Doxie that likes to sit up

[papbouv]

Hi I'm new I got Patches when she was about 16 weeks old came from a family that had children she like to sit up like the trick sit up figured the kids taught her how to do it.Of course it looks super cute but I was wondering if it was bad for her back??? She also wants to run and jump on the ottoman and jump down have been trying to curb this habit but not having much luck stopping herany ideas.She is also trying to jump on the couch I have always stopped her but my husband let her, she wants to jump on my husbands bed but that is where the cat stays.Patches growls at the cat chases the cat the cat is about 3 times bigger than the Doxie the cat has all her claws has smacked Patches a few times but so far Patches just yells and goes right back after the cat?Any ideas thanks for any help.
papbouv

[Dee Dee and Hallie]

Hi
What cute babies you have!!!!
Yes sitting up is bad for doxie backs. As well as jumping on and off furniture...off is worse but both can be bad. Steps are bad as well. You really need to do all you can to avoid all this, I know its hard though doxies just don't know the meaning of the word "limitation". :) Some people use ramps for them to use to get up and down from the furniture. Personally I don't like them because they can so easily be jumped off the side of (unless you can make a tall enough barrier on the sides to prevent that). My Hallie was a little mountain goat when I got her, now she is 99.9% reliable to not jump on or off the furniture herself. I was very strict about it...I am not strict about much with her except the things that could really hurt her, like jumping. So I really made it clear to her (it took a while but it finally did stick). It is such a shame we have to worry about this, so many doxies end up with this back problem. But you are wondering about the right things that are not good for those little spines!

[Jen]

Hi there

Personally I think if they are going to have back problems they probably will have them regardless of how much or little you restrict ... I think if you restrict them too much this can possibly even add to the problem because they never develop muscle tone along those areas of the spine. Now im not saying you should just allow your dachshund to take flying leaps from the back of the couch or off a high bed but I doubt reasonable jumping (or sitting up) will make much difference one way or another... that is just my personal opinion. 

I think the most important things to remember are making sure that your dog is in proper weight... a overweight dachshund is a unhealthy dachshund also make sure that your dachshund stays physically fit it is very important to keep that muscle tone... long walks are very good for this I do a mile every other day.  We have to remember these dogs were bred for hunting and going to ground they should be able to handle reasonable *dog* activities. We have lots of  disc disease in our breed and sadly I don't really think there is much we can do to prevent it - the most important thing is what we CAN do if it happens.

Again JMHO and most everyone won't agree with me! lol

Jen & the Crew

[Dee Dee and Hallie]

That is a good point Jen. Keeping them fit I think is one of the most important things. I took Hallie for a 30 min walk every day, (on the flat...in parks, etc and let her trot and run but no leaping or twisting. Wish I could find a place to swim her!) plus training time, etc, until her episode. I am going to be a wreck when I actually start working her time up on our walks again LOL. But keeping them fit and lean can only help them. I wish they did know for sure more of what risks are the worst and if they help etc. You could well be right about it happening no matter what. For me though I guess, I want to err on the side of caution so I don't have to wonder if I "may" have caused it by allowing the jumping and all. Obviously that didn't play a part with Hallie's as I was neurotically careful all her life, which supports your theory. This back thing really sucks.

Another thought...even if it might happen anyway do you think by not allowing jumping, etc, it might make the episode milder? I am thinking of a friend of mine who bred and showed wires for many years. She never had back problems until one day she was doing agility with her 4yr old standard wire, she came down off the a frame (not real hard) and went paralyzed in the  rear AND front as well as affected her diagphragm and breathing so she had to let her go. It devasted her. She has since gotten out of dachshunds because of it and now has Parson Russels. The dog was possibly going to have problems at some point but due to the jumping she was doing and that it happened right when she jumped off something, would this dog have had the problem to this extent had she not jumped her...? My thinking is that the wear and tear over time contributes, if not to the episode itself but to the severity?

