We go on walks with my 11.5 year old girl who also has IVDD at least 4 times a week when it’s warm enough and it’s been very good at keeping her healthy.

Health weight, good nutrition, and lots of kisses/hugs.

Exercise and keeping the weight down helps.

I rarely see wire hairs adorable baby

My girl is 14 now and activated her back issues about 6 I think. You minimize the risks which sounds like you’ve got that covered. Just watch him for when he’s got some discomfort. We’ve got a round of meds now that keeps our girl steady, but I rub out her legs and lower back if she seems stiff, she runs the backyard when she feels up to it, I take her to the vet if it doesn’t ease up after a day or two. And when she’s feeling defiant she’ll jump off the couch instead of using the ramp.

Keep them the right weight and build lots of muscle to strengthen their core. Please understand you CAN'T prevent IVDD.

You can prevent accidents, but the disease is genetic.

I will give you a piece of advice I haven't seen here. Weiners are going to be weiners. They want to run and jump and play and can get pretty rambunctious times. You cant avoid it no matter how much you try to We have ramps all over the place and my 7yr old boy still jumps on and off the couch and on and off the bed. My girl who is 14 now has never been a big jumper still jumps up and down off of the couch. You're not a bad parent if they get away with it at times.

I would also suggest since he is a boy to not get him fixed. It plays a big role in avoiding IVDD

I had a doxie that had IVDD, he had to have surgery at age 4. He lived to be 15, but it was a constant battle with him always wanting food and treats. He had to be on weight control diet and I had to make sure his treats were mostly vegetables. If he gained even a half pound you could start to see the loss of control in his back legs. Because of surgeries and laser treatments and other issues due to this condition this dog cost me well over 30k. Love and miss him every day. Just be prepared for anything with them.

Keep their weight on track that's very important No stairs pretty hard on their backs and jumping from furniture or from your bed it's hard to control but preventable just a few tips from a fellow dachshund owner Enjoy your new puppy

Just to add, you don't have to get surgery if you can't afford it. Both of ours got IVDD, and we did cage rest. One recovered, and the other's back legs were paralyzed. He's still going strong in a wheelchair. IVDD isn't a death sentence.

There has been discussion that not neutering males makes them less likely to suffer from it. As I recall (and I am too lazy to provide links) waiting past a year or not neutering at all reduces the chances of IVDD in males. The added testosterone makes a difference in their overall structure

To reduce the likelihood of getting a dog with health issues you should go through a Reputable breeder that does the recommended health testing. Here are the tests the parents of any future puppy should have done: https://www.ofa.org/recommended-tests?breed=DH&var=

In addition, the parents scores on those tests should be public and they should have an OFA # you can use to look up the individual dog in the database.

Health issues can still pop up in puppies of health tested parents, but are less likely to pop up when the breeder has done everything they can to ensure their puppies are genetically healthy by doing the recommended health tests.

I second what u/thesecondparallel said.

Also, don't shy away from exercise. Many Dachshund owners hear "too much exercise is bad" and end up under-exercising their dachshund. Extra weight and low muscle tone does the body no favors. By keeping a dachshund slim you put less pressure on their back and then muscle helps support it.

Thank you for caring, mommy. Just don’t overfeed the guy and keep encouraging the ramps. Don’t let him jump off of furniture! Encourage your family and friends to pick him up properly. If he gets enough exercise he will develop back muscles and be strong. Take him on long walks.

Try to wait to neuter him until 18months, or at LEAST a year. He needs those hormones to develop his back muscles!

He’s a cutie pie!

Be prepared for the tiny pterodactyl teefs of terror starting about 3-6 months and will go until 18-ish months. Puppy-proof things you don’t want him/her chewing on, including your fingers and toes.

Dachshund Tips

Here are my tips from being in Dachshund Rescue and fostering 100+ dogs, plus the combined experience of many other Rescue workers spanning thousands of Dachshunds:

Start with and stick with this rule: No jumping onto or off of furniture. Lift them onto your lap and then put them back down on the floor. Most back injuries happen because this rule is not enforced. Their backs cannot handle the additional stresses that furniture jumping imposes. Sometimes Dachshunds injure themselves and have to be put down. We made them this way because we wanted them to hunt badgers in burrows. They are now prone to painful back and neck injuries, so we must protect them!! No unattended Dachshunds on the furniture!! Ramps are NOT the answer. An excited Dachshund will jump off anything they are up on. And no stairs if they can be avoided.

Always pick up a Dachshund with two hands - one under their chest and the other under their waist or hindquarters. Never allow them to dangle!!

Get them used to your cleaning their teeth daily. They have a tendency to rapidly build up plaque on their teeth. Keeps them healthy and will save you thousands in dental costs over the years. Typical Dachshund dental locally is $2000 - $3500. See your vet for dental care techniques. Also, there are additives for their water that fights tartar buildup, and many Dachshunds find this useful.

Keep them lean and fit, lots of exercise. Extra weight is not good for their backs, and fitness keeps the muscles supporting the spine and neck strong. Consult your Vet for puppy food recommendations.

See your vet at least annually and more often if you have concerns. Do not take “medical” advice from the internet! See your Vet for all questions relating to the health of your Dachshund.

