-20 mph (24-32.2 kph).The Dachshund originated from Germany and was mostly kept by the royal courts all over Europe, it was also kept by Queen Victoria as she was particularly enamored of that dog breed. They are short in length with short legs but are long from front to back, they are badger dogs. They weigh around 16-28 lb. (7.25-12.7 kg) and a miniature dachshund weighs between less than 11 lb (5 kg), three kinds of dachshunds are short-haired dachshund, long-haired dachshund, and wire-haired dachshund and they can be identified with the type of fur or coat they have on their body and the wire-haired are shorter in front till back and then comes the other two. Dachshund are found in different colors like red, black, and tan but still, they do not look smart or a standard dachshund no matter they are playful and fun dogs, they are mostly used to hunt badgers, small animals, and birds, and while hunting they perform their task without fear but they are hard to train but if done in an early stage then they are capable of becoming good family dogs.They are good at facial expressions and can communicate easily with their owner through these expressions. Dachshund’s lifespan is about 12-16 years that is near chihuahuas. They suffer from spinal problems because of having very long spinal column and mainly they suffer from hereditary problems, and gaining much weight will cause a problem to them as it will put more strain on their backbone. As per studies, it is also revealed that small dogs like dachshunds have aggressive behavior and have higher chances of attacking their owners as well other dog breeds. A dachshund’s lifespan mostly depends upon the care they receive from us. But it is a fact that small dog breeds tend to live longer as compared to the larger breeds, whereas miniature dachshunds are also on the list of the longest-lived dog breed. If you want your dog or the dachshund puppy to live more, then make sure you get them vaccinated. Because they also suffer from different kinds of diseases and other health issues like spinal problems, eye problems, heart disease, and many more. Therefore, you should provide them with a good nutritional and healthy diet.For similar content, you can also check out how long do boxers live and how long do bulldogs live.The Average Lifespan Of a DachshundThe average life expectancy of a standard dachshund is 12-15 years and a miniature dachshund lives for 12-16 years. Many owners have also stated that their dachshund lived for more than 18 years which happens in rare cases only. It is also said that despite having a short structure, they live more as compared to other dog breeds. But still, it is not possible to give an exact number for a dachshund’s life expectancy. It is a demerit for large dogs that they grow faster and their tissues also grow faster as compared to the small ones. Therefore, they suffer from major health problems like cancer and tumors which can also become a cause of death to your dog. Dachshund breeds are known as badger dogs as they are used mostly in hunting badgers. A survey was conducted in 2004 by the kennel club, animal health trust and British small animal veterinary association named nationwide survey of UK, where they purebred dogs which tell the common causes of death of a living dachshund which includes old age, cancer, heart problems, the combination of multiple health issues like neurologic issues, urologic, endocrine, cerebral vascular and many more which becomes the reason for your dog’s death. The life expectancy of the dachshund mix is also the same as the average of a standard dachshund that is 12-15 years old. It is said that the rate of cancer is low in a dachshund’s body, but still, it is a cause for their death, and if found any symptom regarding any of the disease, immediately take your pet dog to the vet for proper medication.You should ensure the routine check-ups of your pet for their good health, before having a baby dachshund as your pet check the medical history of the parent’s breed so later on you and the puppy will not suffer from many health issues. According to a study by Royal Veterinary college, it is said that female dogs live six months longer than males in which is common in every breed and neutered males live longer. Miniature dachshund lifespan is more as compared to the standard dachshund lifespan because they are not prone to back problems like the standard ones and they are also likely to have more risk with Intervertebral disc disease. Smaller dogs have the benefit of living more as their aging process is slower and therefore dachshunds live more than large breeds. The life expectancy of dachshund mix or dachshund lifespan depends upon the factor on which dog breed they are mixed with, if they are mixed with those who have a shorter lifespan then they will also live for a short time. Breeders can also take actions to improve and increase their dachshund’s life, there are some basic steps to be followed that are providing good healthy dog food, routine check-ups with the vet, keeping them away from various health problems, and grooming them in proper intervals to keep them healthy. There are various sites to earn like linking to amazon.com by providing and getting information on dachshund life.How to improve the life expectancy of dachshunds?There are many ways to improve and increase your dachshund’s lifespan; you simply need to take some corrective measures, such as choosing the right breeder; before bringing a dachshund puppy, make sure that the puppy is properly bred with care and knowledge, and getting them from a responsible breeder can help you and your dachshund avoid the risk of any genetic disorder. There are three types of tests conducted to check the availability of a dachshund for further breeding, they are Patella evaluation, which is caused when the patella gets dislocated next is Ophthalmologist Evaluation, it is related to eye problems which should get checked by a specialist vet or else they will leave a severe effect on their life expectancy and the last test is a cardiac exam which keeps a check on Congenital heart defects (CHF) which becomes a major for their death because of heart failure. Next, you should be concerned about their health and see that they do not gain much weight as it may create major health problems and can reduce their life expectancy.There is a risk of diabetes, heart disease gets increased if your dog is obese therefore you should make sure that you do not provide them with such treats as more weight will directly affect their back and they may face an issue with slipped and ruptured discs. Feed them with good quality food and fix a healthy nutritional diet for them which should contain