Other names/Nicknames:
- Teckel
- Doxie
Country/Date of origin:
- Germany
- 18th century
Height:
- Miniatures: 5 to 6 inches
- Standards: 6 to 10 inches
Weight:
- Miniatures: under 11 pounds
- Standards: 10 to 20 pounds (larger animals are not disqualified)
Personality:
- A happy, fun-loving personality has made this breed immensely popular all over the world.
- Gets along well with other pets.
- Likes to play.
- Each of the three coat varieties has a slightly different personality. The Smooth is the most stubborn of the trio.
History:
Made in Germany, the Dachshund was most likely bred from the same ancestors as the Basset. The six different types of Dachshunds reflect the various animals that it was used to hunt. The larger, smooth-haired dogs went to ground after badger and fox. The smaller smooths went to ground in the smaller den tunnels of weasels and rabbits. The long and wire haired varieties were better able to tear through brambles and thickets than their smooth coated relatives. The breed has been popular in the United States for over a hundred years. It is one of the foundation breeds of the American Kennel Club (AKC).
Body Type:
- A long, low dog with short, bent forelegs.
- Designed to go to ground after badger and fox.
Coat:
- Coat on the smooth variety is short, glossy, and lies close to the body.
- Allowed colors are: single color—red or black (although not desirable); two colored—black, chocolate, gray, and white each with tan markings.
- The most common is the black-and-tan; and dappled—a clear brownish or grayish color with dark irregular patches of dark gray , brown or black (neither color should dominate).
- Minimal grooming.
Health and Wellness:
- Gastric dilatation and volvulus syndrome (GDV, also commonly called bloat)
- von Willebrand’s disease.
- Portosystemic shunts.
- Pattern baldness.
- Acanthosis nigricans.
- Microphthalmia.
- Cryptorchidism.
- Acquired hypogammaglobulinemia.
- Congenital deafness.
- Juvenile cellulitis.
- Hypothyroidism.
- Mast cell tumor.
- Diabetes mellitus.
- Intervertebral disc disease.
- Urolithiasis (cystine).
- Keratoconjunctivitis sicca.
- Ear margin dermatosis.
- Pemphigus foliaceus.
- Sudden acquired retinal degeneration.
- Cushing’s syndrome (PDH) and AT)
- Mitral insufficiency.
- Squamous cell carcinoma (digit).
- Lipoma.
What you should know:
- Smooth-coated Dachshunds are the most popular variety.
- Dachshunds do not have a strong doggy odor and adapt well to city life.
- Dachs means badger in German, and the dog got its name from the animal it was bred to hunt.
- A cheerful companion.
