Dachshund

The Dachshund is a short-legged, long-bodied German dog of hound type. It was bred to scent, chase and flush badgers and other animals that live in burrows, and the miniature was bred for smaller game such as rabbits. The name means “badger dog” in German, though in Germany the dogs are more often called Dackel, or Teckel among hunters. English speakers know it as the wiener dog or sausage dog.

History

German breeders created the Dachshund from a mix of German, French and English hounds and terriers; its exact origins are disputed. The first sure references come from books of the early 18th century, where it is called the “badger crawler” or “badger warrior”. Those early dogs were bigger than today’s, at 14–18 kg (31–40 lb).

The smooth coat is the oldest, and the long-haired and wire-haired kinds both came from it. The wire-haired was the last, bred in the late 19th century. The American Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1885.

Appearance

A Dachshund is long and muscular on short legs. The front paws are large and paddle-shaped for digging, the skin is loose enough not to tear in a tight burrow, the muzzle is long and the ears are large and drooping.

There are three coats: smooth, long-haired, which is silky with feathering on the legs and ears, and wire-haired. Red is the most common color. Dogs may also be cream or brown, or black, chocolate, blue or isabella with tan points. Dapple, sable, brindle and piebald patterns occur on any base color.

There are three sizes. A standard typically weighs 7.5–14.5 kg (16–32 lb) and a miniature under 5.5 kg (12 lb). The kaninchen, or rabbit size, weighs 3.5–5 kg (8–11 lb) and is recognized by the FCI but not by clubs in the United States or the United Kingdom.

Temperament

The American breed standard calls the Dachshund clever, lively and courageous to the point of rashness. It is often stubborn, which makes training a challenge, and it has a strong urge to chase small animals. Some bark a great deal. Dachshunds can be standoffish with strangers, and a 2008 University of Pennsylvania study of dog owners rated the breed the most aggressive, with a fifth of the dogs having bitten a stranger.

Care and health

The long spine and short rib cage make the breed prone to back trouble, above all intervertebral disk disease, which affects about 20–25 percent of Dachshunds.

Other conditions reported include patellar luxation, hereditary epilepsy, hypothyroidism, Cushing’s syndrome, dental problems, allergies, the heart defect patent ductus arteriosus, and eye diseases such as cataracts, glaucoma and progressive retinal atrophy. Brittle bone disease occurs mainly in wire-haired dogs. Double-dapple dogs can be born with impaired sight or hearing, and blue, isabella and cream dogs are prone to color dilution alopecia.

Studies put life expectancy between 11.5 and 14 years; a 2024 UK study found 13.2 years for the breed and 14 for the miniature.

Facts on this page were checked against Wikipedia and may have changed since.