QuestionQUESTION: ok i have a blue and tan mini doxi .. i know every one is saying not to breed but if i decide to is there a certain age that the male should be before i do .. where i live there are no other doxis available in his color i drove 4 hours away to get him .. and every one who sees him just thinks hes the most beautiful little thing they have ever seen .. and some people have asked if im going to breed him .. but im on the fence about it .. thanks
ANSWER: Let me say this - a lot of breeders no longer breed that coat color because it comes with sooo many problems and issues. Blues are not meant to be a dachshund color - it is a genetic breeding that has weakened the genes of the breed so that is why there are so many problems. I have had several blues and blues and tans in rescue and all have had coat issues from bald spots to not hair to losing hair to skin problems. He may be beautiful but he comes with baggage that, if bred, he will pass on. And if passed on, his children may have the issues even if he is not showing any yet. Only backyard breeders are really breeding for this color - not breeders who are promoting the breed and producing quality dachshunds who meet not only AKC standards, but that truly are what dachshunds are supposed to be. Some people will tell you they have a rare dachshund color but there is no such thing. You also have to worry about letting blues into the sun - with coats so thin, they get sunburned easily. I think the blues are as cute as they can be but they came to rescue because they had problems and those looking for a nice dachshund would not buy them. I have had several and was very picky about who they would go to to make sure they had a loving and permanent home. I had one adopter who adopted a brother and sister who were both going bald in a lot of spots and she bought them sweaters and takes excellent care of them. She cannot let them outside without sun protection as well.
So to answer your question I can understand why you are being advised not to breed and I would agree with that. You could be producing dogs that may have the problems I have noted. It is healthier for him to neuter him ASAP and better for any potential offspring so that you are not having to put any dogs through the trauma of sunburn, special care, bald spots, no hair, etc. To get his color again by breeding him properly, you are most likely going to have pups that are double likely to have these issues and how is that fair to them?
People who just breed will use their dogs as studs as early as 1 - 1.5 years old. It is not the kind of life I would want for any dog. They deserve to have a young dog life of playing and learning and being carefree for at least a couple of years if you insist on breeding. But again, not to be critical, but these coat colors truly are prone to skin issues, coat problems, etc. I had one that kept getting skin infections. I have experience with this type of dog and while we loved them dearly while we fostered them and found them wonderful homes across the country, I would never promote anyone to breed for that coat. Thank you so much for being caring and responsible by asking! I wish more people would do that so that they understand what they are getting into! Give your baby a hug for me!
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QUESTION: ok this is not really a question .. but thank you .. no where have i seen any of this info .. i didnt relize that bules had skin issues like that .. tyten has a lot of t shirts and a coat to where when he gets cold .. which is quite often because he coat is so thin.. but i didnt know it was caused by his color .. i love my baby boy and would never give him up for anything in the world .. im acctually moving so i can keep him .. now thats love .. he does have very dry skin and gets these bumps .. no raw skin or anything .. but i bathe him with baby shampoo and put baby lotion on him .. is there anything else i can do to help his skin .. and i never thought of putting sun screen on him any recommendations as to a particular kind . in case he licks it .. and anything else you could tell me about him to help me give him a long happy and healthy life . thank you soo much ..
AnswerI am not sure what her vet recommended so check with yours for sun protection. I know that oatmeal shampoo helps the skin and if there is an irritation that Dawn is fine to use - I would not use baby lotion. That may irritate his skin. A really good dog food or try salmon oil in his food - it is great. You can get it at the petstore - I get it at PetsMart.
