Doxies’ short legs are adorable and fun but they don’t seem like they are very well-suited for running. So, dachshund speed – sprinters, marathon runners, or couch potatoes? If you’re ready to jump on the third option – you may be surprised.
While short-legged and fragile, healthy dachshunds are actually surprisingly fast over short distances. The emphasis is on “healthy” as dachshunds with back or joint problems should obviously never be incited to run. However, an adult dachshund in good health can achieve quite impressive speeds for its size and leg length. Not to mention that the sight of a dachshund going at full throttle is truly magnificent.
What Is The Top Dachshund Speed You Can Expect To See From Your Dog?
So, how fast can a wiener dog run? By most estimates, the expected top speed of a dachshund is 15 to 20 mph or 24 to 32 km/h. This is obviously nowhere near the top speed of other breeds. Labrador Retrievers, for example, can run at 20 to 30 mph (32 to 48 km/h) and Greyhounds can hit 45 mph (72 km/h).
Yet, if your account for even just the height difference, let alone the leg length, and the dachshund speed of 15 to 20 mph becomes quite impressive.
How far can dachshunds run?
Not far at all. In fact, this isn’t something you don’t really want to test either. Dachshunds were bred as scenthounds, meaning that they were expected to walk at a slow pace, sniff for animals’ scents, and then only pick up the tempo once it’s time to jump in the badger’s hollow. So, these dogs were never meant for endurance or long-distance running of any kind.
Should You Go Running With Your Dachshund?
So, are dachshunds good jogging companions? And is going on a dachshund run the best option for your own exercise regime? The short and rather clear answer is that dachshunds really aren’t good jogging companions. If you’re an outdoorsy person or you want to work in that regard, a bigger and more physically active breed will be more suitable for your needs.
That being said, dachshunds do like a brisk walk in the morning. So, if you want a dog to get you out of the house for two 30-minute walks a day, the dachshund is a good choice. Just don’t force your Doxie to run too much or don’t overexert it with prolonged walks. If you do notice that your dachshund is getting exhausted, the safe thing to do would be to pick your dog up and carry it for a while. Or, just take a break for a while.
Signs that your dachshund needs a break
How would you know that your dachshund is getting tired, however? Here are the main signs to watch out for.
- Licking of the air
- Sniffing the ground
- Panting
- Yawning
- No interest in playtime
- Not listening to commands
- Thirst
- Trying to hide
- Refusing to walk
- Straight up lying on the ground
Obviously, the first couple of symptoms are mild but they tend to be quickly followed by the rest. So, if your dog starts acting in such a way, chances are that you’ve gone a bit too far with the walk, run, or exercise.
Can you over-exercise your dachshund?
You can over-exercise any dog and dachshunds are no different. In fact, over-exercising a dachshund is more of a problem than it is with other dogs because of their tendency to develop back and joint issues.
Dachshunds do need exercise to stay healthy and keep in shape, of course. Letting your dachshund get obese due to a lack of exercise can be quite bad too. However, it is a pity when you get your dachshund to develop Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD) or Hip and Elbow Dysplasia via over-exercising as you attempt to avoid those same conditions.
Find more information about Dachshund Hip Dysplasia Treatment And Prevention Methods
What Are The Dachshund’s Exercise Needs?
Fortunately, Doxies’ exercise needs are pretty manageable and easy to meet. All these dogs need are a couple of quick 20-30-minute walks a day. This will give them the opportunity to go potty as well as to explore and sniff around, which is what they love to do.
If you have the time, it’s generally better to go with longer but slower walks. This will give your dachshund more time to explore, it will be ahip more measured and fulfilling exercise, and it will reduce any risk of trauma or overexertion. Of course, this isn’t to say that your dachshund won’t enjoy a quick sprint in the dog park or a game of fetch. However, it’s important to be measured and careful with that type of play.
The rest of your dachshund’s physical needs can easily be met at home. A light play of fetch in the living room, a dog puzzle, or a hide-n-seek are excellent games to play with a dachshund at home, for example. And, if you’re wondering whether you need a yard for your dachshunds, that’s not really the case.
Dachshunds are perfectly well-suited to apartment living. In fact, a yard can trigger their instinctive love of digging. Or, if the fencing isn’t good enough, your dachshund can run off chasing a cat or another stray animal.
Alternative types of exercise suitable for dachshunds
Walks and light play sessions are the standard and typically viewed as the best form of exercise for a dachshund. One very underappreciated type of exercise, however, is swimming.
Few people look at a dachshund and think of swimming, but most dachshunds do love a quick swim. This isn’t to say that they are expert swimmers – how could they be with such short legs? However, they do enjoy it as long as they are introduced to that hobby properly.
More importantly, swimming is excellent for dachshunds because it gives them a balanced type of exercise that doesn’t put much pressure on their long backs. As such, it’s also a great rehabilitation tool. Just make sure that you keep an eye on your floating wiener at all times as they can tire pretty quickly.
In Conclusion – Dachshund Speed, Endurance, And Health Concerns
Dachshund speed can be pretty impressive when you observe it for the first time. Watching these pint-sized wiener dogs flying through the street at 20 mph can be outright astonishing. However, dachshunds can’t keep that tempo up for long and they can hurt their backs if you push them too hard. So, while a healthy Doxie can be a fun sprinter, this breed really is more of a walker than a runner.
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