Weiner dogs, or as they are more often known as dachshunds, are the same names for these badger dogs.Dachshunds were first bred in Germany and owing to their unique body shape, they are now called by various names including weiner dogs and sausage dogs. You can distinguish these dogs from any other breed even if they are in a herd just by their physical attributes.These Dachshunds are small in height and pretty cute to look at, and they gained quick popularity in the United States owing to their appearance as show dogs. You can find two sizes of Dachshunds, the standard Dachshund and the miniature Dachshund. The standard Dachshund comes in at a height of 8-9 in (20-23 cm) to their withers. Whereas, the miniature withers are relatively smaller with a height of 5-6 in (12.7-15 cm) to their withers from the ground level. According to the American Kennel Club, the weight of a standard Dachshund is usually around 16-32 lb (7-14.5 kg) and for the miniature Dachshund, it is 11 lb (5 kg) or lower. Originally, when withers were first bred in Germany they were used for hunting down rabbits and other similar tunnel animals. This dog breed might not be the best in physical tests such as leaping or swimming but it is more than capable of hunting down its prey on its own. At the same time, they are good watchdogs as they are intelligent and quite vigilant. Now if you are planning to get a Dachshund, it is important that you know how long is this dog’s life and how long is a Dachshund going to live with you. Well, for starters, Dachshunds tend to live longer than most of the other dogs, they have an average life span of 12-15 years but a Dachshund’s life is often longer than this. The most important factor in knowing how long is a Dachshund’s life is its genetics and how nicely can owners take care of their pet. Genetics make a dog more susceptible to a certain disease and can certainly affect its quality of life. If you want your Dachshund to have a long life, you can control what’s in your hand, i.e. the way you take care of it. Genetics are not in hands of the owner, but you can regulate the diet of your Dachshund to keep it on a healthy diet and perhaps increase its lifespan. Although after a certain point death is inevitable for Dachshunds, but your care can play a pivotal role in deciding how long your Dachshunds live.If you enjoy this article, why not also read about how long do boxers live and how long do bulldogs live here on Kidadl?The Average Lifespan Of Weiner DogsEven though a Dachshund lifespan may be around 12-15 years, many owners have reported their Dachshund living for up to 17-18 years without any serious illness. At the end of the day, the lifespan of your dachshund comes down to its genetics and a healthy lifestyle. A healthy diet, daily exercise, a good medical history are some of the most important factors when taking care of a dachshund. Barring any out-of-control health issues such as cancer or cardiac problems, the majority of the Dachshunds live for 17-18 years.An average lifespan of 12-15 years might not seem much for your doxie at first glance but it exceeds the average lifespan of dogs by one to one and a half years. As a matter of fact, Dachshunds are one of the top 10 longest living dogs in the world. The reason behind Dachshunds having a better life expectancy than most of the other dogs is their size. Small dogs such as Chihuahua, Dachshunds, and Pomeranians live longer than relatively larger dogs as small dogs do not age as quickly as large dogs owing to their slower rate of growth which reduces the chances of abnormal tissue growth in the body. Interestingly, between the two Dachshund breeds, the life expectancy of miniature Dachshund is better than the life expectancy of the standard Dachshund as the former is less likely to suffer from back issues, unlike the standard Dachshunds. The cause behind the back problems in Dachshunds is their short legs, which carry their long body and eventually increase the chances of a back problem. Now moving on to the life expectancy of the Dachshund mix, there are several mixed breeds of Dachshunds but each one of them has a different life expectancy depending upon which dog breed they have been mated with. If someone breeds a Dachshund with smaller dogs such as a Chihuahua, it will have a high life expectancy as small dogs tend to live longer than large dog breeds. A crossbreed of Chihuahua and Dachshund is commonly known as Chiweenie. On the other hand, if someone breeds a Dachshund with a dog breed relatively large in size, its life expectancy will perhaps be less than that of a Dachshund due to an inverse relationship between the size of the dog and its life expectancy.How To Improve The Lifespan Of Weiner DogsNone of us want to see our pets