minerals and vitamins so give a quick check on the dog food when you are buying it. Try not to give food that includes grains, corn, dyes, meat meal, additives, and chemical preservatives as they are unhealthy for a dachshund and can cause health problems. Next is giving them daily exercise which will keep them fit and healthy, will also maintain their weight, and increase their muscle strength. While making them exercise ensure that you do not over-exercise a puppy as it will cause problems with their joints although adult dachshunds enjoy exercising. As your puppy becomes older you may increase the time of exercise and raise up to an average of 30 minutes a day, sticking to the five minutes per month of age rule should be kept in mind in the case of puppies. The next important factor is to make them socialize at a young age which means make them familiar with different people and make them more prone to a new environment within the first 16 weeks but ensure that while taking them out they are not bringing any infection or disease with them. You should know how to deal with dachshund breed behavioral problems, give them love, make them feel special, remember the dates of their vaccination and remain updated with that and remind yourself to book regular vet check-ups which will help stop the problem if any at an early stage. All these measures taken by you for your dachshund will lead to better life quality and will increase their chance to live a long life.Causes for Death in DachshundsDachshunds live for around 12-16 years of age and some of the major causes of death are related to health problems in these small dogs, so let’s discuss some of the major reasons for a dachshund death. Starting with a natural cause that is old age, in most cases, dachshunds die because of having old age, next if we talk about is cancer and generally they suffer from breast cancer as it is one of the most common types of cancer in almost all breeds of dogs, heart diseases are another cause and varies from dog to dog, it may happen suddenly within seconds. Health problems like those caused by spine pain are not the actual cause of death but sometimes those dachshunds who are prone to this may die because of this. Several diseases become a complication in a dachshund life and sometimes would lead to death, these diseases are Intervertebral disk disease which means that the discs are getting damaged in dog’s body, this disease is one of the painful diseases in a dog’s life and those dachshunds who are more prone to running and jumping are or doing heavy exercise have greater chances of getting this disease maybe in future, next disease is problems in joints, hip, and back- this is related to joints which are not properly balanced of places mainly the hip and back and this also take place with those dachshunds who are very prone to heavy exercise and are super active during playing hours. Another issue is eye issues that your dog may suffer from, it results in ways like cataracts, small eyes and sometimes they even lose their eyesight as they grow years older.Diabetes is another cause for their sickness but it is not a major one and can be cured at home or with the help of a vet, they are not able to produce satisfying insulin and it is most common in this breed. Gastrointestinal and perioperative also affect the dog’s health, intervertebral disc disease is most common in smooth-haired dachshunds and the wire-haired are not much affected by this, the mixed dachshunds should be treated accordingly after knowing with which dog is mixed with and therefore their life expectancy also depends on that. The oldest dachshund named rocky lived for around 25 years which is above their lifespan and was a smooth-coated dog. The old dachshund problems are mainly related to joints, and unfortunately rocky also died because of the same as their joints gave as the dog got older and older. A saying for dogs ‘crossing the rainbow bridge’ which means that when they are done with their life completely and are still alive but not in a condition to even move while suffering from back pains a lot where even the vet is helpless and suggest you be strong, then it is the time your dog should intersect the bridge.Dachshund’s Lifespan Compared to Similar BreedsThere are some related breeds to dachshunds whose lifespan and life could be compared with dachshund life and lifespan. Breeds like chihuahuas, Jack Russell terriers, poodles, Shih Tzus, Malteses, and Pomeranians are some known breeds of dog who can be compared to a dachshund as they also have an average lifespan of around 12-20 years. Usually, the average lifespan of a dog is 10-13 years but these are some breeds who live longer than usual and the reason behind it is small dogs usually live longer as compared to those of larger ones. Chihuahuas are the longest living dog breed with 20 years of average lifespan and the oldest chihuahua, named Maverick, lived for around 22 years and still, people have no idea where it is nowadays, despite having a small body structure this breed is worth keeping as a pet as it fulfills every need of a good faithful dog pet. They are cute and intelligent but still have eye and heart problems as serious health issues which can become a major cause of their death.All the breeds of dogs who are small in size have a greater chance of living more and healthy life, the owners also remain happy if their dogs remain happy and it can happen when they are serious regarding their health and live long because dogs are those pets which are hard to leave as they are very loyal to their owners, gets attached to family members and especially children very easily, and are fun-loving. Earlier people used to keep small dogs as a pet because they needed someone who could be with them in their good days, they are easy to handle but with proper care, and also if genetics play their role positively then it is a plus point for the owner. They will remain the same even if they get older and would not disappoint you in any manner, some of the small dogs for example dachshunds are good badger hunters and are also useful in finding small insects from holes and killing them. So here was a brief description about the lifespan of a dachshund which was also compared to the similar breeds where you got to know interesting and fun facts about a dachshund, the ways to give them a better and good quality of life and also to increase their life, things they are prone to and what to avoid to make them live even more longer.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for how long do dachshunds live, then why not take a look at how long do pugs live or dachshunds facts?
Do you own this wonderful breed of dog called a dachshund?
