Dachshund
Breed at a glance
- Origin
- Germany
- Weight
- Miniature Dachshund: up to 11 pounds (5.0 kg) Standard Dachshund: 16–32 lb (7.3–14.5 kg)
- Height
- Miniature Dachshund: 5–6 in (13–15 cm) at the withers Standard Dachshund: 8–9 in (20–23 cm) at the withers
- Coat
- Smooth-haired, Long-haired, Wire-haired
- Colour
- Solid red, black & tan, chocolate & tan, dapple, brindle, piebald or blue.
intro
Miniature Dachshund: 5–6 in (13–15 cm) at the withers Miniature Dachshund: up to 11 pounds (5.0 kg) The Dachshund , {{Usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20211104232313/https://www.lexico.com/definition/dachshund Dachshund]}} in Oxford Dictionaries</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dachshund?show=0&t=1325077948 |title=Dachshund – Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary |publisher=Merriam-webster.com |access-date=16 May 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite LPD|3}}</ref><ref>{{Cite EPD|18}}</ref>"}},"i":0}}]}'> [ note 1 ] also known as the Dackel or Teckel , is a German breed of short-legged, long-bodied dog of hound type. It may be smooth-haired, wire-haired, or long-haired, in various colors. It was bred to scent , chase , and flush out badgers and other burrow -dwelling animals. The miniature Dachshund was bred to hunt small animals such as rabbits. [ 5 ]
Health
The breed is prone to spinal problems, especially intervertebral disk disease (IVDD), due in part to an extremely long spinal column and short rib cage. [ 51 ] The risk of injury may be worsened by obesity , jumping, rough handling, or intense exercise, which place greater strain on the vertebrae . About 20–25% of Dachshunds will develop IVDD. [ 52 ] Dachshunds with a number of calcified intervertebral discs at a young age have a higher risk of developing disc disease in later life. In addition, studies have shown that development of calcified discs is highly heritable in the breed. [ 53 ] An appropriate screening programme for IVDD has been identified by Finnish researchers [ 54 ] and a UK IVDD screening programme has been developed for breeders [ 55 ] with the aim to reduce prevalence of spinal problems. Treatment consists of combinations of crate confinement and courses of anti-inflammatory medications (steroids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like carprofen and meloxicam), or chronic pain medications, like tramadol . Serious cases may require surgery to remove the troublesome disk contents. [ 56 ] A dog may need the aid of a cart to get around if paralysis occurs. A minimally invasive procedure called "percutaneous laser disk ablation" has been developed at the Oklahoma State University Veterinary Hospital . [ 57 ] As of 2003, the procedure [ 58 ] was used in clinical trials [ 58 ] only on Dachshunds that had suffered previous back incidents. In addition to back problems, the breed is prone to patellar luxation where the kneecap can become dislodged. [ 59 ] [ 15 ] Dachshunds may also be affected by osteogenesis imperfecta (brittle bone disease). The condition seems to be mainly limited to wire-haired Dachshunds, with 17% being carriers. [ 60 ] A genetic test is available to allow breeders to avoid breeding carriers to carriers. In such pairings, each puppy will have a 25% chance of being affected. [ 61 ] In some double dapples, there are varying degrees of vision and hearing loss, including reduced or absent eyes. [ 62 ] Not all double dapples have problems with their eyes and/or ears, which may include degrees of hearing loss, full deafness, malformed ears, congenital eye defects, reduced or absent eyes, partial or full blindness, or varying degrees of both vision and hearing problems; but heightened problems can occur owing to the genetic process in which two dapple genes cross, particularly in certain breeding lines. Dapple genes, which are dominant genes, are considered "dilution" genes, meaning whatever color the dog would have originally carried is lightened, or diluted, randomly; two dominant "dilution" genes can cancel each other out, or "cross", removing all color and producing a white recessive gene, essentially a white mutation. [ 63 ] When occurring genetically within the eyes or ears, this white mutation can be detrimental to development, causing hearing or vision problems. Other Dachshund health problems include heredi
Sports
Some people train and enter their Dachshunds to compete in Dachshund races , such as the Wiener Nationals . Several races across the United States routinely draw several thousand attendees. [ 74 ] Despite the popularity of these events, the Dachshund Club of America opposes "wiener racing", as many greyhound tracks use the events to draw large crowds to their facilities. The DCA is also worried about potential injuries to dogs, owing to their predisposition to back injuries. Another favorite sport is earthdog trials , in which Dachshunds enter tunnels with dead ends and obstacles attempting to locate either an artificial bait or live but caged (and thus protected) rats. [ 75 ]