die, whether it is a dog or a cat or some other domestic animal. There are a few decisions we can make and some steps that we can take to improve the lifespan of our Dachshunds and keep them in good health for as long as possible. Usually, Dachshunds live for 12-15 years but a number of owners have reported their Dachshund living in a healthy state till the age of 18 years even! As a fact, officially the oldest Dachshund to ever live was a mix breed named Chanel which lived for 21 years! It was then recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest living dog in the world.Although, unofficially, there was a doxie in Shingle Springs, CA named Rocky which was known to be around 25 years old! This is almost double the average lifespan of a doxie. So if Dachshunds have good hygiene and can manage to evade many health issues, they can live a considerably long life. Now let us delve deeper into how owners can potentially increase the Dachshund lifespan. The very first step you can take so that your Dachshunds live long is to select a breeder who is responsible and has proper knowledge about the Dachshund puppy it is giving you. You must ask the breeder about the medical history of the puppy, its genetics and any other relevant information. Also, ask for its parents’ medical history, it can come in useful if your puppy suffers from certain health issues, it can help the vet in narrowing down the issue at hand. The next thing you can keep your eye on is the weight of the Dachshund puppy you are looking to buy from the breeder. If the puppy is overweight, it increases the chances of experiencing health problems in the future including diabetes, cardiac issues or even cancer. At the same time, if your pet is in a healthy condition when you bring it home from the breeder, you need to keep it that way by regulating a healthy diet so that it doesn’t become obese. Over the years, it has been noted that obesity has led to health problems which have eventually turned out to be the causes of death for Dachshunds. An excess amount of weight not only harms the functioning of the internal organs of a Dachshund but also puts extra pressure on its back and legs which then leads to slipped discs. It is thus critical that you keep a track of your Dachshund’s weight and the best way to do it is to feed it healthy dog food. Along with a health-conscious food routine, exercise is a good way to keep your pet in good condition and regulate its body weight. However, you must be careful not to overdo it as it can lead to pain in your Dachshund’s back and legs. Exercise not only helps keep the weight in check but also leads to better muscle growth and keeping the heart in a good condition, this eventually decreases the chances of your pet getting ill due to a disease. These dog breeds were originally hunting dogs, they thus genetically have the stamina to exercise for considerable periods of time. The exercise regime must be built in a steady manner with the duration increasing steadily. Dental hygiene is another factor that can contribute to how long Dachshunds live and reduce the chances of health problems in the forthcoming days. Stinky breath is a sign of your dog’s depleting oral hygiene, if not treated by a vet, it can affect the internal organs of your Dachshund’s body in no time. In extreme cases, it has gone on to act as a catalyst in heart disease which is one of the primary causes of death among Dachshunds. This might perhaps come as a surprise to you but behavioral problems such as separation anxiety and fear due to meeting new people can take a toll on the health of Dachshunds and reduce their life span. The best way to deal with this issue is to make your doxie meet new people and take it out on walks from a young age. Socializing helps him in dealing with these behavioral issues, but if they are pretty severe, the smart decision would be to consult a dog behaviorist or a vet and take it for timely checkups.Top Causes Of Death In Weiner DogsThere are a number of causes that lead to untimely deaths in various dog breeds, some of them are preventable but some aren’t. If the cause of death is hereditary, i.e. the reason is genetic, then it becomes difficult to deal with it. According to surveys carried about by various organizations, a dog’s health may deplete due to chronic diseases such as dental issues. This is arguably the most common chronic issue among all dog breeds but a Dachshund is more vulnerable to it owing to its genetic composition. Initially, a problem in the teeth of a dog might not seem like a subject to worry about, but if left untreated it can harm the health of your Dachshund to an unfathomable degree.These dental diseases if prolonged can lead to the removal of teeth and eventually lead