The History of the Dachshund
A hunting or companion dog, the Dachshund is a very idiosyncratic breed, as the only one to have an FCI group all to itself: group 4. The Dachshund is included in the Hound group of the UK Kennel Club and the American Kennel Club.
This small dog with a particular morphology has become very popular since the 1970s. In its German homeland the breed’s selection has been determined by a very strict respect for the rules of hunting. The Dachshund (also known as Teckel and Dackel in German) has been around since the Middle Ages. Ever since the Bracken, dogs have been bred especially to hunt underground.
Of these bassets, the Dachshund distinguished itself as one of the most versatile hunting breeds. On the ground it achieves remarkable results, using its bark effectively, to track game. The oldest breed club is the Deutscher Dachshund Klub, founded in 1888.
It all started with the shorthair
As talented in driving game as driving hares and badgers out of their lairs, the Dachshund is the eternal companion for humans. Its origins and history are that of the shorthaired Dachshund up to the eighteenth century. Only then did the other two strains – the longhair and the wirehair – see the light of day, in response to slightly modified needs. Nowadays, the Dachshund is one of the
most profuse breeds of dog, combining with great panache the qualities of a companion, a hunter and a dog of the show rings.
In most countries, the Dachshund exists in two different sizes; Standard Dachshund and Miniature Dachshund (Kaninchen Dachshund, a Dachshund bred to hunt rabbits is also recognized in some countries) and three coat varieties (shorthaired, wirehaired and longhaired). The diversity of the
breed covers six varieties, which means the Dachshund can meet a huge number of different needs.
From the little Kaninchen to the standard – the template of the breed – every amateur will find a suitable companion.
