Low Riders, High Safety: Creating a Dachshund-Friendly Home

Welcome to the Wednesday Dogs of Dogster! Every Wednesday, we share a story from one of our Dogsters. This week is about Meagan and her dynamic duo of dachshunds, Draper and Rue.

Caring for our two miniature Dachshunds, Draper and Rue, comes with a slew of challenges. Their excessive barking, stubborn streaks, anal gland issues, and love for snacks (hello, chubby risks!) keep us on our toes. As they age, their teeth need extra TLC, and their fur can turn into a matted mess if we’re not keeping up with their grooming. We handle those quirks with frequent dental chews, tooth-brushing battles (when they allow it!), and cozy towel-wrapped de-matting nights. But when it comes to taking care of their backs? We’re as protective as a Dachshund guarding a bully stick from their human sibling.

Dachshunds’ long, low bodies—perfect for wiggling into hearts—put extra stress on their spines, making them prone to Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD). This nasty condition can happen due to genetics or injuries from jumping off furniture or scampering up and down stairs, where their discs might slip and cause pain or even paralysis if untreated. Luckily, with some clever care, we keep our weenies’ backs as safe as possible, and here’s how we do it:

1. Infrastructure: A Wiener-Friendly Home

We’ve made our house a safe zone for those delicate backs:

• One-Level Living: When we bought our home, we picked a single-story house. Stairs and stubborn Dachshunds? A risky combo! Even with training, they’d probably zoom up or down when we’re not looking, so we opted to skip the stairs altogether.
• Doxie-Approved Deck: Our back patio needed some love when we moved in, so we designed it with wide, shallow steps to minimize impact and added a weenie ramp with grip tape for their tiny legs to strut safely no matter the weather.
• Ramps and Steps Everywhere: We’ve got dog ramps by our beds and a soft leather Moroccan pouf by our low couch, acting as a cushy step for their grand barking adventures.

2. Training (Or At Least Trying!)

Training our pups to use ramps and steps is a work in progress. Draper’s a good boy and mostly listens, but Rue? She’s our wild child—energetic, strong-willed, and ready to leap like a tiny superhero. We encourage them to stick to ramps at home and wait for a lift onto furniture when we’re out. It’s not perfect, but we keep at it!

3. Proper Pick-Up Techniques

We treat picking up our Dachshunds like an Olympic sport: always supporting their backs and bellies to keep those spines happy. We’ve drilled this into our friends and family too, so whether it’s puppy-sitting or a quick cuddle from a visitor, everyone knows how to scoop up our weenies the right way. This gives us peace of mind knowing that our pups are in safe hands (literally).

4. Keeping Their Diets in Check

Extra weight is bad news for Dachshund spines—it adds stress and ups the IVDD risk. Our toddler thinks it’s hilarious to share his snacks, and this winter, Draper got a bit too sausage-y. Between chilly days with fewer walks, a sneaky increase in their fresh food portions (thanks, pet food company!), and Draper’s habit of “helping” Rue finish her bowl, our boy packed on some pounds.

Now, we’re getting Draper back to his svelte self with a proper calorie deficit, more walks now that the sun’s out, fewer treats (sorry, pal!), and a hawk-eye on Rue’s leftovers. It’s tough when they flash those puppy eyes for more treats or table scraps, but we’re staying strong!

We’re Not Perfect, But We Try

We’ve had our slip-ups—like Draper’s diet mishap or Rue’s occasional couch-diving stunts when the doorbell rings. But we aim for consistency over perfection. We do our best to keep Draper and Rue’s backs safe so they can keep wagging, wiggling, and ruling our hearts for years to come. Here’s to our silly, snuggly sausage dogs!