Miniature Dachshund is originated from Germany but Swiss Shorthaired Pinscher is originated from Switzerland. Miniature Dachshund may grow 30 cm / 11 inches shorter than Swiss Shorthaired Pinscher. Miniature Dachshund may weigh 10 kg / 22 pounds lesser than Swiss Shorthaired Pinscher. Miniature Dachshund may live 3 years more than Swiss Shorthaired Pinscher. Miniature Dachshund may have less litter size than Swiss Shorthaired Pinscher. Both Miniature Dachshund and Swiss Shorthaired Pinscher requires Low Maintenance.
The Dachshund breed is ancient and was developed in Germany sometime around the 16th century.
It was in 1870 that Dachshunds first came to the United States to be used for hunting. During the 19th century, German hunters wanted smaller dachshunds.
The Dachshund was crossed with toy terriers. The coat comes in three coats – smooth-, long-haired and wire-haired. There is just one size of Miniature Dachshund in the UK and the United States.
The Swiss Shorthaired Pinscher is an ancient dog breed and dates back to 1780. It is believed that this dog breed is extinct, but that the German Pinscher of today is family of this dog breed. The dog used to be good on the farm as an all-purpose working dog.
When you look at the history of dogs, there are so many that have come and gone, never to be seen or heard of again. Other animals become extinct because of environmental factors, but with dogs it’s a bit different and most, like the Swiss Shorthaired Pinscher, died out simply because it became unfashionable.
Maybe the jobs that this dog was designed to do no longer existed and he died out because he was no longer needed.
Coming in a range of colors such as red, black, black and tan, cream, chocolate etc, the coat of the Miniature Dachshund can be long or short. Both male and females stand at between 13 – 18cm and weigh between 3 and 5kg.
These dogs are characterized by the long back and very short legs with floppy ears and a long tail. The face is always bright and alert.
The Miniature Dachshund is a small dog and can happily adapt to life in the city as well as in the countryside. This is because with their exercise needs, they don’t require a huge garden but can in fact, exercise indoors.
They’ve always been bred to hunt and are independent and feisty. They’re also intelligent and will do well with training and socialization.
They are also devoted to their families and are known to bark when strangers come near their family. They’ve got a lot of energy and just love being involved with games or going on a walk. Consider him when going on a walk though as his little legs have to take many more steps as compared to your one step.
They can be stubborn, but are friendly, lovable little pets, they aren’t suited for homes with toddlers unless the children have been taught to be exceedingly gentle and kind with animals, especially small, fragile ones like this. They can so easily get hurt.
Described as a medium sized dog, the Swiss Shorthaired Pinscher is an extinct variety of the German Pinscher. Like that dog, the Swiss Shorthaired had a muscular, strong square build.
Possibly he also had his ears and tail docked at that time. It is thought that he stood between 40 – 48cm in height and weighed in the region of 11 to 15kg.
He had the typical looks of the Doberman Pinscher with short smooth hair in black and tan, short erect ears and a tail that was traditionally cropped. He was lean and muscular with brown eyes. They were working dogs in their day and were not considered the best dogs to have for the first time dog owner.
These dogs have always been hardworking, brave and fearless. They make good family pets too and get on well with children. They would have been adaptable too to life in the city or the countryside, so long as he got his exercise.
A well bred Swiss Shorthaired Pinscher was alert and a good guard dog, and one wonders why this dog with its good qualities died out.
The Miniature Dachshund has lots of qualities which make him such a splendid pet. He is intelligent, brave, bold and loyal with his human family.
He is fun-loving and energetic and thrives on lots of games and walks. He is versatile in nature and also loves to take things easy indoors with his family.
These little dogs form strong bonds with their family and don’t like to be left on their own. When you have one of these as a pet you’re allowing a whole lot of joy into your home.
The Swiss Shorthaired Pinscher is no longer around but he would no doubt have made a good family pet. He would have wanted to protect his human family.
He was a stubborn, bold dog, and maybe socialization and training didn’t exist then, but he would have benefited from it.
He’s the kind of dog that would have adapted well to life in the city or the countryside, but you could never neglect his exercise needs. In the right environment, this Pinscher would have made a loving, loyal pet.
Be very careful with the Miniature Dachshund because of their long backs. You don't want to be allowing him to be jumping off chairs etc as their backs are prone to injury. To solve the problem you can buy special stairs and ramps for small dogs.
They can live to be between 12 and 14 years of age when looked after well.
A disease that is fairly common in the Miniature Dachshund is Intervertebral Disc Disease, a condition where the cushioning discs between the vertebrae of the spinal column bulge or burst into the spinal cord space, pressing on the nerves and causing nerve damage and worse, paralysis.
It is not too sure about the health status of this extinct dog but we can assume that he would have been prone to some of the typical dog illnesses there are.
Hypothyroidismd, bloat, cancer, cataracts, infections and obesity were just some of the diseases this dog would have had to contend with.
The thyroid glands in the neck produce hormones. These hormones affect the functioning of the body. Hypothyroidism in dogs is usually caused by shrinkage of the thyroid gland or inflammation.The disease occurs more often in Pinscher dogs.
You may notice a dulling or thinning of your dog’s hair, weight gain and reduced activity. Hypothyroid dogs also tend to battle more with ear- and skin infections. Veterinary treatment will become necessary.
It causes a whiteness,cloudiness or opacity on the lens of the eye. It's not painful for a dog but it can cause loss of vision. Surgery can improve vision for the dog.
Dachshunds can put on weight quickly and you want to avoid this at all costs as extra weight can put strain on the back.
If you feed your Mini Dachshund commercially manufactured dog food, choose the best quality ones, high in vitamins and minerals and avoid some of the cheaper ones that use unwholesome fillers, colorants, sugar and lots of salt, all of which can be toxic for your pet.
Of course home-made food is always best, but not any foods either. It is best with any dog to keep their foods simple and consistent so as to avoid stomach problems. Chopped up boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and some cooked vegetables such as potatoes carrots and spinach will do wonders for him. Make sure that there is a constant supply of fresh, cool water for him.
A good brush of the coat twice a week will do fine for your Miniature Dachshund. Remember to check him over for fleas and ticks when you brush him and to feel for any unusual lumps. Keep the nails trimmed.
Check both eyes and ears for infection. There are ways to keep the inside of long eared dog breeds clean and dry, but if you’re unsure there are always professional groomers who will do the job for you, and clean their teeth at the same time. You can brush your dogs teeth 2 or 3 times a week to avoid plaque build up, gum infection and tooth loss.
In those days of the Swiss Shorthaired Pinscher, maybe commercially manufactured dog foods weren’t available. If the dog were still around today, you would feed him dry kibble for medium sized dogs.
Probably the owners of these dogs fed them from the food they ate. It can be a good idea to feed any dog you have with some homemade food.
This can include things such as boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots. This is the kind of simple food that dogs love.
Being a farm dog in his day, he was probably tossed raw meat occasionally and this would have done him the world of good.
Although the short, smooth hair of the Swiss Shorthaired Pinscher is looked upon as low maintenance, the dog would have needed a good brush twice a week just to keep it shiny and healthy.
After a hard day of work on the farm, the Swiss Shorthaired Pinscher would have required a nice warm, dry spot to sleep.