INTRODUCTION TO THE DACHSHUND BREED
History
The Dachshund was created in Germany where he was known as the badger dog, "dachs" meaning badger and "hund" meaning dog.
Illustrations of dogs resembling Dachshunds date to the 15th century, and documents from the 16th century mention the "earth dog," "badger creeper," and "dachsel."
Badgers weren’t the only prey for Dachshund’s. They also hunted den animals such as foxes, and packs of Dachshunds can also trail wild boars. Dachshunds varied greatly in size in their early days. The dogs used on badgers and boar weighed 30 to 35 pounds. Dachshunds used to hunt foxes and deer weighed 16 to 22 pounds, and smaller 12-pound Dachshunds hunted hares and weasels. For a brief time in the early 20th century, 5-pound Dachshunds were used to bolt cottontail rabbits.
Development
Carefully sculpted through years of breeding, today the Dachshund is the only AKC-recognized breed that hunts both above and below ground. In the 1800s, Dachshunds started being bred more as pets than as hunters, especially in Great Britain. They were favorites in royal courts all over Europe, including that of Queen Victoria, who was especially fond of the breed. Due to this trend, their size was gradually reduced by about 10 pounds. Eventually, an even smaller version - the miniature dachshund - was bred.
A breed standard was written in 1879, and the German Dachshund Club was founded nine years later, in 1888. By 1885, Dachshunds had made it to America, and 11 were registered with the American Kennel Club that year. The first one was named Dash. The Dachshund Club of America was founded 10 years later, in 1895.
The breed became very popular in the early 1900s, and in 1913 and 1914, they were among the 10 most popular entries in the Westminster Kennel Club Show. During World War I, however, the breed fell on hard times in the U.S. and England because they were closely associated with Germany.
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In the 1950s, Dachshunds became one of the most popular family dogs in the U.S. again, a status they have enjoyed ever since. While Dachshunds rarely are used as hunting dogs in the U.S. or Great Britain, in other parts of Europe, especially France, they still are considered hunting dogs. Today the Dachshund ranks sixth among the 155 breeds and varieties recognized by the AKC.
Structure
SIZE, COATS, COLORS AND, PATTERNS
SIZE
The main difference between miniature and standard dachshunds is size. Miniatures are noticeably smaller than standards at around 13 and 18 cm (5–6 inches) to their withers, and standards 20–22 cm (8–9 inches) to their withers.
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To check what size your dachshund is, grab your measuring tape and measure him from the floor to the withers (the high point between his shoulder blades). If it says between 13 and 18 cm (5–6 inches), he’s a miniature. This only applies to adults, of course, as most pups won’t reach this size until they’re about 12 months old.
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Pop him on the scales too – if he’s a miniature, your sausage should weigh 11 pounds (5 kg) or less. If he’s a standard dachshund, your tape measurement will be around 20–22 cm (8–9 inches) and the scales will say 16–32 pounds (7–14 kg).
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But, having said all that, these are ‘breed standard’ weights and measurements and, of course, all dachshunds are different shapes and sizes, so there can be some variance. You may have a miniature dachshund who is stockier (not obese) and weighs more than 11 pounds (5kg) – and that’s still normal!
Coat
Smooth Haired Dachshund
The very first, original Dachshunds had smooth, short, flat coats. The original Dachshund coat colors were red (the most common) and black (the second most common), which is often mistaken for brown in its darker, rustier shades.
The smooth coated Dachshund is the best known of the various coat types and has the classic look that one thinks of when they think of the Dachshund. Their sleek and shiny coat is made up of short, straight hair, which is why they are also referred to as a short-haired Dachshund.
Wire Haired Dachshund
In time, Dachshunds were crossed with Terriers. The goal here was to introduce some of that traditional Terrier fire to create an even fiercer and more tenacious hunter. The Terrier influence also introduced a new coat texture, wire haired Dachshunds, and a new coat color, wild boar.
With the exception of softer, longer hair around the brow and jaw, the wire-haired Dachshund has a short, thick, and rough outer coat, mixed with a smoother, softer undercoat that is uniformly distributed among the rougher outer coat.
Long Haired Dachshund
Later on, Dachshunds were crossed again, this time with Spaniels and Setters. The goal with this cross was to produce a sweeter temperament. It was hoped this would produce a canine which was more amenable to life as a companion.
The influence of these longer coated dogs also produced a new coat texture, namely long-haired Dachshunds. This in turn saw the several new coat colors come to life, including blue (gray), fawn (Isabella), wheaten, cream and chocolate (brown).
