Dachshund
Long-haired standard dachshund
Alternative names
Teckel, Dackel (Germany) Bassotto (Italy) Tacsko (Hungary) Jamnik (Poland) Taksa (Russia)
Country of origin
Germany
Classification
FCI: Group 4 Section 1 #148 AKC: Hound ANKC: Group 4 (Hounds) CKC: Group 2 - Hounds KC(UK): Hound NZKC: Hounds UKC: Scenthound Breeds
Breed standards (external links)
FCI: all types AKC: all types ANKC: long-haired smooth-haired wire-haired miniature long-haired miniature smooth-haired miniature wire-haired Tekalhaus Krugerrand owned by Debbie Clarke. ... Tekalhaus Krugerrand owned by Debbie Clarke. ... The Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI; in English, World Canine Organisation, although it is still referred to as FCI) is an international organisation based in Belgium. ... The American Kennel Club (or AKC) is the largest registries of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States. ... The Australian National Kennel Council (ANKC) is the peak body in Australia responsible for promoting excellence in breeding, showing, trialling, obedience, and other canine-related activities and the ownership of temperamentally and physically sound purebred dogs by responsible individuals across Australia. ... The Canadian Kennel Club (or C.K.C.) is the primary registry body for purebred dog pedigrees in Canada. ... The Kennel Club in the United Kingdom is a club aiming to improve the relationships between dogs and their owners. ... The New Zealand Kennel Club is an organisation responsible for dog pedigree registration services in New Zealand. ... The United Kennel Club (or UKC) is the second oldest all-breed registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States and the second largest in the world. ... CKC: all types KC(UK): long-haired smooth-haired wire-haired miniature long-haired miniature smooth-haired miniature wire-haired NZKC: long-haired smooth-haired wire-haired miniature long-haired miniature smooth-haired miniature wire-haired UKC: all types

The Dachshund is a short-legged, elongated dog breed of the hound family. The breed's name is German and literally means "badger dog" (der Dachs - badger; der Hund - dog). The breed was developed to scent, chase, hunt, and kill badgers and other hole-dwelling animals. Due to their long, narrow build, they are sometimes referred to in the United States and elsewhere as "wiener dogs" or "sausage dogs". Trinomial name Canis lupus familiaris (Linnaeus, 1758) The Dog is a canine carnivorous mammal that has been domesticated for at least 14,000 years and perhaps for as long as 150,000 years based on recent evidence. ... Categories: Dog stubs | Dog breeds ... Hounds have been used for hunting since ancient times, as suggested by this statue of the goddess Diana hunting. ... Olfaction, the sense of smell, is the detection of chemicals dissolved in air (or, by animals that breathe water, in water). ... Chase is a fictional character in the Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind. ... Hunting is, in its most general sense, the pursuit of a target. ... For other uses, see Badger (disambiguation). ...

Appearance

A full-sized Dachshund averages 12 to 24 lb (5 to 10 kg), while the Miniature variety typically weighs less than 12 lb (5 kg). Colloquially referred to as "wiener dogs" or "sausage dogs", Dachshunds are loyal, playful dogs, known for their propensity to chase small animals and birds. Modern Dachshunds are characterized by their crooked legs, loose skin and barrel-like chest, attributes that were deliberately added to the breed to increase their ability to burrow into tight spaces. They come in three coat varieties: Smooth, Longhaired and Wirehaired; the Wirehaired variety is generally shorter in spine length than the other two. H. L. Mencken said that "A dachshund is a half-dog high and a dog-and-a-half long," which is their main claim to fame. Miniature (or Zwergteckel) dachshunds have a typical chest measurement of 12-14 inches (31-35 cm) and weight of 9-10 lb (4-5 kg). ... H. L. Mencken Henry Louis Mencken (September 12, 1880 – January 29, 1956), better known as H. L. Mencken was a twentieth century journalist and social critic, a cynic and a freethinker, known as the Sage of Baltimore and the American Nietzsche. He is often regarded as one of the most...

