A Brief History of the Dachshund Dog Breed

The Dachshund dates back to the 15th century. The Germans actually developed this breed to help control the badger population. The Germans where looking for a dog breed that was strong enough to fight badgers. Since badgers lived in burrows in the ground, they needed a dog slender enough to fit down the badger’s burrow. What they came up with was the Dachshund.

The name Dachshund came from putting two words together. The word dachs means “badger” and the word hund means “dog” thus, the name Dachshund. Germans also refer to this breed as the “Teckel” which in old German means Dachshund.

Many people think that the French Braque (small pointer-type) and the Pinscher where used together to develop the smooth-haired Teckel. During the French revolution many nobles where forced to flee France into Germany taking their favorite hunting dogs with them. At this point the German Teckel and the French Bassets where crossed and the result became the Dachsbrackle if it had longer legs and the Dachshund if it had short legs, short ears, and a painted muzzle.

The Dachshund developed into a great hunting dog. They where not only proficient at hunting Badgers but, they where very good at hunting fox, rabbit, and tracking wounded deer. They where also used in packs during hunting.

Once the breed became popular in Britain the British changed the dog a little. The breed became longer, the dog weighed more, and the legs actually got shorter. This was a fairly big change considering originally there where two types, the Miniature that weighed less than 11 lbs and the Standard that weighed 18-20 lbs. At this point the German Teckel breeders felt that the English caused the breed to be incapable of doing the work it was breed for.

In WWI the breed dwindled in numbers in Britain as the British took a dislike to anything German, this was also true in the United States.

The breed appeared in the U.S. in the early 19th century. German immigrants brought their dogs over with them. The breed became very popular in the U.S. In 1885 the American Kennel Club began to register Dachshunds and in 1895 the Dachshund Club of America was organized. In 1935 Dachshunds where added to the AKC Field Trials and the breed has been going strong ever since.