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The Dachshund
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| Exercise Requirements |
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| Grooming Requirements |
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| Weight | 9 Kg (approx) |
| Life Span | 12 - 15 Years (approx) |
There are three varieties of Dachshund: the short-haired, the wired-haired, and the long-haired. With each of these varieties there are three sizes. (See Height and Weight.) The Dachshund is an elongated, vigorous, muscular dog with short legs. It carries itself proudly and has an intelligent expression. It has an elongated head and a slight convex skull, arched and protruding eyebrows, a long muzzle, robust jaws with non-pendent lips, and a pincers or scissors bite with extremely strong canine teeth (Dachshunds usually have 42 teeth). Its eyes are oval, dark red or brown-black with an energetic and friendly expression. Its ears are mobile and hanging long on its cheeks. Its body should have a strong protruding sternum and a moderately retracted abdomen. Its tail is carried in line with its back. The short-haired Dachshund's coat should be shiny, sleek and uniform. Solid-colored Dachshunds may be tan or yellow. Bi-color Dachshunds may be deep black, brown, or gray with areas of bright chestnut. There are also piebald, speckle-streaked, or harlequin varieties
Definitive evidence of the dachshund as a breed isn't found until the 16th century, when reference was made to a "low crooked-legged" dog called a little burrow dog, dacksel or badger dog. The modern name dachshund means simply badger (dachs) dog (hund) in German. These tenacious hunters would follow their quarry, enter its burrow, pull it out and kill it. The dachshund comes in three coat varieties and two sizes. The original dachshunds were smooth-coated and arose from crosses of the bracke, a miniature French pointer, with the pinscher, a vermin killer of terrier type. Some 16th-century woodcuts provide evidence of longer-haired dachshund-like dogs. It is also possible that smooth dachshunds were later crossed with spaniels and the German stoberhund (a gun dog) to produce the longhaired variety. Mention is made of wire-coated dachshunds as early as 1797, but these dogs were not carefully bred and most modern wires were created around the end of the 19th century by crossing smooth dachshunds with German wirehaired pinschers and the Dandie Dinmont terrier. Each of these varieties was best suited for hunting under slightly different terrain and climatic conditions, but all were tough, strong dogs capable of dispatching badgers, foxes and other small mammals. Before 1900, very small dachshunds were kept for going to ground after small quarry, such as rabbits. Although some were simply runts, others were intentionally produced from crosses with toy terriers or pinschers. Most of the resulting miniatures lacked dachshund type, however. By 1910, stricter criteria were adopted for type, and each coat type was crossed with different breeds to achieve the best results: Smooths were bred with the miniature pinscher, longs with the papillon and wires with the miniature schnauzer. The dachshund has since found its real niche as a family pet, steadily rising in popularity to hold a place as one of the most popular hounds in America.
The dachshund is bold, curious and always up for adventure. It likes to hunt and dig, tracking by scent and going to ground after game. It is independent but will join in its family's activities whenever given a chance. It is good with children in its own family, but some may snap at strange children. Most are reserved with strangers. Some bark. The longhaired variety may be quieter and less terrier-like; the wires may be more outgoing. Some miniatures are more prone to be timid.
Long-haired require daily combing and brushings; wire-haired need professional trimming twice a year, and smooth-haired require regular rubdown with a damp cloth. This breed is an average shedder.
Prone to spinal disc problems (Dachshund paralysis) and can develop heart disease, urinary tract problems, and diabetes. Dachshunds have a tendency to become overweight and lazy. This is a serious health risk, putting added strain on the back.
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