History
The Dachshund is a creation of German 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. [ 11 ] The first verifiable references to the Dachshund, originally named the " Dachs Kriecher " ("badger crawler") or " Dachs Krieger " ("badger warrior"), came from books written in the early 18th century. [ 12 ] 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 14 and 18 kg (31 and 40 lb) , 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 . [ 13 ] There are huge differences of opinion as to when Dachshunds were specifically bred for their purpose of hunting badger, as the American Kennel Club states the Dachshund was bred in the 15th century, while the Dachshund Club of America states that the dogs were first described in the 18th and 19th centuries. [ 14 ] The Dachshund was officially recognized as a breed by the American Kennel Club in 1885. [ 15 ] Double-dapple Dachshunds, which are prone to eye disease, blindness, or hearing problems, are generally believed to have been introduced to the United States between 1879 and 1885. [ 16 ] [ 17 ] The flap-down ears and famous curved tail of the Dachshund have deliberately been bred into the dog. In the case of the ears, this is to keep grass seeds, dirt, and other matter from entering the ear canal . The curved tail is dual-purposed: to be seen more easily in long grass and, in the case of burrowing Dachshunds, to help haul the dog out if it becomes stuck in a burrow. [ 18 ] [ unreliable source? ] The smooth-haired Dachshund, the oldest style, may be a cross between the German Shorthaired Pointer , a Pinscher , and a Bracke (a type of bloodhound ), or to have been produced by crossing a short Bruno Jura Hound with a pinscher. [ 19 ] Others believe it was a cross from a miniature French pointer and a pinscher; others claim that it was developed from the St. Hubert Hound , also a bloodhound, in the 18th century, [ 20 ] and still others believe that they were descended from Basset Hounds , based upon their scent abilities and general appearance. [ 21 ] The exact origins of the Dachshund are therefore unknown. According to William Loeffler, from The American Book of the Dog (1891) , in the chapter on Dachshunds: "The origin of the Dachshund is in doubt, our best authorities disagreeing as to the beginning of the breed." [ 21 ] What can
Etymology
The name Dachshund is of German origin , and means 'badger dog', from Dachs ('badger') and Hund ('dog, hound'). The German word Dachshund is pronounced [ ˈdaks.hʊnt ] ⓘ . The pronunciation varies in English: variations of the first and second syllables include / ˈ d ɑː k s -/ , / ˈ d æ k s -/ and /- h ʊ n t / , /- h ʊ n d / , /- ən d / . The first syllable may be pronounced as / ˈ d æ ʃ -/ by some English speakers. [ 6 ] [ 7 ] Although Dachshund is a German word, in modern Germany, the dogs are more commonly known by the short name Dackel . Working dogs are less commonly known as Teckel . [ 8 ] Because of their long, narrow build, they are often nicknamed the wiener dog in the US and Canada or the sausage dog in the British Isles and Australasia. [ 9 ] [ 10 ]
Appearance
A typical Dachshund is long-bodied and muscular with short stubby legs. Its front paws are disproportionately large, being paddle-shaped and particularly suitable for digging. Its skin is loose enough not to tear while tunneling in tight burrows to chase prey. Its snout is long. [ 29 ] Its ears are disproportionately big and droopy. [ 30 ] There are three Dachshund coat varieties: smooth coat (short hair), long-haired, and wire-haired. [ 31 ] Longhaired Dachshunds have a silky coat and short featherings on legs and ears. Wire-haired Dachshunds are the most common coat variety in Germany and the most recent coat to appear in breeding standards. [ 31 ] Short-haired Dachshunds have two types of coats, silky and smooth. Silky short hairs have a very shiny, glossy, and soft to the touch coat, while smooth short hairs have more of a coarse and prickly coat. Dachshunds have a wide variety of colors and patterns, the most common one being red. Their base coloration can be single-colored (either red, cream, or brown), tan pointed (black and tan, chocolate and tan, blue and tan, or isabella and tan), and in wire-haired dogs, a color referred to as wild boar. Patterns such as dapple (merle), sable, brindle and piebald also can occur on any of the base colors. Dachshunds in the same litter may be