DACHSHUND CLUB OF AMERICA - Introduction

So, you want to learn about Dachshunds. Who could blame you? They're such characters, and so comically cute to look at, both in their unique physical proportions, and also in their spirited antics. This FAQ attempts to give you the background and characteristics of this breed, so you can decide if a Dachshund is the right breed for you.

Development of the Dachshund

The current Dachshunds (also known as Teckels, Dachels, or Dachsels) originated in Germany. In fact, the name Dachshund is German for "badger dog," indicating why these dogs were originally bred - to hunt badgers. German foresters, in the 18th and 19th centuries, mixed a variety of breeds together, aiming for a fearless, elongated dog that could dig the earth from a badger burrow, and fight to the death with the vicious badgers that were unlucky enough to inhabit that burrow. Dachshunds have also been used to hunt foxes, and believe it or not, wild boar. Even dachshunds who are abundantly pampered with modern day amenities still maintain this innate hunting instinct. It would not be uncommon to witness a normally friendly pet dachshund suddenly leap off the living room sofa from a sound sleep in the donut position (a favorite position of dachshunds), and, without any hesitation, fiercely attack and capture an unwitting prey - such as a common household bug. So, it's no wild boar. Thankfully.

The first Dachshunds were brought into the United States in 1887, where they grew in popularity over the next few decades. By 1914, they were among the 10 most popular entries in the Westminster Kennel Club Show. During World War I, there was much disdain over anything considered German and unfortunately the dachshund was a victim of much hostility. In fact, they were sometimes the victims of stonings, and dachshund owners were often called traitors. As a result, the number of dachshunds in the United States and Britain dwindled. After the war, a few U.S. breeders slowly rebuilt the gene pool by importing German stock, and the breed began to increase in popularity again. The advent of World War II did not yield the same effects as World War I, because by then American breeders were well established and dachshunds were very popular.

In the United States, Dachshunds come in two sizes: miniature (11 pounds and under as an adult) and standard (usually between 16 and 32 pounds as an adult). A Dachshund whose weight falls between 11 and 16 pounds are affectionately known as tweenies. In other countries, there's wider variance in the sizes. In fact, in Germany, the dogs are identified as either Standard, Miniature, or Kaninchenteckel, based on a chest measurement taken at the age of fifteen months.

For each size, there are three coat varieties: smooth, longhair, and wirehair.

Smooth Dachshund: The standard smooth Dachshund is the most popular in the United States. The coat is short, smooth, and shining, with a hair color of red, cream, black and tan, black and cream, chocolate and tan, blue and tan, and isabella (fawn) and tan. Beyond colors, there are also a number of patterns found in dachshunds. These patterns are dapple, double dapple, brindle, sable, and piebald.

Longhair Dachshund: There are two theories regarding how the standard longhair dachshund came about. One theory is that smooth Dachshunds would occasionally produce puppies which had slightly longer hair than their parents. By selectively breeding these animals, breeders eventually produced a dog which consistently produced longhair offspring, and the longhair dachshund was born. Another theory is that the standard longhair dachshund was developed by breeding smooth dachshunds with various land and water spaniels. In either case, the result was a beautiful animal, with a coat comparable to that of an Irish Setter and a temperament like a spaniel. In general, longhair Dachshunds tend to be more docile than the other two coats, though, like everything in life, there are always exceptions to this rule. The hair colors are the same as the smooth dachshund.

Wirehair Dachshund: Wirehair dachshunds were developed by breeding smooth Dachshunds with various hard-coated terriers and wire-haired pinschers. They look very smart, with their beards and bushy eyebrows. The coat is wiry, short, thick, and rough. Like their smooth cousins, the wirehair dachshunds tend to be mischievous. Any of the colors above are allowable, but the most popular colors in the United States are wild boar, black and tan, and various shades of red.

Physical Characteristics and Temperament

Dachshunds are recognized by their long bodies and short legs. Their design is the epitome of form following function. They are low to the ground, which allows them to enter and manuver through tunnels. Their senses are all well developed. They are very brave, somewhat stubborn, and have an independent tendency, especially when hunting.

Dachshunds like to enter into the spirit of everything you do, which isn't always the greatest help, especially when you are doing something like tying your shoes. They are playful dogs, but they insist on you following their rules of play, which may or may not coincide with the rules commonly used by their other canine cousins. For example, although they often like to chase balls, they don't necessarily see the need to bring them back to you. This is an example of a Dachshund rule of play, and is probably related to their curious, but independent nature.

Anyone who meets a Dachshund has no doubt about who's dog it is. They are often one-person dogs, meaning they bond very closely with their master. A Dachshund's master is never alone - they have a long, low shadow following them everywhere around the house. This is not to suggest that Dachshunds dislike other humans - quite the contrary, especially if they are well socialized at an early age. But they definitely know which human is theirs.

General Care

It is extremely important to keep a Dachshund from getting fat, not only for the usual reasons of general good health, but also because their long back is susceptible to slipped or ruptured (herniated) disks through the additional strain placed on their spinal cord. This can result in partial or full paralysis, but is often treatable through a variety of methods. Fortunately, a full recovery is likely if the problem is dealt with promptly (as soon as there's any evidence at all that the dog is having neck or back pain). In addition, to reduce the chance of disc problems, it is important to make sure a dachshund does not do things that put additional stress on his back, like jumping off furniture or running down stairs. This is not to suggest that that you can completely avoid such things all the time (after all, dogs will be dogs), but you can take steps to minimize how often they occur. For example, if you allow your dachshund access to the sofa or bed, it would be a good idea to get a ramp and teach him to use it when he is young; using a ramp to get on and off furniture, rather than jumping, reduces the shock on their discs that jumping can cause. Also, you should be careful, when holding a dachshund, to keep his back horizontal. Holding him like a football, with his rear quarters tucked under your arm, and your hands supporting his chest usually keeps the back in the horizontal position, thus reducing stress on the back. Don’t interpret this to mean that dachshunds are fragile dogs - they're not (after all, they were bred for hunting). It’s just that an ounce of prevention goes a long way. And if you accidentally hold one the wrong way, it's not like he will immediately develop back problems, either. But you might as well take reasonable precautions.