Dachshund Information & Dog Breed Facts

Dachshund Origin

There are numerous ideas about the Dachshund’s origins, the majority of which have been disproved. Some people believe that there are images looking like Dachshunds found in ancient pharaonic Egypt, which suggest that their ancestors must have lived in this era, but others believe this to be very unlikely. Moreover, there have also been Assyrian reliefs showing Dachshund-like dogs, and dogs described in ancient Greek literature in the same way as the contemporary Dachshund. Furthermore, a zoologist named Brehm believed that the breed may originate from Spain since remains from a small, in-tied dog have been found in Peru, and also in ancient Mexico. The only thing that can be said with certainty is that small dogs with short legs have been bred in various places around the world. The most commonly accepted theory is that the breed was developed in Germany around the late 15th and early 16th centuries, which is considered to be its homeland now. In the early days of their existence, these long-bodied dogs had a very different appearance from the Dachshund we know today. They were looking much more like terriers or basset hounds and were also considerably taller and bigger than a modern sausage dog. Apart from the main official name “Dachshund”, which literally means “badger dog” in Germany, this breed received a few other names throughout history, such as Teckel or Dackel, which is mostly used in Germany.

The true origins of the Dachshund are still shrouded in a bit of a mystery, but according to experts, it is certain that they are descendants from the taller hunting dogs such as hounds, pinschers, and terriers. The Germans bred them by coat variety and of two sizes, miniature, and standard size. The oldest type of Dachshunds, and the most popular till the present day, smooth-haired or short-haired Dachshund, may have been born as a cross between the German Shorthaired Pointer, a Pinscher, and a Brake Bloodhound. Others believe that it may also be across from a miniature French pointer and a Pinscher, as well as across from a short Bruno Jura Hound with a pinscher. On the other hand, the long-haired Dachshund originated through the crossbreeding between the smooth-haired Dachshund and the long-haired German Pointer, as well as through the crossbreeding with any of the small dog breeds in the spaniel group. Moreover, the wire-haired Dachshunds were likely created by crossing the smooth-haired Dachshund with various wire-coated terriers and pinschers.

Purpose of breeding/ the breed’s job

In the 15th-16th century, breeders bred two sizes of the Dachshund in Germany and their main job was hunting animals. The breeders produced the standard Dachshund mainly for tracking and baying larger animals such as badgers, foxes, and raccoons. On the other hand, hunters realized that they needed a smaller dog breed to chase down smaller animals, so they bred the smaller version of the Dachshund. Dachshunds appear to be the cutest canines in the world at first glance, but don't be fooled by their cuteness. When they go on a hunt, they are ferocious fighters. The Dachshund is the best hunting dog above and below ground thanks to 500 years of selective breeding. The breed was mostly employed by hunters to locate and immobilize the game. Most of the time, they follow the prey underground and drag it from the burrow. Dachshunds have a considerable lung capacity for their size, allowing them to stay in the cramped tunnel for an extended period of time. With their very sharp nose, they are also excellent at tracking down the wounded game, irrespective of its size. The smaller variety also had the advantage of being more silent when hunting, and its size also allows it to avoid injuries from surrounding bushes and thorns which larger animals find very difficult to avoid.

Much later in the 20th century, many people also used Dachshunds in dog racing events, even if many kennel clubs opposed it. The tradition originated in Australia and is now mostly held in North America.

Other interesting Dachshund facts

I believe it is important to highlight that Dachshunds were badly discriminated against during the World Wars because of their association with Germany. The Dachshund went from being one of the most popular dog breeds in 1913 to only 12 survivors being left in 1919. Strong anti-German sentiment made owning a Dachshund feel like an act of treason. The breed was renamed as Liberty hounds, but the new name didn’t help. Owners of Dachshunds were attacked on the streets, some dogs were even killed by fierce citizens. For example, in one of the kennel clubs in Chicago, the owner had to shoot all his dogs to avoid acts of aggression from the neighbors. In another incident, during the celebration of renaming Schiller Park into Washington Park, people killed many Dachshunds and threw their bodies into a canal. The governments and the media widely supported these acts of violence at that time, not only in America but also in some European countries as well. In 1913, 217 Dachshunds were registered in Britain, and in 1919 there were none left. This period of time was undoubtedly the saddest in Dachshund’s history. The breed survived WWI and began a recovery just in time to face the same anti-German sentiment in WWII. During the Second World War, the Dachshunds were used in the US, France, and England for depicting different wartime propaganda pieces. However, the violence was of a lesser extent compared to the First World War. To protect them from facing a similar type of violence toward them, they were called badger dogs during the Second World War.

Dachshund Recognition

The American Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1885, in the same year when the Dachshund Club of America was found. Today, there is no doubt that the Dachshunds are one of the most popular dog breeds in the United States. In 2018, the breed came 12th in the most popular dogs in the USA list of AKC.