Dachshund vs Basque Shepherd - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

The Basque Shepherd is one of the oldest dog breeds. With this Spanish dog, you’ll find paintings dating back 12,000 years ago. The Basque Shepherd is known as a landrace breed, which means the dog hasn’t gone through the same selective breeding programs as what other breeds have. Landrace breeds have more variations in appearance and temperament than regular breeds.

The Basque Shepherd has 2 distinct varieties, the Gorbeiakoa and the Iletsua. The smooth-haired Gorbeiakoa has a softer coat that is fairly short while the rougher-haired Iletsua has a lighter coloured coat, and unlike the Gorbeiakoa, the ears are not typically erect.

Even though this is an ancient breed of dog, only the Royal Canine Society of Spain recognizes the breed with the two varieties, and in January 1996, the two breeds - Iletsua and Gorbeikoa – were recognized.

The Dachshund originated in Germany. He was used as a hunting dog with his origins starting way back in the 15th century already. The small dog was developed to hunt for animals that buried themselves deep underground such as badgers. The shape of the dog and his courage and bravery allowed him to take on the badger.

There has been a lot of debate as to whether the Dachshund is a hound or terrier, and it was decided that the Dachshund is a hound that became a terrier, and which displays some of the best qualities of both.

It was in 1881 that the Dachshund Club of England was formed and the German Deutscher Teckelklub was formed in 1888. The small dog gained popularity in America and the Dachshund Club of America was founded in 1895.

Two Varieties

The Basque Shepherd is a strong, well proportioned dog with brown eyes and medium sized ears, which sometimes have folds. This medium-to-large dog has a beautiful fawn coat of medium-length hair that can be straight or slightly wavy. He has a long feathery tail that will wag readily when he sees his owner. You’ll find other colors for the Basque Shepherd shared between the two varieties - a yellow orange or copper coat with other shades being red, blue and black. His hair is shorter on the head and he doesn’t battle with hair over the eyes.

An Intelligent Breed

The Basque Shepherd is a highly intelligent dog and also very energetic. Of the two different kinds of Basque Shepherd, it is the Gorbeiakoa which is the more outgoing. The dogs will require a firm owner and they thrive on the discipline when it is combined with lots of with lots of exercise and activities.

The Basque Shepherd is generally friendly with people, if not a little reserved with strangers. He gets on well with children and other pets in the home, although socialization and training will be necessary to bring out their best.

Known as Badger Dogs, Sausage Dogs or Doxies, the Dachshund is known for his long body, his sharp, pointed face and the short legs with the large front paws.

He stands at about 21-28 cm while the female may be 20-25 cm and weighing 6 to 15kg. He is the smallest of the hound dogs, with the standard size dachshund being developed to scent and chase badgers and other animals.

There are different Dachshund coat varieties – the smooth coat, the long-haired Dachshund and the wire-haired dachshund. They also come in a number of solid colors such as brown, red, tan, chocolate and black.

Temperament:

The dachshund is an energetic,social little dog with a loving personality. He’ll love to lie as close as possible to you on the couch and be with you wherever you are. Training and socialization is important so he doesn’t become too protective so that he wants to go for anyone who comes near.

He can be stubborn but he is also protective of his human family. Dachshunds are known for their tendency to bark but training and socialization can help tremendously to make him obedient and relaxed around humans and pets.

He is small enough to be a great pet in the city or in the country. He loves to spend time indoors- as well as outdoors. He can become a loving companion and gets on well with children and pets in the house. In spite of his small size, he makes a good watchdog.

The dog is well suited to being a family pet, loving to spend time with family, being a people-oriented breed. He gets on well with children as well as other pets in the home, but can be reserved with strangers.

He doesn’t have an aggressive nature, and yet he does what it takes to protect his beloved human family.

He is full of energy, hardy and tough. He loves his human family and wants to be included in all their activities. He is energetic though and as a responsible dog owner, you want to make sure that your Basque Shepherd has enough space to run.

The Dachshund may be small but he is courageous, brave and loyal. He gets on well with children and pets in the home but care needs to be taken because of his long back.These dogs are prone to disk problems so you have to be careful with rough and tumble from children.

Dog experts say that the different kinds of Dachshunds produce different personalities and that the longer-coated one is more amicable than the short-coat variety. Whichever variety you choose, they are guaranteed to entertain and delight you and be a loyal, loving companion.

Because this is an ancient breed, the Basque Shepherd doesn’t have to contend with genetic health problems such as more modern breeds. Just like other dogs though, he could be prone to certain conditions such as hip dysplasia, eye problems, ear infections and cancer. As a larger breed, he may also be prone to bloat.

Chronic Ear Infections

Breeds with floppy ears, such as the Basque Shepherd will be more prone to developing ear infections. To prevent infection, keep his ears clean and dry. If you’re unsure, the vet can guide you how- and what to do.

Hip Dysplasia

This is a disease which is common to other dog breeds too and not just the Basque Shepherd. This condition affects the hip joints and can result in chronic pain for the dog and also lameness. Checking your dog’s weight is important and the pain can be managed with medication.

The life expectancy of the Dachshund is 12 to 16 years. With good care which includes good nutrition he can reach mature years. However there are always some dog diseases that are worth knowing about so that you can steer your pet away from them.

One of these is obesity, and the Dachshund is prone to developing obesity. Never overfeed him and ensure he gets his regular exercise which can be walks and ball games. Check with your vet if you’re unsure about how to feed him. Essentially, the amount of food you give a dog depends on the size of your dog, his age and his activity levels.

Be sure to provide high-quality food and monitor his intake. Your vet is always there to advise on the correct food and amount that can help him remain healthy.

Back Problems:

Unfortunately, this dog’s shape – the long back – makes the dog more prone to disc herniation. With some Dachshunds having a gene that creates mineral deposits in the discs in the spine, the risk of herniation is higher.

A large percentage of dachshunds have intervertebral disc disease. Encourage your Dachshund not to jump down off a bed or couch, but rather provide some steps for him to get to out of reach places.

This is a medium to large breed dog and he should therefore be fed a high quality food which has been formulated for medium to large breeds. Because he is a herding dog, you might want to also look at an active-dog or working-breed formula to supply him with that much needed energy.

Grooming

The Basque Shepherd’s coat is lush and long with either straight or wavy hair. Regular brush at least twice a week will maintain the coat, get rid of loose hair and prevent fleas.

Training

The Basque Shepherd is an intelligent breed that will respond well to socialization and training. He is a breed that loves sports too because of this very high energy levels. You need to be careful with the Basquae Shepherd around small children, not because he is aggressive in any way, but because he is highly active, and his exuberance and boisterous antics could see him unintentionally knocking over small children.

The Dachshund is a medium shedder and if you choose the short haired dog, you’re going to have a low maintenance pet.

The long haired Dachshund will require more regular brushing but the short-haired Dachshund is a low maintenance dog that will require a brush once a week.

While brushing him, you can be checking his ears and nails at the same time. All dogs with floppy ears need to have them checked for ear infections. Also, maintain good oral hygiene with your Dachshund by brushing his teeth 2 or 3 times a week.