Dachshund Standard \ Teckel Standard (Germany)

Misspellings: Dachshound, Duchshund, Duchshound

History and Origin

The Dachshund is a hunting dog. They originated from Germany where were bred more than 500 years ago to hunt badgers and other pests. The word dachs means badgers in German. Badgers have their dens underground so hunters needed a dog able to get down in the burrows. The Dachshund was bred as a mixture of hounds and terriers. The later this breed was crossed with the French Bassets.

Temperament and Personality

Dachshunds are clever, playful and entertaining, lively and courageous. They are excelent pets for children. Dachshund is a very good watchdog and may be slightly aggressive to strangers. Despite their medium size they can bark realy loudly. Short distance walks satisfy their exercise needs. These dogs are very adaptable and feel comfortable in any environment - in a small city apartment or the country.

Size and Appearance

Dachshunds have short of legs, a long body, a muscular stature and a proud expression . There are two sizes of Dachshund - the Miniature (less than 11 pounds) and the Standard (about 18 – 20 pounds). There are Long-haired, Smooth and Wire-haired Dachshunds. Coat colors may be solid, bicolor, dapple, piebald or brindle. The Dachshund is free from doggy odor.

Care

The Long-haired dachshund needs regular brushing and combing, the smooth doesn't. The coat of the Wire-haired dachshund should be hand-stripped. It is necessary to keep Dachshunds clear of jumping from heights and getting overweighed for spine disc problems.
Life span is of 14 to 16 years.
The breed is recognized by AKC, CKC, FCI (Group 4), KC (GB)