The biggest advantage of owning a Daug is their low-maintenance, effortless grooming, and low exercise needs. However, the Daug may inherit the facial folds and wrinkles from the Pug. These folds must be daily checked for signs of infection as the skin folds may provide a suitable environment for the infection-causing germs. Here are some of the pointers for you as to how to maintain your Daug in the best way to keep them in good shape.
Ears: Their ears need to be monitored frequently to avoid infections. They need to be cleaned regularly to avoid potential ear problems.
Eyes: Their eyes have to be checked regularly. The eyes must be cleaned periodically to clean off the dirt to avert infections.
Teeth: Just like any of us, all dogs must get their teeth cleaned at least once a day.
Nails: Since the Daugs do not exercise much, their nails are also not worn down much. Hence their nails should be clipped a bit more frequently. It will be better to make them habitual of grooming their paws from an early age.
Hair: The hair-care regime of the Daug’s will largely depend on the character inherited from the parents. If their coat is short, it is quite easy to care for and usually requires regular brushing. But if the Daug has inherited the long or medium hair length of the Dachshund parent, daily combing will be mandatory.
Recommended daily amount: Being a small size pup, the Daug needs around 1 cup of kibble per day.
What food to choose: Even though lots of commercial foods are available in the market and are considered more suitable for the dogs, using home-cooked meat and dog-safe vegetables coupled with some canned food can be fed to your pups.
How to keep good shape: Small-sized pups don’t need a lot of food daily, so you may need to keep an eye on the quantity of the food being served. Also, a low to medium level of exercise to meet the daily requirement should be able to keep your Daug in good shape.
How many times to feed your dog: Ideally, a single-serve is enough. But you may also choose to divide it into 2 equal parts.
Generally, Daug is a healthy breed. But as with the other hybrids, the Daug is also predisposed to the common health issues faced by the parent's side. Here are some of the major issues the Daug may face:
Cushing’s disease:
Condition – This is mainly inherited from the Dachshund parent. In this condition, the body synthesizes excess natural steroid hormones. This leads to symptoms of excessive thirst, urinary problems, an enlarged belly, loss of hair, and fatigue.
Treatment – This can be diagnosed through blood tests and ultrasound scans. It is treated using medicines, which may be required to be given for the entire lifetime of the Daug.
Cataracts:
Condition: Cataract is an eye condition, affecting the lens in the eye. This is characterized by an opaque lens, blocking the light to pass to the retina.
Treatment: Initial stages of cataracts can be treated with a procedure called phaco-emulsion. Acute cases are problematic to treat and can lead to glaucoma, or even blindness. It is better to get the eyes checked as soon as you find any related symptoms.
Diabetes Mellitus
Condition - Diabetes mellitus, more commonly known as Sugar diabetes is the result of an imbalance in the levels of insulin and blood sugar. When untreated, this may lead to several other conditions such as cataract, a deteriorated immune system, and even shorten the life of the dog.
Treatment: Diabetes is easily curable with a proper diet coupled with insulin injections.
Training a Daug is a stimulating overlook, depending on which parent’s characters they have inherited. Even though Dachshunds are very brainy and can be independent thinkers, the Pug is a hard-core food lover and prone to being laidback. A good trainer has to combine the two characteristics, and the response from the Daug will be praiseworthy. The key is to follow a reward-based training strategy. Under any circumstances, you must not exasperate or bore your Daug with exhausting training sessions.
Daugs are pretty affectionate little pups and often tend to cuddle on the owner’s lap. They love spending time with the owners and require minimal exercise. You can take them on short walks, or play a game of fetch in your backyard, or just let them run around freely in an enclosed place. After they are done, they would happily return to the couch for the next round of snuggles with you.
The Daug may be termed as a ‘needy’ baby and doesn’t like being left alone, resulting in unnecessary barking and destructive behavior. Hence it is necessary to train them for separation from an early age to avoid separation anxiety.
