Dachshund

The dachshund is a short-legged, elongated dog breed of the hound family. The breed's name is German and literally means "badger dog," from (der) Dachs "badger" and (der) Hund "dog". The breed was developed to scent, chase, and hunt badgers and other hole-dwelling animals. Due to the long, narrow build, they are sometimes referred to in the United States and elsewhere as a wiener dog, hot dog, or sausage dog, though such terms are sometimes considered disparaging. Notwithstanding the German origin of the dachshund's name, within Germany the breed is known—both formally and informally—as the Dackel or Teckel.

Dachshund Appearance

Dachshunds have a wide range of coloration. Dominant colours and patterns are red and black-and-red (often referred to as black-and-tan). Also occurring are cream, blue, wild boar, chocolate brown, fawn, and a lighter "boar" red. The reds range from coppers to deep rusts, with somewhat common black hairs peppered along the back, tail, face, and ear edges, lending much character and an almost burnished appearance; this is often desirable and is referred to among breeders and enthusiasts as a "stag" or an "overlay."

Solid black and solid chocolate-brown dachshunds occur and, even though dogs with such coloration are often considered handsome, the colours are nonstandard – that is, the dogs are disqualified from conformance competitions in the U.S.

Light-coloured dachshunds usually sport light grey, light hazel, green or blue eyes, rather than the various shades of brown. They can also have eyes of two different colours; in rare cases, such as the double-dappled coloration, dachshunds can have a blue and brown eye. Colour aside, this eye condition has led to the double-dapple coat being disfavoured among breeders and owners.

Dachshunds come in three coat varieties. The most common and associated with the dachshund is the smooth coated dog. The next most recognised is the long coat. The wire haired dachshund is least common. Many people cannot even recognize it as being a Dachshund. Wire Dachshund owners often hear people saying that their dog is a schnauzer or even a yorkie, which is just not the case.

Dachshund Temperament

Dachshunds are playful, fun dogs, known for their propensity to chase small animals, birds and tennis balls with great determination and ferocity. Many dachshunds are strong-headed or stubborn, making them a challenge to train. Dachshunds are known for their devotion and loyalty to their owners. If left alone many doxies will whine until it has companionship.

According to the American Kennel Club’s breed standards, "the dachshund is clever, lively and courageous to the point of rashness, persevering in above and below ground work, with all the senses well-developed. Any display of shyness is a serious fault." Their temperament and body language give the impression that they do not know or care about their relatively small and comical stature. Indulged dachshunds may become snappy. Fanciers of the breed often say that "Dachshunds are big dogs in small packages.

The dachshund's temperament may vary greatly from dog to dog. Although the dachshund is generally a energetic dog, some are laid back. Due to this dog's behaviour, it is not the dog for everyone. A bored Dachshund will become destructive. If raised improperly, dachshund can become aggressive or fearful. They require a caring owner that understands their need to have entertainment and exercise.

The dachshund is known for its deep and soulful eyes and complex and telling facial expressions, the eyes having an allure that is commonly mentioned in writings about the breed. Because of the breed's characteristic barrel-like chest, the dachshund's lungs are unusually large, making for a sonorous and richly timbred bark that belies the dog's true size.

Dachshund History

Some have theorized that the early roots of the dachshund go back to Ancient Egypt, where engravings were made featuring short-legged hunting dogs. But in its modern incarnation, the dachshund is a creation of European breeders, and includes elements of German, French, and English hounds and terriers. Dachshunds have been kept by royal courts all over Europe, including that of Queen Victoria, who was particularly enamoured of the breed.

The first verifiable references to the dachshund, originally named the "Tachs Kriecher" (badger crawler) or "Tachs Krieger" (badger warrior), came from books written in the early 1700s. Prior to that, there exist references to "badger dogs" and "hole dogs", but these likely refer to purposes rather than to specific breeds. The original German dachshunds were larger than the modern full-size variety, weighing between 30 and 40 lb. (14 to 18 kg), and originally came in straight-legged and crook-legged varieties (the modern dachshund is descended from the latter). Though the breed is famous for its use in exterminating badgers and badger-baiting, dachshunds were also commonly used for rabbit and fox hunting, for locating wounded deer, and in packs were known to hunt game as large as wild boar and as fierce as the wolverine.

Double Dapple Dachshunds are prone to eye disease and therefore are rare. It is generally believed that the breed was introduced to the United States between 1879 and 1885