Keep their nails trimmed. Take the long-hairs to the groomer regularly. Inspect your dog’s ears and paws regularly for foxtails if these are in your area.

If you live in an area where mosquitoes are prevalent, monthly heart-worm prevention is recommended.

Work diligently on house training. Get them into a routine and see that they get outside on a regular basis and learn that’s where business is taken care of. Praise and rewards for success reinforce the desired behaviors.

Train your dog to obey your commands both on and off leash. Work hard on getting a fail-safe recall command and practice it often. Very important for the safety of the dog if they will spend any time out of doors off leash. Equally important for on leash, as leashes get dropped. Dachshunds are famous for wiggling out of just a collar when excited. A harness provides additional protection and restraint without additional pressure on their necks. There are too many tragedies not to do this as a top priority.

Start crate training your dog so that they come to see the crate as their safe, warm place. Crate training also helps deter separation anxiety.

Socialize your puppy as soon as he has all his shots. Give him opportunities to meet other people and other dogs of all shapes, sizes and ages in a controlled situation. Be calm and relaxed when you do so. Find a good Puppy Class, and when they’re old enough, an Obedience Class.

Each Dachshund is unique and have their own distinct personality. Find out early what your dog likes - walks, squeaky toys, belly rubs (pretty much a given) - and see that they get plenty.

Enjoy watching your puppy grow and develop!! Both of you have fun!!

And did I mention? No unattended Dogs on the Furniture!!!

u/Lazy_bonzi420, a trainer and groomer, provided these excellent suggestions:

Desensitize their paws right from the beginning. Pick up their feet and gently move your fingers between their pads and toe beans. Dachshunds are notorious for not liking their feet touched if they are not trained that it is OK early on.

Randomly call your pup during the day when you are out of sight and have them ‘find’ you, then praise and reward them. The ‘find me’ game reinforces the most important recall command.

Stay very very consistent, treats and praises for doing good job at something like potty. They are smart and will test boundaries.

we have the same puppy! :)

https://preview.redd.it/injdh6gt85gf1.jpeg?width=4284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3ea1c545e5dba41167cfed9b83d335bea4b54c5a

Spine appears normal. He’s lean and fit. Keep him that way. Excessive weight leads to back problems. Lots of exercise strengthens the muscles supporting his neck and spine.

No jumping onto or off of furniture.

Have him neutered.

Do not rely on Reddit comments for veterinary medical advise. See a vet when you have concerns.

I've always been careful with my Doxies. Knowing about the back problems; cradle the dogs like babies on their stomachs facing your forearm and learn to handle them without contorting their backs.

Just in case you're interested, here's the ramps I have in my home! I did a lot of research for options, and these were the best ones I could find for the price. My dachshund had a scare after jumping off a bed. Luckily it wasn't permanent and bedrest fixed the issue, but furniture jumping is a huge cause for back trauma, so it's really important you try and stop that. Trying to train him to wait for me to pick him up was not enough to curb jumping; ramps are the best way I found.

1. Couch ramp (smaller), adjustable

2. Bed ramp (bigger) - the best ramp I could find for a lower price. I got an open box deal so I saved some $$. The screws are a little wonky; I think there was one I never got completely lined up but it's sturdy enough. My doxie LOVES this ramp, he instantly knew it was for him and was super happy about it. He uses it every single day and it has survived movers and a moving truck without me taking it apart. Also i can see the issue with the carpet but my dachshund has never had a problem. I think with bigger dogs it's more of an issue but since they're so light the ramp works for them.

Make sure you measure the height of the landing spot for wherever you're putting the ramp, and make sure it lines up approximately with the height of the max height of the ramp. You also want there to be space around the ramp. Where they want the ramp to be might not be the most convenient for you; you have to make sure that it's the first thing they naturally see whenever they're running towards the furniture they want to jump on, and that'll help. If you have trouble getting them to use it, positive reinforcement with treats can help.

I have a Canadian grand Champion conformation standard dachshund, her spine looks like this. It's normal.

Looks completely normal. He looks to be the same age as my youngest wiener and his back looks like this as well.

Another way to keep a doxie at a good weight is look down at them and compare to a butternut squash. If they look like the butternut squash, yay! If they're skinner or wider, time to evaluate their health.

I told my tech vet sister the squash guide and she loved it. It's a good way to describe to people without a visual.

Get pet insurance!

Our breeder recommended a dig pit, to satisfy the need to dig and strengthen muscles. Oh, and don't neuter early, they need to grow fully!

Congratulations your puppy is a cutie pie!🥰

Teach early potty, they have small bladders and will need to go often. Also you will go fully mad the first few months but it’s all worth it in the end.

You will want to teach people to pick him up properly - this video explains. Also, even though you have ramps, you really should supervise when they are on the furniture -- they can get excited and still want to jump, so it's best that you anticipate that and direct to the ramp or lift them down.

I have a typed out doc of my dachshund tips. They might be helpful.

I also have some potty training tips.

100% agree and I raise mine the same way. Also the amount of posts that blow my mind… “are my dogs interacting ok?” When the dogs are literally PLAYING. Anyway couldn’t agree more.

Slideshow. I hate Slideshows.