Description
Dachshunds are a breed of dog that comes from Germany. They’re also known as short-legged hounds, wiener dogs, or sausage dogs. The dachshund is named after the German word for badger (dachs), which was the original quarry of this breed. Dachshunds have been bred for their hunting instincts and tenacity, but they make great companions too!
Dachshunds have short legs and long bodies, so they look like little hot dogs with stubby legs. They’re available in three sizes: standard (the largest), miniature (the smallest), and toy (the tiniest). All three sizes come in both smooth-haired and wire-haired varieties.
Dachshunds are loyal, affectionate dogs who don’t mind being left alone for hours at a time when their owners work or go to school. They can be reserved around strangers, but once they get to know someone they’ll be friendly and outgoing with them. This breed makes a great family pet because they are good with children and other pets if introduced properly at an early age.
The dachshund is a short-legged, elongated dog breed of the hound family that has origins in Germany. The word “dachshund” literally means “badger dog”, from Dachs (“badger”) and Hund (“dog”).
Dachshunds were bred to scent, chase, and flush out badgers and other burrow dwelling animals. They have historically been kept as hunting dogs, particularly to hunt rabbits. In order to pursue their prey into its burrow, they were bred to be long-bodied with short legs, so they could follow the animal into its hole.
The first verifiable written reference dates from 1632. The dachshund was developed in the German town of Waldbröl as a groundhog dog by Wilhelm Ludwig Elizabeth von Nassau-Saarbrücken (1720–1799), 5th Prince of Nassau-Saarbrücken, who had a passion for hunting groundhogs. He crossed various hound types with terriers in order to obtain a short-legged dog that could fit into holes after his prey.[3]
The result was a small, short-legged hound that was sent by parcel post!
