30/06/2026
𝗜𝗩𝗗𝗗, 𝗖𝗗𝗗𝗬, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗮𝗰𝗵𝘀𝗵𝘂𝗻𝗱𝘀: 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀, 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘆𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲 🧬🐾
𝘐𝘝𝘋𝘋 𝘪𝘯 𝘥𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘴𝘩𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘴 – 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘺𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 🏛
Genetics load the gun, but structure and lifestyle help determine what happens next 🧠
Dachshunds already have:
❥ Long backs
❥ Short limbs
❥ Compact, low bodies
𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙧𝙙 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙛𝙪𝙣𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙗𝙡𝙪𝙚𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙜, 𝙨𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙚 📐
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𝗦𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙨 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗲 🏛️
𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 ✅️
The standard emphasizes:
❥ Long, well sprung ribbing extending well back
❥ A short, strong loin
❥ A level, firm topline
❥ Balanced front and rear angulation
These features help support the spine and distribute mechanical stress properly 💪
Faults that increase mechanical strain:
❥ 𝐑𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤
An arched back that concentrates stress in a short area
❥ 𝐒𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤
A sagging back that lacks proper ligament and muscular support
❥ 𝐒𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬
A rear that sits higher than the front, altering weight distribution and spine angles
❥ 𝐏𝐨𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨
Short ribbing with a long loin leaves more of the spine unsupported
This last point is especially critical because IVDD most commonly occurs in the thoracolumbar and upper lumbar regions of the back, the “lower back” in everyday term 💥
When ribbing is too short and the loin is too long, that vulnerable area has less bony and muscular support, increasing flexion and strain exactly where discs are stastistcally most likely to herniate ⚠️
Conformation and health discussions highlight that increased back length relative to height and loss of supportive ribbing are associated with greater IVDD risk in dachshunds 📈
Breeding to the standard helps protect the spine where it matters most 🛡️
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𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘆𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗗𝗮𝗰𝗵𝘀𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟱 🏃♀️
IVDD is not just genetic. Lifestyle matters 🌱
The DachsLife 2015 study and follow up analyses found:
❥ 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐲
More active dachshunds had significantly lower odds of IVDD than less active dogs 🏃♂️
❥ 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐣𝐮𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠
Dachshunds over age 3 that were allowed to go up and down stairs every day had lower IVDD odds than those not allowed stairs. Dogs allowed to jump on and off furniture daily also had lower odds than those prevented, in that dataset 💪
These findings suggest that reasonable, controlled daily movement and good musculature can be protective, even though uncontrolled, high impact jumping can still be risky in individual dogs.
❥ 𝐁𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧
Overweight dachshunds have higher IVDD risk and worse outcomes
Keeping them lean and well muscled is protective 🥦
𝐄𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐫
DachsLife analysis and related summaries show:
❥ Neutered dachshunds, especially those neutered under 12 months, had higher odds of IVDD than entire dogs
❥ In some analyses, neutered dogs over age 3 had nearly double the odds of IVDD compared with entire dogs ⚠️
Growth plates in miniature dachshunds typically close around 9 to 10 months and later in standards. Removing hormones too early can:
❥ Keep growth plates open longer
❥ Alter how bones grow and close
❥ Change joint angles and spinal mechanics, increasing orthopedic and disc strain 🦴
Waiting until skeletal maturity helps protect overall structure 🕒
𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐯𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐫
The real issue is not the equipment, 𝙞𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙥𝙪𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜:
❥ Collars concentrate force on the neck
❥ Harnesses move force to the shoulders and thoracic spine
Chronic, forceful pulling repeatedly loads the spine regardless of the tool. Proper leash training so the dog does not pull is the key for protecting the back 🎓
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𝗣𝘂𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘆𝗹𝗲 𝗧𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 💡
❥ Structure directly impacts spinal stress, especially in the lower back where IVDD most often occurs
❥ Lifestyle (body condition, activity, age at neuter, leash behavior) significantly affects whether and how IVDD shows up
𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬:
Focus on the whole picture, not a single gene 🧬
Use direct CDDY testing, know your pedigrees, protect correct ribbing, loin, and topline, and consider back scoring where you can 🧠
𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬:
Choose breeders who understand this data, value the breed standard, and maintain proper conditioning and care 🐾
Keep your dachshund lean, fit, and well trained, and work with your vet on thoughtful spay and neuter timing. Not all vets are educated on the current research and some don't even find it relevant ❤️
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