Anything I should be aware of with a Chihuahua-Daschund mix?

We have 2 and they seem to be great dogs. Actually, we have a litter born
about 5 weeks ago so we have 7 total...

On Sat, 06 Aug 2005 03:44:53 GMT C. Massey whittled these words:
Anything I should be aware of with a Chihuahua-Daschund mix?

We have 2 and they seem to be great dogs. Actually, we have a litter born
about 5 weeks ago so we have 7 total...

Mixing a mix creates very differnt results than mixing two disparate
purebreds. If both parents are a mix of those two breeds the puppies will
likely show a great amount of variation. It would be normal for them to
be very different from their parents (more like their grandparents)
although some could have parental traits. The puppies could be afflicted
by any of the genetic problems common to each breed. The parents have a
better chance of being and staying healthy than the puppies.

Unfortunately having apparently healthy parents isn't much of a guide as
the problem conditions typically aren't discovered in routine vet exams
until the conditions are well advanced and causing enough impairment that
it becomes noticeable.

Both breeds share Corneal dystrophy and Keratoconjunctivitis sicca so that
would be an especially high risk for this mix. It is common to assume
that the temperament of the puppies will reflect that of the parents, but
if this is mix to mix it is more likely to reflect that of the
grandparents or greatgrandparents.

Hopefully the parents are not related as that will create additional
risks. When related dogs are bred traits not noticed in either parent are
much more likely to surface. It could be a good trait, or a bad one, there
is no way to tell. The only way of assessing the risks of what traits
might appear is to have a solid history on the other dogs in the family
tree.

Looking at the potential risks if I noticed any snappiness or nervousness
I would be especially inclined to seek a specialist opthomologic exam as
vision problems often cause these symptoms.

--
Diane Blackman
http://dog-play.com/
http://dogplay.com/Shop/dogplayshop.htm