The Dachshund is an active hunting breed that has a keen sense of smell. This native of Germany is a long time favorite family pet due to his spirited nature and low maintenance.

Physical Characteristics

• Comes in three coat varieties: smooth, wirehaired and longhaired
• Each variety comes in two sizes: standard and miniature
• Muscular body, short legs
• Coat: smooth coat variety is sleek and shiny; wirehaired outer coat is thick, short and rough; longhaired coat is sleek, glistening and can be slightly wavy
• Coat color: single-colored coats are red or cream; bi-colored coats are black, chocolate, wild boar, gray (blue) and fawn (Isabella); breed also comes in dappled, brindle or sable coat
• Standard size: 16-32 pounds
• Miniature size: up to 11 pounds
• Average lifespan: 12-15 years

Temperament

• Affectionate, spirited, courageous, determined, curious, mischievous, loyal, stubborn
• Interaction with people: Good with older children
• Interaction with animals: Usually good with other pets
• Bark: Can be highly vocal

At Home

• OK for apartments
• Relatively active indoors
• Needs daily walks
• Can be habitual diggers

Grooming

• Average shedder
• Smooth coat: bathe every other month
• Wirehaired: get professional trims throughout the year
• Longhaired: daily brushing and combing

Brief History

• Originated in Germany, with earliest records dating back to the 15th century
• The original variety was smooth coat
• The two breed sizes developed due to different prey sizes and types, from wild boar on the large side to hares on the small side
• The short legs evolved from needing to be close to the ground, to enter burrows and dig out prey

Fido's Facts

• "Dachs" is the German word for badgers, the prey that dachshunds were originally bred to hunt
• After World War II, the breed was temporarily translated to "badger dog" to avoid association with Germany
• Known to hunt foxes, otters and hare as well as badgers