Doggie Facts and Information
On this page I intend to give you some dog information and facts, maybe you'll learn something you never knew before! It's mostly fun stuff and will most likely be full of dachshund and basset hound info, but I hope to add a variety of things. This page is new so bear with me!
For the Dachshund enthusiast, if you're into low-riding, comical looking dogs, you might also consider the Basset Hound. In fact, in French, bas-set means simply low-set, and at one point, the French name for the Dachshund was Bassets de Race Allemande. According to literature from the Dachshund Club of America, it is even likely that Dachshunds are descended from Basset Hounds
Taken from Dachshunds
It is extremely important to keep a Dachshund from getting fat, not only for the usual reasons of general good health, but also because their long back is susceptible to slipped or ruptured disks through the additional strain placed on their spinal cord.
In the United States, there are, in total, six types of Dachshund. They come in two sizes: miniature (less than 10-11 pounds) and standard (all the rest, but usually above 18-20 pounds). In other countries, there's wider variance in the sizes. In fact, in Germany, the dogs are identified as either Standard, Miniature, or Kaninchenteckel, based on a chest measurement taken at the age of fifteen months. For each size, there are three coats: smoothcoated, longhaired, and wirehaired.
Taken from Dachshunds
Onions are toxic to dogs. The toxicity is dose dependent, so the bigger the animal, the more onion need be consumed to cause a toxicity. Onion toxicity causes a Heinz body anemia. Heinz bodies are small bubble-like projections which protrude from a red blood cell and can be seen when the cells are stained. This "bubble" is a weak spot in the red blood cell and, therefore, the cell has a decreased life-span and ruptures prematurely.
Garlic is safe for your dog used in moderation and can help with a myriad of things such as gas, flea prevention and it has natural antibiotic properties.
Chocolate contains the substance known as theobromine which can be toxic to dogs. While a humans system can metabolize theobromine efficiently, the half life (the time required for half the quantity of an ingested substance to be metabolized) in a dog or cat is 17.5 hours. As the animal struggles to excrete the substance, it affects the central nervous system, the cardiovascular system and blood pressure - placing severe strain on the animal's body, even to the point of causing death.
Did you know that avocado (fruit & pit), baby's breath, daffodils, wisteria, poinsettias, mistletoe, hydrangeas, and english ivy were all poisonous or hazardous to your dog's health? No? Read a list of other plants that can be dangerous to your dog here: Dr. Sue's Poison Plant List
