Image Credits: Pixabay
The dachshund, or as it's affectionately called, the
doxy, is a breed of dog that is infamous for its adorable and funny shape.
While many consider their long bodies and short legs mere eye candy, the breed
was made for much more than eye candy. Have a look at these interesting
dachshund facts so that you know a bit more about this incredible breed.
- The
dachshund is a badger hunter – The German word
“Dachshund” translates to badger dog when translated to English. The
dachshund’s short legs let the breed stay low to the ground in order to track
scents. Its narrow body let the breed crawl into burrows while looking for
badgers. Many people think of dachshunds as small and meek. However, the breed
is notorious for its fierceness and bravery. The breed has since been bred to
hunt many different varieties of prey.
- Dachshunds
come in two sizes – There are two sizes of dachshunds
available which are known as miniature and standard. The miniature dachshunds
weigh up to 11 pounds while the standard variant was used for hunting badgers
and wild boards. The standard variant can weigh up to 35 pounds.
- The
dog was actually called a sausage dog – Many people call the
dachshund a wiener dog. However, the original name for the dog was the
Dachshund sausage. The product was actually named because of its resemblance to
the dog breed.
- Dachshunds
went through an overhaul in WW1 – In WW1, Dachshunds
were associated with the Germans as they were used in plenty of propaganda.
This resulted in the breed losing a lot of its popularity in North America. The
AKC has tried to counter this by rebranding dachshunds as “badger dogs”.
- There
are dachshund only races – In the 1970s, dachshund races were
started in Australia. They were immensely popular and have since spread to
other parts of the world. In fact, the Wienerschnitzel Weiner Nationals has
been a regular every year in Southern California since 1995. While it isn’t
taken very seriously, it is a lot of fun to watch.
- Dachshunds
hold the title of grandpa – Dachshunds are notorious for
living longer than most dog breeds. In fact, they usually live for 12 to 15
years. Twenty-three dogs have held the Guinness World Record for the oldest
living dog. 2 of them have been dachshunds. The first was a dachshund named
Chanel, who held the record until 2009. She died at 21 years old. The second
was a dachshund-terrier cross named Otto, who lived to 20 years old until 2010.
As you can see, there's a lot more to doxies than meets the eye. They're a lot more than the hotdog that people make them out to be.