Is Your Daschund Overweight?
Skin Problems?
Good Nutrition May Help

We don't know about your daschunds, but ours will eat just about anything.

Anything.

Dame Lynda has rescued from the mouths of her doxies such assorted sundries as: a pair of jeans, a vase of apology flowers meant for hubby, even a possum! Dame Marji's challenge has been more mundane. Her daschunds attempt to inhale every single piece of tissue they can find. Marji suffers from allergies, so that's a lot of tissue! (If Marji owned stock in the Kleenex company, she would be a woman of infinite means . . . sigh.)

But the propensity of daschunds to shove inedible objects into their mouths is only half the story (see our article on "Leave It!" for help.) The other half is just how much of the edible stuff doxies can put away if we let them.

Obesity and overweight is a major problem for daschunds. They were bred for lots of exertion--racing ahead of their owners in pursuit of prey, chasing badgers, burrowing into rabbit holes. They rarely have an opportunity to work like that in modern life. But you try explaining to a daschund that a decrease in energy spent should mean less food in their bowl!

How are we to deal with the problem of overweight daschunds? Exercise is important, of course. But good nutrition is also important. Whether you feed your doxie commercial dog food or a special diet primarily of "people food," you must have a good understanding of the nutritional needs of your pet.

Nutrition is important beyond the problem of overweight daschunds. Like all breeds, doxies have special health challenges. Daschund skin and itching problems, as well as back problems can all be alleviated with a good diet.

Take a look at these articles to help get you started on providing the best nutritional experience for your daschund:

• Kibble! Kibble Everywhere! 3 Things You Need to Know to Choose the Best Commercial Pet Food for Your Daschund


• To Supplement or Not? 3 Vitamins and Supplements Every Doxie Should Take


• Is "People Food" Better for Your Dachshund's Health?


• Cures From Your Fridge: How A Few Basic Foods Can Prevent Skin Problems & Help Your Doxie Return to Glowing Health