If you are badger hunting at home, you need a Dachshund superstar. They are the specialists in their field, having been bred specifically for hunting badgers.
Many years of selective breeding in Germany have created a dog that can handle the immense pressure of hunting badgers. Dachshunds, translated to “badger hounds,” need to be tenacious, very low slung so they can fit in holes, and almost without any fear at all.
The dachshund was bred so that it could drag out foxes and rabbits from small holes. So the dog needed to have short legs and keep its strength by standing upright. The dog also had to be good at digging and have huge reserves of energy to keep going.
The breeding of this superdog has caused problems in normal life though. Dachshunds have issues with their joints because of the length of their body. They don’t jump very well as this causes stress on their backs and hips.
Dachshunds have wide chests and stumpy legs, and this shape means they can get overweight without good nutrition and exercise. They sometimes get called “Weiner Dog” or “Weenie Dog” because of the fat build-up around their chest and mid-section.
Types
There are three distinct types of dachhunds: long haired, wire haired and short haired. The short haired Dachshunds have coats that are easy to groom, but the long haired and wire haired types need more attention. There’s some minor shedding, but not much.
There’s also three sizes of dachshund, the standard, miniature and toy. Standards weigh up to 20 pounds, but the miniature and toy varieties typically weigh in at 9 and 8 pounds respectively.
Dachshunds come in several colors that in the past gave them camouflage as they went into holes. Typical colors are brown, black, or a combination of both. You will quite often see dogs that are brown with a black stripe that runs the length of the body. Some dachshunds are mottled or have a pattern called “piebald.”
Personality
Dachshunds learn fast and love to learn new tricks. Because they look clownish, and have quirky movements, they make great performing dogs.
As family pets, they are curious and attentive. The downside is that they can get irritable and territorial. This means households with small children can cause a dachshund to be disoriented. But they are devotional to older children that they have bonded with.
Final Thoughts
The tenacity of the Dachshunds means this is not a dog for everyone. There are owners who might not be able to keep up with this ball of badger hunting fury. Dachshunds want to be masters of their universe, even though they are small of size and appear harmless.
The American Kennel Club Top 10 Most Popular Dogs of 2023 had dachshunds entered as a respectable #6. So there are plenty of owners in the U.S. who have chosen this low-slung, badger hunting superstar, as a pet.
