Origin facts
Dachshunds were bred in Germany 600 years ago for hunting badgers and other burrowing animals.
Name meaning
Dachshund comes from the German word means “dachs” = badger and “hund” = dog, so dachshund = badger dog.
Nicknames
Dachshunds have earned many unique, funny, and cute nicknames because of their unique appearance and funny personalities.
Here are common nicknames of dachshund
Sausage dog – commonly used in uk
Wiener Dog – the most famous one due to their hot dog-like shape
Doxie – a short and lovely name, especially in the US
Weenie – another playful variation of “Wiener Dog”
Hot dog – a funny nickname that is related to food
Teckel – a German hunting name, still used in some parts of Europe
Badger Dog – literal translation of dachshund, as I showed before
Dashie – a cute modern twist on their name
Dachsie – another cute name used by fans of the breed
Physical characteristic
Body shape
They have a long body and short legs, a deep chest that helps with stamina during hunting, and strong front paws that help them to dig on hard surfaces, making them perfect for hunting underground.
Coat
Dachshund comes in three coat types
Smooth-haired – has a smooth texture, short hair throughout the body
Long-haired – long-haired have long, silky hair throughout the body, often with a smooth, wavy flow.
Wire-haired- this is a most rugged-looking and one of the most distinctive types of dachshund, thanks to their special type of coat and expressive facial features.
Lifespan
Dachshunds have 12 to 16 years of lifespan depending how they cared, but with excellent care they can live upto 18 years or more.
Personality
Despite their small body size of body they have a big personality, bold, clever, and full of character.
Key personality of the dachshund
Brave and confident: this is a given by their hunter ancestors because dachshunds are bred for hunting badgers, as we know, because during hunting time, they need to be confident in their skills.
Playful and Energetic: They are very energetic dogs that love to play, dig, chase, and explore. Sometimes can be clownish and needy for attention.
Loyal and Affectionate: Even though they show stubbornness sometimes they tend to be very loyal to their owner, which exhibits their loyal and affectionate personality. They are often very attached to their owner, which makes them prone to separation anxiety.
Intelligence
Dachshunds are very intelligent dogs, excellent at following scent and working independently. Good at figuring things out on their own, like opening a cabinet and finding hidden traits.
Alertness
They are very alert dogs, which is their strongest point of their personality; they quickly notice changes in the environment, new people, animals, or sounds. Often watch outside from windows.
Their alert barking is big for their size, some dachshunds are dachshunds as a little alarm system.
Exercise need
They are prone to obesity, which can harm their fragile back; that’s why they need daily exercise to maintain a healthy weight and feel well. They generally need 30-60 minutes of daily exercise.
Burrowing instinct
They are natural burrowers, as we know they were bred for hunting a burrowing animal, their entire body and instinct made for it.
Back problem
They are also prone to back-related issues like IVDD, because of their long back. If we dont care much about their healthy weight and exercise, they can have a serious back issue like IVDD.
Fun facts about dachshund
Dachshunds have more vertebrae than other dogs, which is unique, but they are prone to serious back-related issues like IDDV.
The most famous artist, Pablo Picasso, had a dachshund named “Lump” who even appeared in some paintings.
Dachshunds were featured in the 1972 Munich Olympics as a part of a special dog competition called “dachshund race”.
They have a very curious nature, which makes them excellent at finding a way out of fenced yards or sneaking into places they shouldn’t be.
Their shape inspired a toy “Slinky Dog” character in Toy Story is modelled after a dachshund.
Famous Dachshunds
Lump – owned by Pablo Picasso
Archie & Amos – owned by Andy Warhol’s Dachshunds
Maxi – owned by British singer Adele
Obie- famous for his weight loss journey, once he weighed over 70 lbs and lost nearly 40 lbs with proper care
Waldi – The first official Olympic mascot created for the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics.
