It’s not so easy to meet a white dachshund on the street. Despite the unusual and peculiar nature of the white dachshund, this breed is rarely bred in pedigree nurseries, and exotic white color is considered a tribal marriage. Nevertheless, there are people who are passionately wanting to get this breed. You can read the rules of care, as well as the features of the pet, by reading this article.
Appearance story
Long before the dachshund was recognized and separated into a separate breed, breeders were breeding dogs, regardless of their color. The main thing that interested breeders was the qualitative characteristics of the animal.
There is a large amount of evidence that the dachshund, white with black spots, was popular in past centuries.
Ancient paintings and frescoes depicting a dachshund were discovered. However, after the adoption of the standard, it was forbidden to breed a white dachshund. Nevertheless, albino puppies are periodically born in dachshunds with the usual black or brown color. There can be several explanations for this.
- Knit two dachshunds with a beige and marble color.
- The complete absence of pigment, which often manifests itself at the birth of a puppy. The reason for this lies at the heart of a genetic malfunction that prevents pigments from being synthesized.
- An extreme degree of spotting, which is expressed by locally pigmented spots on the hair or a small number of hairs.
Despite the fact that the white dachshund has an appearance that is exotic and unusual for a common man in the street, a similar color in this breed is considered to be a tribal marriage.
Distinctive features
Dachshund albino can be represented in one of three categories. The main indicators of belonging to a particular category are the mass of the animal and the circumference of the chest. For a standard white dachshund, the following indicators are characteristic - no more than 10 kg, about 40 cm, respectively. For a miniature one, it weighs up to 6 kg and a chest girth of no more than 30 cm. For a rabbit white dachshund, a weight of 4 kg is typical, and the chest girth can vary from 20 to 25 cm.
Like ordinary representatives of the dachshund breed, an albino can have a smooth, long or stiff coat. Depending on its type, care will be selected. The hair of a smooth-haired dachshund has short and rather dense hair, so there is a feeling that the hair envelops the body.
The long-haired dachshund, despite popular opinions, has long hair only in certain areas - on the greater half of the body, auricles, paws and tail. But the muzzle of a white dachshund is covered with short hair. For the coarse-haired representative, the presence of a coarse undercoat on the muzzle is characteristic, which forms a peculiar mustache and beard.
The body of the albino is elongated, the legs are not harmoniously short, but no curvature is observed. The shape of the muzzle is wedge-shaped with a strong, extended mouth. Auricles are pronounced and hang down, going on the cheekbones of the animal. The eyes are not large, and their corners are slightly raised up. Eye shades can vary from dark brown to amber, from light golden to azure blue.
Quite often among dachshund albinos there are bright red eyes. The nose, as a rule, coincides with the shade of the eyes (it can be brownish, beige, black). A white breed has a pinkish or white nose.
Despite the fact that albinos are prone to congenital abnormalities due to genetic malfunction, they should not give the impression of a weak or frail animal. The white dachshund has a strong skeleton and well-developed muscle corset.
If the dog looks exhausted, this may be a consequence of a past or ongoing illness.
Advantages and disadvantages
Like any other breed, dachshund albino has its own strengths and weaknesses. Of the exceptional qualities of white color, the following can be noted:
- outlandish appearance;
- mind, intelligence;
- benevolence to other animals and to man;
- perfectly finds a common language with the child;
- many people have a sense of humor in this breed;
- white dachshunds excellent hunters;
- possess natural sensitivity, and therefore are often used as a guard in an apartment.
Of the disadvantages of this breed, it is customary to distinguish:
- high risk of spinal injury or a disease in the back;
- the dog’s love of digging the earth can be a real test for the owner, living in his own land;
- lack of proper education promotes the development of self-will and stubbornness in a dog;
- there is a tendency to rapid weight gain and overeating;
- with a rude and inappropriate attitude of the owner, dogs can harbor resentment and make all kinds of dirty tricks.
Content Recommendations
The rules for caring for a white dachshund do not differ significantly from the maintenance of an ordinary dog. Albino needs to comb the hair with a special brush. With long hair it is recommended to give preference to combs with rarer denticles. So it will be possible to comb the tangled wool much faster. Periodically, the dog will have to do a haircut, especially in the summer, so that the dog does not overheat from the thick coat.
A dachshund with a hard coat will need a procedure such as trimming. It is necessary to help the animal to get rid of the old and dead undercoat. The fact is that among dachshunds - albinos there are individuals who are not able to molt on their own.
And if dead skin is not removed in a timely manner, mats begin to form on this site and the surface of the skin becomes dirty.
Bathing is done much more often. This is not at all connected with any biological features of the breed and is purely aesthetic in nature. The thing is that white color is more susceptible to pollution than brown or black wool. It should be noted that albino is extremely sensitive to any chemicals. Hence, it is advisable to bathe with shampoo no more than once a week or only with severe contamination of the coat. The rest of the time, it is recommended to simply rinse the dog with warm water.
The eyes and ears of the pet will need to be checked for contamination every day.. If necessary, rinse thoroughly with a cotton pad moistened with warm water. At the first symptoms of conjunctivitis, the eyes of the dachshund are recommended to be washed with a furatsilinovym solution. Clipping of claws is carried out no more than 2 times a month. With age, the animal’s nails grow more slowly, and the procedure will be less frequent. As a rule, albino dachshunds independently grind claws during the walk.
The white dachshund will not cause much trouble in the maintenance and will become an excellent companion, provided that it receives attention and love of the owner, which he really needs. The individuals of this breed have a need for good food and regular physical activity. Albino dachshunds perfectly adapt to any lifestyle, including living in an apartment. However, the owner will often be required to take the animal out to the park or on the free lawn so that the dog does not experience longing in the four walls.
Cost
As mentioned earlier, in a breeding nursery it is almost impossible to meet a dachshund with a white color. Even the fact that the dog has extraordinary external data does not contribute to the growth of its value. On the contrary, the stigma of a breeding marriage allows you to purchase an albino puppy for about 10 thousand rubles. But there are breeders who take the white color of the dachshund for an exceptional feature and increase the value of the animal. Thus, according to some information, an albino puppy with all the documents and vaccinations can cost you about 40 thousand rubles.
How to choose a puppy?
When deciding to have a white dachshund, it is necessary to mention that with such a pet you will not have the opportunity to participate in exhibitions and championships. Also, dachshund albinos do not have access to breeding. In an animal whose color is caused by a genetic malfunction, it may be the cause of many serious diseases in the future.
In this regard, the acquisition of a puppy should not be spontaneous, but accepted, taking into account all possible risks and difficulties.
First of all, it is recommended to pay attention to the puppy's organs of vision and hearing. In some white individuals, blindness develops in childhood. If the breeder allows, take the opportunity to show the puppy of your choice to the veterinarian. He will accurately tell you about the probable pathologies of the animal, possible due to albinism.
Important! In no case is it recommended to purchase a dachshund with a white color on a private ad. When deciding to get a pet of this breed, choose only a trusted breeder who is ready to provide you with all the necessary documents about the origin of the puppy.
Dishonest breeders sometimes allow themselves to mix two white dachshunds in order to get albino puppies, which is strictly prohibited. Since puppies born in this way, as a rule, inherit various congenital pathologies from their parents. Toddlers have poor health and need constant supervision. The dachshund, which is a tribal marriage, at birth receives a special mark in the nursery in the documents. Carefully read the documents of the animal when buying.
About the features of the breed, see the video below.