Also aren't the doxies today shorter legged and longer backed, more extreme, than the hunting doxies of the past? Or did they have as many back problems back then as they do now? I saw an interesting exhibit at the British Museum of Natural History, they had real taxidermied dogs of different breeds that were champions from a long time ago (over 100 years). They also had a diagram on the wall of a dachshund sillouhette from back then and then how it has evolved to todays shape. The dachshund from way back when was a bit more moderate, a little longer leg, shorter back than today. It was interesting to see how many of the breeds were more moderate back then and not so overdone (big...heavy....etc).

Anyway just interesting things I often wonder about. Also why some other long backed breeds aren't as plagued as ours is...apparently a genetic association with it all.

[David C.]

My Rudy dog used to do everything wrong.  He'd sit up, he'd jump, he take huge tumbles.  However, when he was X-rayed at age 12, the vet said his back was in "remarkable" shape.   Rudy did have some pinched nerve issues with his neck, but his back was true.   I always fought to keep his weight under control and he always got copious excerise until he started slowing down with age.   Keeping your young dachshund in top physical shape now will pay huge dividends when they become seniors.  The conditioning they get now gives them a "cushion" when they aren't as active.

Even Max was a jumper, although not to the extent that Rudy was, and Max's back has remained in good shape even though he's past 17.   Poor Max has taken some tumbles lately, including one down the stairs, but he stood up, flopped his ears and walked off.   I have no doubts that Max's longevity is due to the work I did with him when he was younger in keeping him active and keeping his weight down.

[papbouv]

Thank you one and all forall the information you have provided will try to keep Patches from jumping around so much really worried we have been re-modeling on our old house husband took up the old carpet.Right now all we have is the sub-flooring which is wood can't wait till we get new carpet will be a month or two yet.I keep all my dogs about the correct weight try not to let them get fat I do not get to walk my dogs very much have some disability's but try to play fetching games in the house and yard.No Patches really does not bark only at the cat & vacuum cleaner would like her to bark when some one is around or knocking on the door.I woof at her trying to get her to bark she looks at me like I'm crazy I maybe  I am,has worked in the past when my Bouvier's were pups?
Thanks again what about the tuff's of hair in between the toes?
papbouv

[Dee Dee and Hallie]

Sounds like you are doing a great job with them! I personally like to keep the hair on the bottom of Hallie's feet trimmed as I think it gives them more traction on a slippery floor (like kitchen) and a little less likely to slip. I let the hair on top of her feet grow long though only because I think it's cute. :) I call it her "fuzzy slippers". My last longhair girl, Jessie, I kept her paws trimmed up nice because I showed her in the breed ring. So just a matter of preference.

[KathyP]

When we first got our Piddleman we had never had a doxie before and we let him do all the things that we later found out (and stopped) were bad for his back. He LOVED to sit up and would just pop right up whenever he thought it would serve him well! lol He wasn't allowed on the furniture so there was no issue w/ him jumping off of it (dh is pretty strict about dogs on furniture...so to keep the peace I just go w/ the flow!). However, we do have many stairs outside of the house to various porches or buildings and Pdog got carried up all of them. When he went to the bridge at age 11 he had never, ever had a back problem!
So, do what you can to curtail the things that would really cause harm and let the rest go! Patches is a cutie btw!!! A long hair, right? Piddleman was a red long hair w/ a black overcoat!

[Dee Dee and Hallie]

It is so good to hear for a doxie that lived out his life with NO back problems. I must say this is the first time I've heard of this, with no problems at all. That is great! You were very lucky with Pman.

[KathyP]

Boy, that is for sure! But he made up for the good back w/ tyroid problems, allergies...you name it!

