Mini Smooth Dachshund - Right weight?

[Guest Anonymous]

Hi all,

I have a mini smooth haired Dachshund called "Minnie" (not very original I know).

I know their fully grown ideal weight should be no more than 10lbs, but she is 6 months old, and still only 6.75lb. She looks quite skinny - and I was wondering if (at this age), she is the ideal weight, and not under-weight.

Any advice greatly appreciated.

Stevo.

P.S. If I knew how to post a pic of her I would (Pic not on a web site, so can't place URL)

[alicat613]

Dogs should usually be thinner than people think. Many dogs you see are fat, which is terrible for their health and body. Your dachsund should stay nice and lean, it will be much better for her back. They have long backs that should not have to support any extra weight!

You should be able to see her ribs slightly, especially as she moves or is lying down, not necessarily all the time. You should be able to feel her ribs easily with your hands but you should also be able to feel that there is a nice thin layer of padding under the skin. You should not see protruding hip bones or spine, although you will be able to see the bones some, they should not make you think of a skinny cow if you know what I mean! When looking at her from above, you should be able to see a slight waistline past her ribs, it should go in a little bit.

Hope that helped!

[Guest Anonymous]

That sounds like pretty much what she is now!

Many thanks!!

Stevo

[alicat613]

You're welcome!
Congrats on having an in-shape pup! Its important to keep her in shape, which in turn will be better for her in many ways and she will live a longer and healthier life.

[gooeydog]

As long as your dog is proportionate (as much as a dachsie can be proportionate anyway :lol: ) in weight vs size of their frame, I wouldn't worry about their weight. Some minis are smaller than others, so there's no real "set" weight to go off of. Ours (5 yr old min smooth) is around 10 lbs, and is in good shape. Like alicat said, you want to be able to at least feel ribs (Annie's are visible most of the time, but she's very active). There should also be a "tuck up" between the back legs and chest (the waist). It sounds like she's in good shape, so try to keep her that way :wink: Annie usually gets a 1-2 mile walk, and an hr of catch or playing with her "cat toy" everyday, sometimes more if I feel like it. Before we had 10,000 dogs (only five, but still :lol: ) I used to take her running some days, she could easily go 8 miles (with a few breaks for water).
Here are a couple pictures that show what I mean (I don't have any from the past month or so, but she was still in decent shape in these)