The
Whole Story
of
Dachshund History
by Ponderosa Pups
In my mind, to own a Dachshund, one must
first learn about a Dachshund! Every bit of time you spend getting to
know your dog will only make your relationship that much better. Learn
why he digs holes in the back yard! Figure out why he loves to
snuggle under the covers! It's all right here in our Dachshund History.
No
self respecting Dachshund Website would be complete without at least a
small paragraph on Dachshund History. Mostly you'll see that dachshunds
were bred in Germany to hunt
Badger...and that's about it! Hopefully, this will give you
more complete idea of what all
was involved in creating one of the most beloved dog breeds in the
world.
Dachshund History
and Origin
Dogs
have always had a purpose in the lives of mankind. Some
resources
claim that dogs have been "man's best friend" for over 14,000 years.
Every human, whether they be Kings or common folk have owned
and
enjoyed dogs. They are depicted in history through everything
from cave paintings to Pharaoh's tombs. Now more than ever,
dogs
have become vital parts of home and hearth. They have been
scientifically proven to not only make us happier, but also make us
healthier! Lowering blood pressure and generally helping us
live
fuller, happier and longer lives.
With almost 200
different dog breeds, it's wonderful to get to know and understand the
Dachshund
before you commit to owning one. We have gathered information
and
researched the breed for years. We're pleased to offer our
take on the history of
the Dachshund Dog.
The Badger Dog
Dachshund
(Dachs-badger, hund-dog)
Depending
on which source you read, there are a couple possibilities about dachshund history and origin.
There are depictions of
Dachshund
Type
dogs in ancient Egypt. But, for the most part our popular
little
Weiner Dog got it's start in Germany. Although, don't ask a
German for a Dachshund. They're called Teckles in Germany.
We can be pretty sure that the Dachshund Dog was first
created
using hounds
and terriers. Giving us a dog that is low to the ground,
quick,
and intelligent. Independent yet pack oriented. Dachshunds
were first
and foremost, bred to hunt. Their short legs allowed them to
penetrate narrow passages while their solid muscular bodies gave them
the strength needed to dig. They have a tenacity that gives
them
the will and stubbornness to take on the deadliest of foes.
I'm
sure you've heard that Dachshunds were bred to hunt Badger.
Do you have any idea how ferocious a Badger is? I
certainly
wouldn't want to tangle with one! They can weigh up to 30
pounds
and run up to speeds of 20 miles an hour in a sprint. They
live
in burrows or tunnels underground. That's where Dachshunds
came
in handy while hunting them. Dachshunds would tunnel
underground and corner the Badger while their handlers would dig above
ground to get to them. Once your Dachshund falls in love with
you, he really will do anything to make you happy. In
the 17th Century, Badger hunting became a very popular sport with
Europeans. Probably lending to the popularity of the
Dachshund in
general. Of
coarse, you may be looking at your little bitty doxie..wondering how in
the world she would ever pull that off? Keep in mind that it
was
the large standard sized Dachshund that hunted Badger! Our
miniature Dachshunds were still avid hunters in their own right.
They
hunted Rabbit, Fox, tracked wounded deer and other prey. Dachshunds are
the only AKC recognized breed that hunts both above and below ground.
Where this
information comes in handy from a pet owners point of view is that
while Dachshunds make incredible pets they are also very intelligent
and funny to have in your home. They are prone to digging
holes
in the backyard. Especially if there is any trace of a mole
or
small furry creature. A Doxie will absolutely "kill" a
squeaky
toy with more enjoyment and speed than you thought possible!
Dachshunds are so alive and full of wonder.
They get the greatest joy and amusement out of the smallest
things. And yet, the hound in them makes for an excellent
snuggle
buddy! I'm not sure if there is a dog in the world that loves
to
go to bed or have a nice couch nap more than a Doxie.
Coat Types. Smooth
Hair, Wire Hair and Long Hair Dachshund History
You
cannot study Miniature
Dachshund History without touching on all the
variety of our breed and where it came from. It's no secret that
Dachshunds come in more coat, color and pattern varieties than any
other dog in the canine world. Ever
wonder how they first created the Dachshund Coat Types? For
starters, germane fanciers did not create the separate coat type just
because they thought it would be "cute". There were very specific
reasons for each of the coat types. Mostly bred to use for different
hunting activities. Now, according to
dachshund history the smooth
coat doxie came first. Bred
using terriers and small hounds. To perfectly create a small ground
hound with a terriers speed, alertness and moxie. Short haired
dachshunds were ideal for tunneling. They didn't have excess
hair
that
might tangle in underground roots. Which surely would have impeded
their hunt or endangered their lives. These short haired doxies were
also very easy to keep and maintain. Not long after the
success of the
smooth coat Dachshund came the need for a long haired type.