born in different coat colors depending on the genetic makeup of the parents. [ 32 ] The Dachshund Club of America (DCA) and the American Kennel Club (AKC) consider Double Dapple to be out of standard and a disqualifying color in the show ring. Piebald is now a recognized color in the Dachshund Club of America (DCA) breed standard. [ 33 ] Dogs that are double-dappled have the merle pattern of a dapple, but with distinct white patches that occur when the dapple gene expresses itself twice in the same area of the coat. The DCA excluded the wording "double-dapple" from the standard in 2007 and now strictly uses the wording "dapple" as the double dapple gene is commonly responsible for blindness and deafness. [ 34 ] Dachshunds come in three sizes: standard, miniature, [ 31 ] and kaninchen (German for "rabbit"). Although the standard and miniature sizes are recognized almost universally, the rabbit size is not recognized by clubs in the United States and the United Kingdom. The rabbit size is recognized by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (World Canine Federation) (FCI), which contain kennel clubs from 83 countries all over the world. [ 35 ] An increasingly common size for family pets falls between the miniature and the standard size; these are frequently referred to as "tweenies," which is not an official classification. A full-grown standard Dachshund typically weighs 7.5 to 14.5 kg (16 to 32 lb) , while the miniature variety normally weighs less than 5.5 kg (12 lb) . [ 31 ] The kaninchen weighs 3.5 to 5 kg (8 to 11 lb) . According to kennel club standards, the miniature (and kaninchen, where recognized) differs from the full-size only by size and weight, thus
Popularity
Dachshunds are one of the most popular dogs in the United States, ranking 12th in the 2018 AKC registration statistics. [ 77 ] They are popular with urban and apartment dwellers, ranking among the top 10 most popular breeds in 76 of 190 major US cities surveyed by the AKC. [ 78 ] There are organized local Dachshund clubs in most major American cities, including New York, New Orleans, Portland, Los Angeles, and Chicago. [ 79 ] As of 2024, the American Kennel Club found the Dachshund to be the 6th most popular dog breed. [ 80 ]
Temperament
Dachshunds can be stubborn and refuse commands, especially if chasing a small animal which they have a propensity for. [ 38 ] [ 39 ] [ 40 ] As Dachshunds were originally used as badger hunters they have a keen sense for chasing smaller animals. Dachshunds are often stubborn, making them a challenge to train. [ 41 ] [ 42 ] [ 43 ] [ 19 ] Being the owner of Dachshunds, to me a book on dog discipline becomes a volume of inspired humor. Every sentence is a riot. Some day, if I ever get a chance, I shall write a book, or warning, on the character and temperament of the Dachshund and why he can't be trained and shouldn't be. I would rather train a striped zebra to balance an Indian club than induce a Dachshund to heed my slightest command. When I address Fred I never have to raise either my voice or my hopes. He even disobeys me when I instruct him in something he wants to do. — E. B. White [ 44 ] [ 45 ] Dachshunds are rated in the intelligence of dogs as an average working dog with a persistent ability to follow trained commands 50% of the time or more. [ 46 ] They can have a loud bark. Some bark quite a lot and may need training to stop, while others will not bark much at all. [ 39 ] [ 40 ] Dachshunds can be standoffish toward strangers. [ 38 ] A Japanese study found the Miniature Dachshund to have higher rates of refusing to move whilst on a walk, barking at outside noises whilst inside, barking at strangers visiting their home, separation anxiety , inappropriate elimination ( faecal and urinary incontinence ), hesitancy to approach unknown humans and canines, and aggression towards family members, highlighting the breed's stubbornness and aggression. [ 47 ] 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." [ 48 ] Their temperament and body language give the impression that they do not know or care about their relatively small size. Like many small hunting dogs, they will challenge a larger dog. Indulged Dachshunds may become snappy or extremely obstinate. [ 41 ] [ 49 ] A 2008 University of Pennsylvania study of 6,000 dog owners who were interviewed indicated that dogs of smaller breeds were more likely to be "genetically predisposed toward aggressive behaviour". Dachshunds were rated the most aggressive, with 20% having bitten strangers, as well as high rates of attacks on other dogs and their owners. The study noted that attacks by small dogs were unlikely to cause serious injuries and because of this were probably under-reported. [ 50 ]