[Laurel59044]

Our first Doxie was a beautiful male long hair, we rescued him at age 4, he lived problem free until age 19.  Only went to the vet for vaccinations.  He finally started having seizures, and at that age, couldn't cope with them well.  He was not jumper and would just sit nice near us and wait for a treat, never got up on hind legs.  We didn't teach this, it was just his natural way.  When we got this new Doxie, Ginger who is now 6 we expected her to be the same.  She will jump onto the couch whenever our back is turned, but will ask to be lifted when we are there.  She has bad back problems now.  She has a metal allergy, bald spots from shots, and the tags from her collar, until we figured it out.  So maybe you are on to something about breeding problems into the dogs over time.  I hate to think these sweet little doggies might be doomed to shorter lives.  Another thought is, maybe they have always had these problems, but only recently have they been so well documented.  Awareness is higher, not the rate of incidence?  Just random thoughts.

[Jen]

It is so good to hear for a doxie that lived out his life with NO back problems. I must say this is the first time I've heard of this, with no problems at all. That is great! You were very lucky with Pman.

DD,

I had been meaning to reply to this but have been super busy lately. I know many dachshunds that have lived long healthy lives w/o ever having a back problem. For example my girl Sarah's sire Yogi is almost 15 he has never had any trouble and has been able to run and jump and play with other dachshunds his whole life same goes for her grandma Hannah she died at nearly age 18 from cancer but never did have any back problems. She also has several aunts, uncles, half siblings etc. that are up there in age and have had no problems. On the flip side I do know of a few of her relatives that have had back problems (anyone that tells you their line is free from that stuff obviously hasn't been breeding long enough!).... that is why i don't feel there is too much you can do to prevent it. As a breeder all I can do is remove the "affected" dogs from my gene pool and try my best to research the lines that i breed from and deal with those breeders that i feel are honest and upfront about health problems in their line.... to me honesty means more to me than whether or not they have the problem at least i am saved that false sense of security you get from not knowing.... there is already so much we don't know or can't know so for me whatever a breeder is willing to share about health issues is most welcome.  They cannot live in a bubble as much as it would be nice if they could....just like with human children you have to use good judgement when it comes to their activities but we cannot protect them from everything. 

Just wanted to throw that out there 

Jen & the Crew

[Dee Dee and Hallie]

Hey Jen
Thanks for your input, it's great to hear of other doxies that have lived their lives out with no problems. They must not be from Washington State because it seems every doxie I know here, from shows and otherwise, have either had a problem at some level or they are too young to have a problem yet. So that must mean it's ME giving off bad vibes and causing Washington doxies to have trouble!  I certainly am pee oh'd that I have had two doxies and they have both had problems.

If they can't live in bubbles can they at least live in helium balloons???  :thumb:

[Jen]

I have heard of my fair share of dogs with problems too... so you are not unlucky I think its just one of those deals - there is no x on your forehead or anything! lol

Is Hallie out of jail yet?? (can't remember how many weeks its been?) Smooches to that sweet girl 

Jen

[Dee Dee and Hallie]

Why is it that dogs are so different from breed to breed....we mess with horse and cat genes by breeding certain breeds and we use horses for different uses like we do dogs but a horse is basically a horse...only the size really changes much. With dogs they are SO different from each other, head shape, ears, body shape etc. Odd ain't it. Dogs also seem to have a lot more health problems breed to breed than horses or cats.

Yes the Bear Butt has been sprung! She is feeling like a puppy again. VERY happy little sweetie, it will be 8 weeks this Wednesday. So what was the time limit for activity restriction....11 years right?  She's been running around the house and yard on her own (if you call having me hover over her every step and following her wherever she goes "on her own") for a couple weeks now, and we're doing 5 minute walks now at the park. I'm actually not as nervous letting her do stuff as I thought I'd be, we're just having fun on a more monitored scale. We're having a party/dinner for her birthday Monday and taking her Geocaching, whee. I voted to put Hallie poop back in the cache when we find one but got voted down...

How is Princess Sarah?

*heading off to look in the mirror for an X on my forehead*

[roisinmarie]

well i had my little dashie trained not to jump up or jump of the furnitiure. until my rescue adult came and undid everything i taught him so now he doesn't get up on the furniture but he sits on his bottom with the paws in the air when it is dinner time.