he lively personality of a dachshund puppy makes them a great house pet. They are loyal, entertaining and strong-willed companions who love attention. A wire haired dachshund puppy requires more hair care than the other breed variations. You have to invest in a high quality brush and be ready to visit the groomer often. Continue reading and learn what a wire haired dachshund puppy needs.
Nutrition for Wire Haired Dachshund Puppies
They should be fed with premium puppy food. Their diet should contain lots of fat and protein. The main sources of protein are eggs, fish and chicken. High-quality commercial food contains these ingredients.
Don’t give them table scraps. They can gain weight quickly and feeding table scraps is not good for them. Here’s the feeding schedule that you should follow.
- 8 to 12-week old puppies – 4 meals daily
- 3 to 6-month old puppies – 3 meals daily
- 6 to 12-month old puppies – 2 meals daily
Give your puppy fresh, clean water every day. Refill the water bowl when it’s empty. Don’t give your puppy any human food like raisins, fruit seeds, onions, chocolate, caffeine and soda.
Caring for Wire Haired Dachshund Puppies
Brushing
Wirehaired dachshund puppies should be brushed every other day with a bristle brush to keep their coat shiny and clean. Brush their coat gently in the direction that their hair grows. Brushing too hard will damage their skin. Some stripping will be needed if brushing has no effect on their coat. Stripping is usually done two times every year – fall and spring.
Bathing
Wirehaired dachshund puppies have to be bathed more often than smooth dachshunds due to their coat. Use a dog shampoo and conditioner with gentle formula. You can use a harness to prevent the puppy from running away.
Take knots and tangles apart with your fingers and use a fine-toothed comb to comb their hair. Do this when their hair is dry. Don’t cut the knots and tangles. Their hair should be blow-dried to prevent tangles from forming and to keep their coat in great condition.
Face, Eyes, Ears and Nails
You also need to make sure that your pet’s face is well-groomed. It is best to take your wirehaired dachshund puppy to a professional groomer. They know how to cut the hair around the pup’s eyes without hurting them.
Wipe their eyes and ears gently with a damp cloth. Check their ears for dirt and mites. Dip some cotton balls in baby oil and use it to clean your pet’s ears. Don’t use your fingers or any sharp object. Q tips are not recommended because it pushes wax down into the pup’s ear canals.
Their nails should be trimmed once a week. A nail trimmer for humans can be used for pups. You should also get a styptic powder to treat your pup in case you cut a vein and they start bleeding.
Exercise
Wirehaired dachshund puppies should get regular exercise. However, you shouldn’t over-exercise them because puppies still need plenty of sleep. Once they are vaccinated, take them to a 5-minute walk daily. Four-month old puppies can be taken out for a 20-minute walk every day. Increase the time by 5 minutes every month.
You can keep your puppy occupied with Frisbee and balls. Games such as fetch and tug of war help with bonding and training.
Dental Care
You don’t want your puppy to have plaque buildup or bad breath, so brush their teeth every day. Use dog toothpaste and toothbrush. You should get them used to the toothpaste by brushing their teeth with your fingers before moving onto a dog toothbrush. Follow a scheduled time daily to let your pet adjust to the routine.
Wire Haired Dachshund Puppies Training
They respond well to positive reinforcement. Praise your puppy when he does something right and give him treats. You can start with basic commands such as roll, heel and sit. Don’t teach him other things until he masters these 3 commands.
You should also start with crate training as early as possible. Give them a puppy-sized crate, so they will only have space for sleeping. If they have a lot of space, they might use the crate as a toilet. Put toys and soft bedding to make their crate comfortable.
They should get used to entering the crate on their own. Don’t close the door until they get used to it. Speak to them gently and distract them with toys. Once they get used to entering the crate on their own, close the door and don’t open it even if they cry.
Potty training your wire haired dachshund puppy is also important. Since pups go to the bathroom often, you should observe their actions. Set an alarm every 30 minutes and take the pup to a certain area once the alarm goes off. Wait until they relieve themselves. Do this for a couple of weeks and then allow them to go to the potty area by themselves.
Accidents will definitely happen during this period, but don’t make it a big deal. Clean it and take the pup to the potty area again for a couple of days. Praise them or give them a treat when they use the right spot. Your wire haired dachshund puppy will learn where to do their business with practice, encouragement and correction.
It is also important to discipline your puppy. If they bite your arm when you’re playing, stop what you’re doing and ignore them. Your pup will know that what they are doing is wrong. If they don’t calm down, place them in a time-out spot where they can’t interact with other pets or family members for a while.
Wire haired dachshund puppies should be socialized as well. They have a strong guarding nature, so you should expose them to other pets and other people as early as possible. Your pup should get used to new sounds, creatures and smells, so they will know how to interact with others properly.