Black and tan Miniature smooth-haired dachshund

Miniature Dachshund black and tan Rex Taken Feb 22,2004 at the SMART/USDAA dog agility competition in Salinas, CA. Photo by Ellen Levy Finch (Elf). ... Miniature Dachshund black and tan Rex Taken Feb 22,2004 at the SMART/USDAA dog agility competition in Salinas, CA. Photo by Ellen Levy Finch (Elf). ...

Temperament

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."[1] Coat type is often considered to be associated with characteristic temperaments; the long-haired variety, for instance, is considered to be less excitable than the other types because it was cross-bred with the Spaniel to obtain its characteristic long coat. Some who own long-haired Dachshunds might disagree with this statement, however. Most spaniels, like this English Cocker Spaniel, are small-to-medium dogs with drop ears and a longer coat. ...

Health

The breed is known to have spinal problems, due in part to an extremely long spinal column and short rib cage. The risk of injury can be worsened by obesity, which places greater strain on the vertebrae. In order to prevent injury, it is recommended that Dachshunds be discouraged from jumping and taking stairs. It has become increasingly apparent that the occurrence and severity of these problems is largely hereditary, and responsible breeders are working to eliminate this characteristic in the breed. The spinal cord is a part of the vertebrate nervous system that is enclosed in and protected by the vertebral column (it passes through the spinal canal). ... A diagram of a thoracic vertebra. ...

Closeup of an ancient egyptian engraving showing possible proto-Dachshunds. ...

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 enamored of the breed. Map of Ancient Egypt Ancient Egypt as a general historical term broadly refers to the civilization of the Lower Nile Valley, between the First Cataract and the mouths of the Nile Delta, from circa 3300 BC until the conquest of Alexander the Great in 332 BC. As a civilization based... World map showing location of Europe Europe is geologically and geographically a peninsula, forming the westernmost part of Eurasia. ... Dog breeding is the vocation of mating carefully selected specimens of the same breed to reproduce specific, consistently replicable qualities and characteristics. ... Royal motto: Dieu et mon droit (French: God and my right) Englands location within the UK Official language English de facto Capital London de facto Largest city London Area  - Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population  - Total (2001)  - Density Ranked 1st UK 49,138,831 377/km² Ethnicity... A Scottish Terrier and a West Highland White Terrier The terrier is a group of dog breeds initially bred for hunting and killing vermin. ... Her Majesty Queen Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria von Wettin, née dEste) (24 May 1819–22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837, and Empress of India from 1 January 1877 until her death. ...

The first verifiable references to the Dachshund, originally named the "Tachs Kriecher" (badger crawler) or "Tachs Krieger" (badger catcher), come 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, 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. Genera Pentalagus Bunolagus Nesolagus Romerolagus Brachylagus Sylvilagus Oryctolagus Poelagus The bane of Australian farmers - the wild rabbit An old rabbit trap Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae, found in many parts of the world. ... The foxes comprise 23 species of omnivorous canids, found worldwide. ... Subfamilies Capreolinae Cervinae Hydropotinae Muntiacinae Defined strictly, a deer is a ruminant mammal belonging to the family Cervidae. ... Binomial name Sus scrofa Linnaeus, 1758 The Wild Boar (Sus scrofa) is the wild ancestor of the domesticated pig. ...

Traditional colorings and patterns include Red and Black & Tan. Recently, other color and pattern combinations have been developed; it is not uncommon to see Dachshunds with Brown & Tan, Chocolate & Tan, dapple, double dapple, piebald, sable, and even white coats. Unfortunately, some of these colors require extensive inbreeding to obtain; double dapples are often born eyeless or with severely underdeveloped eyes. For this reason, the double dapple coat is extremely disfavored among responsible breeders and owners.

According to kennel club standards, the Miniature variety differs from the full-size only by size and weight.

