Dachshund Dog Breed Profile

by Dr. Chris

AKC Group: Hound Group

The Dachshund dog, with its long body and short legs, was bred to go into small burrows and fight badgers. Dating back to the 1600's in Germany, today these affectionate dogs are sometimes referred to as "wiener dogs."

History

The Dachshunds were used across Germany to track down badgers along with other vermin since the 1600's. These small dogs are fearless to the level of recklessness. These were breed not to just track down but to destroy their victim. If you hand them over a gadget that has a squeak to it, you can see them in action because they strike it and 'kill' the squeaker instantly.

The Dachshunds in the past were somewhat bigger than the dachshunds nowadays, and used to weigh about 40 pounds. Nowadays, they weigh about 16 to 32 pounds.

Physical Features

The various sizes of Dachshunds include the standard size, which weighs about sixteen to twenty eight pounds. The Miniature Dachshund generally weighs in at nine to eleven pounds, as well as the Toy Dachshund which weighs about eight pounds. There are lots of shades of dachshunds, which consist of tan and yellow, to deep black, brown, or gray and several are chestnut.

There is harlequin, speckled, and piebald ones too. Their distinct coats typically are available with specific colors. There are several dachshunds which have 2 distinct colored eyes in most instances. This typically happens in the dappled shaded ones and they'll have one brown eye and one blue eye.

There are three coat types available; long haired, wire haired, and smooth.

Personality

The Dachshund is really a caring pet. It'll sit on your lap for a long time. They're good watchdogs as they bark when someone arrive at the door. They also love to chase things like small birds and rodents. Also known to be stubborn, they need a strong leader to keep them in check.

Common Health Problems

Dachshunds are very prone to spinal disc problems (intervertebral disc disease) due to their long backs. Also being overweight is another risk factor for back problems.

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