This
was accomplished by breeding smooth coat dachshunds to small
type long haired spaniels to produce a Long Haired Dachshund
that
would stand up to cold weather and cold water during hunting seasons.
As a result of this breeding we were left with a
slightly
calmer, more elegant dog. Long
Haired Dachshunds
have been an extremely
popular house pet for many years. Early Dachshund Breeders really made
their mark on Long Haired Dachshund History. Napoleon Bona
part
owned and loved a long haired doxie. In
an early painting of the
emperor as a young man, his dappled long hair Grenouille
stands beside him. Next came the Wire Haired
Dachshund History! They
are said to be a cross between a Smooth Coat Dachshund and another
small terrier. They have a scruffy, wirey or rough coat. This
was
recreating the Dachshund with similar elements of their original
ancestors. Wire hair Dachshunds had more protection in
brambles
than their smooth hair brothers. The terrier cross surely
gave
them a tougher hunting temperament, too. The Wire Hair
Dachshund
was and still is the most popular with German Foresters and Sportsmen.
Wire Hair Dachshund
History says they were the last to be created and the slowest
to
come to fancy in the show ring. It is said that once you own
a
wire doxie, you will always own a wire doxie. But I feel the same way
about my smooth and long coat dogs, too!
The
Dachshund Takes America by storm
Dachshunds
probably first came to the United States in the mid 1870's. Imported
from
Germany and Britain and carried over with immigrants. The AKC
or
American Kennel Club was well established by then. You can
click
here if you would like to read the history
of the AKC.
Now, getting back to the Dachshund History, the first AKC registered
Dachshund was named Dash.
(Oddly enough, our
first male Dachshund here at Ponderosa Pups was also named Dash.) The
"original" Dash was registered in the year of 1885. He was a Smooth
Coat Black and Tan that belonged to Dr. G.D. Stewart. This was three
years
before the
Germans would draft their first Dachshund Standard. However,
the
Dachshund Club of America (DCA) would not be established until
1895. Dachshunds are among the most popular dog
breeds in
the world. They are almost always in the famous AKC top ten.
The
Dachshund Overcomes many Hurdles to become one of the most popular dog
breeds in the world
Historically,
a German Revolution in 1848 put a serious hold on Badger Hunting, as
well as most other sports and hobbies. As with any war or
conflict, the men were off fighting and the ones left behind were just
trying to keep up. There was little time for such frivolous
things as
sports. However, hound dogs would still have been very
helpful
with hunting and feeding the family. The few dachshund
breeders
that stayed loyal to their Dachshunds were instrumental at that time
for
keeping
the Dachshund dog alive and well. But, this wouldn't be the
last
time in Dachshund history that they would need to overcome to survive.
Here in the States both World Wars put serious strains on the
Dachshund breed. World War I began in the year of 1914 and
ended
in 1918. In the four years of fighting and many
years thereafter, owning anything
German became a strict taboo. The social pressures were heavy
and
the Dachshund just about fell off the map here in the United States.
Can you imagine someone not speaking to you, or doing
business
with you just because you own a Weiner dog or two? There were
even reports of dogs literally stoned to death and people banished from
communities
for owning and breeding
dachshunds. a Seriously sad time in Dachshund History! In an
attempt to help, the AKC
changed the
name of the Dachshund in 1919 to Badger Dogs. Hoping that
popularity of the breed would rebound given a less German sounding
name. Unfortunately, it didn't help it all. They
eventually
changed it back to Dachshund in 1923, and even then the number of
registered Dachshunds that year was only 26.
*Interesting tid bit - According the
DCA,
the classic movie "Wizard of Oz" was originally written to have a
DACHSHUND named Otto! But, with the pressures of German
taboo,
they recast the part to a Cairn Terrier, Toto. I have often
wondered if
the "Ugly Dachshund" was filmed to make up for it.
Anyway,
our
wonderful American Soldiers started to come home from Germany, after
the War, with
their trusty new companions in tow..Dachshunds! After all, they had
just spent years in Germany where Dachshunds were very popular. How
could
Americans deny their Heroes of their new pets? Of coarse,
there
were big mix ups with registries and AKC wouldn't allow any of this new
found Doxies to be registered with them. Not the proudest
time in
Dachshund Origin
for the AKC, but at least the
tide
had started to turn with popularity. Then almost as soon as
it
came..it went. World War II would officially begin in 1939
and
end in 1945. Again, Dachshunds were in danger of becoming
social
outcasts. Most material I can find on this subject indicates
that
it doesn't seem to be as bad as the first world war. Of
coarse,
Dachshunds were not the only German dog breed that suffered these
persecutions. German Shepherds may have had it even worse.