Wire-haired Dachshund

Photograph by Jurriaan Schulman copyright Jurriaan Schulman. ... Photograph by Jurriaan Schulman copyright Jurriaan Schulman. ...

Miscellaneous

Symbol of Germany

Dachshunds have traditionally been viewed as a symbol of Germany, despite their pan-European heritage. During World War I the animals fell so far out of favor in England and the United States that owners were actively encouraged to euthanize their pets. Many Americans began referring to Dachshunds as "liberty pups", and political cartoonists commonly used the image of the Dachshund to ridicule Germany. The stigma of the association was revived to a much reduced extent during World War II, and it quickly faded away following the war's end. German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel was also known for keeping Dachshunds. World War I was primarily a European conflict with many facets: immense human sacrifice, stalemate trench warfare, and the use of new, devastating weapons - tanks, aircraft, machineguns, and poison gas. ... Royal motto: Dieu et mon droit (French: God and my right) Englands location within the UK Official language English de facto Capital London de facto Largest city London Area  - Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population  - Total (2001)  - Density Ranked 1st UK 49,138,831 377/km² Ethnicity... Euthanasia (Greek, good death) is the practice of killing a person or animal, in a painless or minimally painful way, for merciful reasons, usually to end suffering. ... This early political cartoon by Ben Franklin was originally written for the French and Indian War, but was later recycled during the Revolutionary War An editorial cartoon, also known as a political cartoon, is an illustration or comic strip containing a political or social message. ... World War II was a truly global conflict with many facets: immense human suffering, fierce indoctrinations, and the use of new, extremely devastating weapons like the atom bomb. ... Field Marshal Erwin Rommel Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel (   listen?) (November 15, 1891 – October 14, 1944) was one of the most distinguished German Field Marshals and commander of the Deutsches Afrika Korps in World War II. He is also known by his nickname The Desert Fox (Wüstenfuchs,   listen?), for the...

Dachshund Racing

One of the odder controversies that has recently arisen in North America is the presence of Dachshund racing events. Dachshund Racing aka Wiener Dog Racing traces its origins to a 1993 Miller Lite television commercial that listed odd possibilities for sports (The Miss Perfect Face Off, Sumo Platform Diving, and Wiener Dog Drag Races). While cross-checking beauty queens or 300 pound Olympic cannonball diving never caught on, a...

This sport has its origins from a 1993 Miller Lite television commercial that listed odd possibilities for sports including luge bowling, has grown immensely in popularity since, including a half-time show for the San Francisco 49ers. You can see the commercial at the "Wiener Takes All" homepage (see external links below). Miller Lite is the name of a popular pilsner beer sold by Miller Brewing Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. ... Commercial may mean: as a noun: a form of advertising, as in a television commercial as an adjective: referring to commerce or for-profit activities or trade (compare with non-profit organization) a breed of cattle, Commercial This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that... Conference NFC Division West Year Founded 1946 Home Field Monster Park City San Francisco, California Team Colors Metallic Gold, Cardinal Red, and Beige Head Coach Mike Nolan All-Time Record (W-L-T) (At Start of 2005 Season) 498-379-15 The San Francisco 49ers are a National Football League...

While some compare the sport to that of English and later American Greyhound racing, others see it having the possibility of harming the breed from strain placed on its spinal column. Others also see the possibility for abuse of racing Dachshunds, as evidenced by the large number of Greyhounds put to sleep every year once they have proven unsuitable for racing, and by those given up for adoption. Photo finish of a greyhound race in Tampa, Florida, USA on February 9, 1939 Greyhound racing is the sport of racing greyhounds. ...

External links

• Canadian Dachshund Lover's History Page
• Dachshund Rescue of North America
• Suomen Mäyräkoiraliitto (Finland)
• Svenska Taxklubben (Sweden)
• Norske Dachshundklubbers Forbund (Norway)
• Dansk Gravhundeklub (Denmark)
• Wienermania--For the Dedicated Doxyphile
• Wiener Takes All: A Dogumentary