Summary :
Do you have a Dachshund? Do you wonder about the origins of this magnificent breed? Want to understand the birth of its natural instinct? Here's everything you need to know about the origins of the dachshund, where are they from, with this new blog post. 🐶
What is the history of the Dachshund breed?
The name “Dachshund” literally means badger dog in German, deriving from the German words “Dachs” and “Hund”.
In modern Germany, the Dachshund is more commonly known as a “Dackel” or “Teckel”, with the Dachshund being more commonly used by hunters.
Dachshunds are also known as “Doxie” or sausage dogs, due to their long, slender, sausage-like bodies. 😊
The Dachshund's front paws are paddle-shaped, which helps it dig to the extreme and can be particularly useful for hunting and pursuing badgers, rabbits and other mammals.
The Dachshund breed deep chest gives it increased lung capacity when hunting underground.
Official origin of the Dachshund
The Dachshund's origins date back to 15th century Germany, where two sizes of Dachshund were bred primarily for hunting.
The standard dachshund was bred primarily to sniff out and flush out badgers and similar burrowing mammals, while the dwarf dachshund was bred primarily to hunt rabbits.
In the USA, dachshunds have also been used for hunting prairie dogs and tracking deer. 🦌
What automatically comes to mind today when we think of the strains of dachshunds is the way they bravely enter the dens of badgers and foxes, then bark to let their human hunting friend know where they are.
But these little hunters are also known to stalk in packs, when the prey is much bigger than they are, for example wolverine (a fierce, solitary and powerful mammal) and wild boar.
Their usual prey, however, are rabbits, foxes, badgers and other smaller animals.
Surprisingly or not, this little dog has also been used for deer hunting, searching for wounded animals and sometimes, following accidents and tragedies, searching for injured or dead people.
Finally, the last of the breed is the kaninchen dachshund (meaning rabbit in German), introduced to Europe in the 19th century to hunt and dislodge smaller prey due to its miniature size. 😊
Cradle of the First Dachshund Dogs
There are many theories about the origins of the Dachshund, most of which have been dismissed.
Because of the dachshund-like images found in ancient Pharaonic Egypt, and the Egyptian word for these dogs “Tekal”, some believe that the dachshund's ancestors lived at this time, but others think this is highly unlikely.
There have also been Assyrian reliefs of dachshund-like dogs, and dogs have been described in ancient Greek literature just like the modern dachshund.
Some experts have speculated that the Dachshund's earliest roots go back to ancient Egypt, where engravings depicting short-legged hunting dogs, incredibly similar to the Dachshund, were discovered.
The American University of Cairo has also recently discovered Egyptian burial urns containing mummified dogs resembling dachshunds.
A zoologist by the name of Brehm thought the dachshund might have originated in Spain, as remains of a small dog of similar size have been found in Peru, as well as in ancient Mexico. Even in Denmark, archaeological digs have found the remains of short-legged dogs.
The only thing we can say with any certainty is that the little short-legged dogs were bred in various parts of the world. 🌎
The most commonly accepted theory is that the Dachshund was created in Germany, which is considered its homeland. German cynologists Richard Strebel and Ludwig Beckmann have carried out extensive research and, according to their findings, the dachshund is closely related to the German hound, or deutsche bracken.
This was confirmed by another German specialist, Hilzheimer, who found the remains of two dachshunds during archaeological excavations of a Roman military camp in the German Kannstadt.
The most likely theory comes from the German Fritz Engelmann, who believed that the dachshund was originally a harrier dog, and that it was only later that it was used to go into dens to hunt, or for tracking.
The Dachshund in the Modern Age
The Dachshund breed has evolved over time. The Dachshund we know and love today is closely related to the dogs bred in 15th century Germany, but was perfected in the late 19th century.
German breeders devoted time and effort to restoring the wire-haired Dachshund, which had all but disappeared by the end of the 19th century. It was also at this time that the breed standard for size, coat and color was established belonging to group 4 (with working trial) 😊
Dachshunds were introduced to the USA in the 1880s and first became popular in the UK in 1840. Indeed, they were brought back by the royal family for pheasant hunting.
Queen Victoria was apparently very fond of the breed, which contributed to its popularity. Once members of the royal family brought Dachshunds back to the UK, they became popular with private individuals as companion dogs.
Sociable and affectionate, Dachshunds continued to be highly regarded by the royal family. Queen Elizabeth has a “Dorgi”, after one of her corgis mated with a dachshund.
Modern Dachshunds are slightly smaller than the Dachshunds originally bred in Germany in the 17th century. However, many of their characteristics and behaviors are the same, with retained stamina and vivacity, not to mention their powerful barking. 🐶
History of dachshunds during the war
The dachshund has traditionally been regarded as a symbol of Germany in the minds of many people.
During the First and Second World Wars, the popularity of Dachshunds declined due to their connection with Germany, and political cartoonists used the breed's image to ridicule Germany.
In America, the Dachshund breed was accepted into the AKC (American Kennel Club) in 1885, along with 14 other breeds.
Unfortunately, many years later, the Dachshund almost disappeared in America due to its status as a symbol of Germany. People really hated Germany and wanted to get rid of everything German, including the little sausage dogs they'd once loved so much.
The incredible result was that the number of Dachshunds in America fell to just 12 surviving dogs by 1919! People walking their dachshunds were attacked in the street, and dogs were killed everywhere.
For a short time in the U.S., they were called “liberty hounds” or “badger dogs” much like the term “liberty cabbage” for sauerkraut in North America, in an attempt to reduce the association with Germany.
Today, the dachshund is considered a positive symbol of Germany.
In 1972, when the Olympic Games were held in Munich, Germany, a dachshund named Waldi was the official mascot 😃
Waldi was the first official mascot in the history of the 1972 Summer Olympics, and he's obviously a wiener dog! 🥰
This dog is well known for his endurance, tenacity and agility. That's why he was chosen.
Waldi displays many different colors, and his striped body bears at least three of the six Olympic colors.
Waldi was born at a Christmas party organized by the Munich Games Organizing Committee, where participants were given crayons, paper and modeling clay to create a mascot project.
This famous mascot had a real alter ego, a dachshund called “Cherie von Birkenhof”.
Dachshunds are now a popular dog breed
Today, the Dachshund is as much a family pet as it is a hunting dog.
Because of his hunting background, he has both advantages and disadvantages for the ordinary pet owner. He's loyal and protective of his masters, and if he gets bored, he can easily dig up your whole garden or easily turn over your sofa cushions. 😜
While the Dachshund may be one of the coolest, most adorable friends in your life, he's still a dynamic, athletic hound.
Take care to think carefully if you're ready to provide the Dachshund with what it needs to be the extraordinary dog it can be!
The Teckelshop Team - 🧡💚
