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Don't pick up a dachshund by his upper body. Never drop the dachshund back onto the ground. Never make a dachshund bend or twist when you pick him up. Don't ignore any signs of distress from the dog. Show family and friends how to hold dachshunds properly before letting them play.
Many are accustomed to picking up dogs as if they were human babies by putting one hand under each of the dog's "armpits." However, this is unsafe for dachshunds. This puts an unnatural stress on the dog's back the spine simply isn't built to support his long body without any other support. In general, you will want to avoid any sort of hold that supports only half of the dog's body length. This is true even if the dog is already standing on one set of legs like, for instance, if he is propping himself up on his hind legs while looking over the top of a sofa. In this case, you'll want to lean down so that you can support his rump before picking him up. As noted above, dogs should be set down gently, not dropped. A dachshund's legs are very short compared to other dog breeds'. This means that they can't bend very far to absorb the shock of hitting the ground, which puts most of the impact stress on the leg joints and back. Getting rid of the dog's "fall" eliminates this danger. Don't trust your dog's body language here. Dachshunds don't know that their skeleton can't support falls, so they may be perfectly willing to jump out of your hands. Even if this doesn't cause them immediate pain, it can lead to painful problems if continued in the long-term. Dachshunds' long, slender spines are especially vulnerable to injury, which is why it's so important to keep their bodies straight when you pick them up. You will definitely want to avoid any activities that put a twist or bend in the dog's back, as this increases the stress on it and can contribute to conditions like slipped discs. For example, one way you might accidentally do this is by scooping the dachshund up suddenly when he doesn't expect it. If you startle your dog, he may wriggle or twist out of one of your hands, putting an unnatural bend in his spine as he hangs. Make sure your dog is calm and aware of you before you attempt to pick him up. Dachshunds, like all dogs, are generally pretty smart about letting you know when they are in pain. If your dog looks or sounds uncomfortable when you pick him up, he probably is, so set him back down and re-evaluate the way you're holding him before you try again. Some signs of pain in dogs are obvious, like yelping, whimpering, etc. However, others a little more subtle. The following are nonverbal signs that a dog may be uncomfortable: Trembling (without another explanation, like coldness) Trying to get away Unnatural amounts of affection or aggression Holding the mouth closed (rather than having a natural, "happy" look) Nothing's more frustrating than when you take the time to learn how to hold your dachshund properly, only for well-meaning relatives to come over and treat him like an ordinary dog. To avoid problems, be sure to educate any visitors about the proper ways to hold your dog before they play with him. This is especially true for children, who can sometimes be too rough with dogs by accident. It's a wise idea to supervise children when they first interact with your dachshund until you're confident that they know how to play safely.