Adolph Hitler actually bred and showed German Shepherds
before he
became a dictator! The AKC changed their name for a while,
too.
lol
Thank
God, the wars were over and dog breeders and fanciers started to bloom
here in the United States. Breeders reportedly did a lot of
importing at the time to bring in new bloodlines. Setting the
History of the Dachshund right back on track! Around this time Dog
Shows
became a major pastime and status symbol, too.
Interesting
Tid Bit.. I have a copy of an AKC Dog Book that was last published in
1939. They spelled Dachshund with an E on the end, Dachshunde.
The
Birth and History of the Dog Show
In
my opinion, you cannot study Dachshund History unless you talk about
dog shows. While
I am not currently a show breeder, I thought this was an essential
topic to discuss. Mostly because in order to fully understand
how
dogs became such an important part of our lives we have to look at
where they came from. Dog shows played a huge role in the creation and
popularity of most dog breeds. The first formal
Dog Show was held in England. It was
called Town Hall at Newcastle-on-Tyne and took place on June 28th and
29th, 1859.
There were only two
types of dogs shown that day.
Setters and Pointers. It was a major success! Almost
immediately,
Queen Victoria's
interest in dog shows made owning and dog breeding a major status
symbol. Lucky for us, she also had a love of Dachshunds.
She had a male that she named "Boy". There is even
a statue
of him at Windsor Castle today. Boy will forever be a major
landmark in the history of dachshunds.
The Prince of Wales, who
would
later become King Edward VII, also had a love of Dachshunds.
He
was given a couple smooth
coats
for a gift once. He played a major role in introducing
English
Sportsman to the Dachshund. He enjoyed hunting Pheasant with
his
Doxies. The Royal attention to our breed led to the
world's
first Dachshund Club. It was established in England in 1881.
Anyway, for the
average dog breeder, Dog Shows allowed an unheard of opportunity. Just
imagine getting the
attention of the Court with your
beautiful dog at a public venue. Not to mention the envy of
your
peers. Let's face it, Dog Breeding and Showing is no small
feet.
It's
hard, dirty and sometimes heart breaking work. Their pride
and
their serious devotion to their breed was never more evident that at a
dog show. Finally, an arena to show off your best work.
It
was twenty years after the first dog show, 1879 to be exact, when a
Dachshund entered his
first dog show! While I can find very little information
about
him, I believe his name was Feldman. In 1923 a Long Haired Dachshund
had an impressive win at Crufts in England. This brought
attention to the regal soft long hair that would soon make it one of
the most popular at show and at home. Changing the dachshund
history for longhaired dachshunds in a major way! It would be
way
up in the 1940's before the Wirehaired
Dachshund would
make their presence known in American Dog Shows. Even though
they were first recognized in 1890 as the third variety of Dachshund
Dogs and remain very popular in Germany. Where did all those
colors and patterns come from?
There is an entire section of this website dedicated to explaining the
large variety of dachshund colors and patterns for you. Just
click on
the link below and
follow the instructions. There is a separate page for each
color and pattern with a simple description and lots of pictures!
Click here to learn
more about
dachshund colors and
patterns
Changing Dachshund
History, one litter at a time
Surely
you have spent time on dog lovers sites and seen the phrase "to better
the breed". It's "the" motto of any self respecting,
reputable dog
breeder. It's "that thing" that wakes a good dog breeder up in the
morning, and keeps her going forward after all the stresses of raising
a good litter of puppies. To think that all the work you do
will
produce the best of the breed is an awe inspiring thought.
But I
wonder if they ever thought about how they affected the dachshunds history. Over
the years, in my research, I have come across old
photo's that inspired this section of my article.
When
I first became obsessed with the miniature dachshund, it didn't take me
long to realize that were a lot of different shapes and sizes of
Mini Doxies. At first, I was under the very false impression
that
these were lower quality dachshunds than the fancy ones that I often
saw at dog shows. What I came to realize was there are so
many
different shapes and sizes because of dachshund
breeders
living by that
motto "to better the breed". This is evolution and ancestor
genetics at it's best. Now, in my opinion, each dachshund
breeder
will have a particular size and shape that they are drawn to.