to issues in the liver, kidney, and perhaps heart disease at times. Moving on to the leading causes behind the death of Dachshunds, the issue topping the list is old age. Over 20% of Dachshunds die every year due to old age and the complications which follow. When a Dachshund attains the age of around 17 or 18, its internal organs aren’t as capable as before to keep functioning, and as they stop functioning it leads to eventual death. Weight on legs is one of the most notable old Dachshund problems. In a considerable number of cases, when a Dachshund enters the period of old age, its legs can no longer support the weight of its body and it eventually succumbs to its old age issues. If not old age, a Dachshund is highly probable to succumb to some type of cancer. When a dog lives for a long duration, its chances of getting cancer increase. A Dachshund is known to have a relatively long life expectancy. At times the cancer it suffers from can be curable by surgery but on some occasions, it isn’t curable even by surgery. Some cancer types cannot be treated using surgeries but can be cured using chemotherapies. Heart diseases are the third most common health issue among Dachshunds which leads to their death. A deformity in heart valves usually leads to heart diseases in a Dachshund even if it is in good health. It is advisable to take your dog to a vet immediately if it shows signs of discomfort, with early detection and proper treatment, your Dachshund can perhaps be saved. Some of the other common problems faced by these breeds include eye problems and disc disease. A Dachshund often suffers from these issues genetically, but they can be treated by a vet if there is time in hand. There are multiple different kinds of eye problems from which a Dachshund in particular and a dog, in general, can suffer from. Cataract, glaucoma, dry eye are some such issues that trouble a Dachshund.Weiner Dogs Lifespan Compared To Similar BreedsThe Dachshund is among the top 10 dogs in the world with the highest life expectancy. There are a number of factors that have made it reach that position with the most significant contribution being that of its own body size. A small dog has higher chances of living a longer life as it ages slowly in comparison to a larger dog who ages at a quicker rate and develops physical ailments. Health-conscious dog food, proper exercise routine, a breeder who has sufficient knowledge about the medical history and the parents of the puppy are some of the other reasons which help a Dachshund have such a long life.When compared to other breeds of dogs, a Dachshund has an average lifespan of 12-16 years with only five dog breeds having a better life expectancy than that. The mix breeds of a Dachshund with other dog breeds are not included in the list as they aren’t recognized by all organizations and aren’t pure in nature. They have been bred with the motive of having a longer life. Your Dachshund can have a longer life than usual if you take proper care of its food and exercise and if it doesn’t suffer from any serious chronic or genetic issues. The dog breed with the highest life expectancy is Chihuahua, it is known to live for 15-20 years on average. It is relatively greater when compared to Dachshund’s average lifespan of 12-16 years. The Jack Russell Terrier is next up on the list behind the Chihuahua and this dog breed lives three to four years more than a Dachshund on average. The Jack Russell Terrier is followed by Toy Poodle, a dog breed known for its small size and large lifespan. It has the largest life expectancy in its breed with an average life span of 14-18 years. Next up there is a well-known show dog which goes by the name of Shih Tzu, it is an ancient dog breed hailing from the Asian region of the world. This dog breed has an average life span of 10-18 years, and unlike many dog breeds, does not suffer from a number of health problems. The only other dog to have a better life expectancy than a Dachshund is a Yorkshire Terrier, they are known for their small size and quite a loud barking noise. This attribute of theirs, make them a great guarding dog, they are entertaining but at the same time require a lot of attention from their owners. The Yorkshire Terrier has an average life span of 14-17 years, around two to three years more than that of a dachshund on an average. All these dogs can easily live for longer spans if they are provided with proper food and exercise. Physical workout and healthy nutrition are key to any dog’s lifespan.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 weiner dogs live, then why not take a look at how long do pugs live or Dachshund dog facts?
Weiner dogs, or as they are more often known as dachshunds, are the same names for these badger dogs.