I
have a breeder friend that prefers her doxies lean and small, another
breeder friend that would NEVER own a dachshund that weighed less than
11 pounds. And, yet another that prefers a square head.
Whereas most modern day breeders are shooting for the sloped
head
that came from English Cream Dachshunds. I spent most of the
day
talking to breeder in Poland about how square and level the back is on
an American Dachshund. Whereas the Polish prefer a downward
angle. Then there is always the
dog show and it's influence on our breed. Breeding what's in
fashion versus what has always been. I admire the growth and
changes that have come from forward thinking dachshund breeders. I
wonder how my work as a breeder will influence the future of the
dachshund breed. How the Dachshunds
appearance has evolved over the yearsThese
are some of the earliest dachshund pictures that I could get my hands
on. Combined with current photo's of our miniature
dachshunds.
To give you a better idea of how the dachshund appearance has
changed throughout dachshund history. I want to point out
here, that I LOVE each and every
single dachshund and pass NO judgment on them because of their
differences. Quite the opposite, I embrace the variety of the
breed. There is a huge difference between an old fashioned
dachshund
and a dachshund with faults. No dachshund breeder should
breed a
dachshund with faults. To learn more about that, you can
visit
our dachshund standard. To
sum it all up, this section is intended to explain why everyone's
dachshund does not look the same. Time and careful breeding
have
brought about a lot of changes.
This
is my all time favorite old picture. This truly gives you a
great
idea about the dachshund used to look. This is from The Dog
Owner's Manual
by Josephine Z. Rine. It was published in 1936.
What I find
most interesting about this picture is the second photo from the top.
Now, while this photo has "miniature dachshund" beside it,
you'll
find that it looks nothing like our modern day miniature doxie.
Through years of hard work and careful breeding, our
miniature
dachshund now shows the same stunning build as the standard dachshund.
Leaving me to think that this old body and size might be
closer
to what people refer to as a toy dachshund. There is a
lot of emphasis and bad press, so to speak, about breeders using the
term toy dachshunds. Personally, I believe we should all stick to mini
and standard, but I think the term "toy
dachshund" has come to
represent this small body type of olden days. I have also
read in
old books about German Dachshund fanciers classifying the smaller sizes
as dwarf and rabbit. Further saying that a dwarf dachshund
should
be 7.7 pounds for females and 8.8 pounds for males. They also
say
that the chest circumference of one of these dwarfs would be 13.8
inches. And, that a Rabbit Dachshund would weigh no more than
7.7
pounds for both sexes and have a chest circumference of no more than
11.8 inches. Saying further that the Rabbit sized dachshund
was
used more for hunting rabbits and was preferred at sizes between 5-6
pounds.
Now, that's a small mini doxie! I think our standard is much easier
followed, having a weight of no more than 11 pounds at one year of age
and no mention of chest size. Still, I think it's fascinating
that just 75 years ago, this book gives insight on how these tiny
Dachshunds still pop up in our litters. And, that maybe we
shouldn't be so quick to judge breeders that have a preference for the
tiny "rabbit" dachshunds.
This
is Sugar. She was one of my first wirehaired dachshunds.
If
you look back at the old photo above, you will see that she is almost a
replica of the wirehaired dachshund being shown in 1936. I
think
she's lovely. However, in the picture below, you can see that
the
modern wirehaired dachshund has taken on a much smaller, sturdier and
perhaps boxier build.
PIC COMING SOON!
These
are two of our longhaired dachshunds. Again, if you look to
the
old picture above, you will notice that the head structure and ear
shape of these two fellas are very similar to the longhaired dachshund
from 1936. Below, you can see amazing examples of modern day,
championship bloodline longhaired dachshunds. Personally, I
think
they are all beautiful! But, I did want to point out how much
they have changed over the last 75 years.
These are three wonderful examples of the old fashioned, smaller type
dachshund.
Pay close attention to the smaller head, thinner legs and petite frames
of these pretty little girls.
These
are great examples of the evolution of the dachshund breed.
Note
the well muscled chest and short legs. The beautiful "roman
nose"
of the short haired dachshund on the left. The sloping head
of
the beautiful black and cream dachshund on the right.
* * * * * We
hope you enjoyed this look at Dachshund
History, Origin and Evolution!
If you have anything to add, or have any questions, please let us know.
We
are a
family of Dachshund
Breeders in Kentucky.
Please spend
some time
with us and look around. We have lots of Miniature Dachshund
info and probably have a few wiener
dog puppies for sale,
too!
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