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When thinking of a Dachshund, few people take into consideration the serious design for which he was bred. In German, "dachshund" means "badger dog", and it was for this purpose the Dachshund was intended. It seems certain this little fellow was bred from a terrier mixed with a larger hound, although his origins are not quite clear. This breed was evolved to deal with the badger problem in Germany, where at one time they posed quite a threat to the agricultural cultivation of that land.

Able to penetrate the deepest undergrowth and to work slowly as to not overwork their quarry, the Dachshund was also used to hunt deer. His best value, however, was hunting the vicious badger by locating the underground burrow and driving the badger to his innermost sanctuary and holding him there until dug out. The Dachshund's webbed feet contribute to his excellent swimming abilities.

Comprising the traits of both hound and terrier, the Dachshund exhibits the characteristics of both a keen sense of smell, long ears and a solid bone structure for his size indicates his hound ancestry, and his willingness to enter the earth, iron heart and small stature speak to his terrier heritage.

The German standard of points for the Dachshund includes:

Head: Appearing conical from the side and from above, the head should taper to the point of the muzzle, making the head appear wedge-shaped.

Eyes: Dark in color and set aslant, the eyes should be oval and medium in size.

Nose: Deep black in color.

Ears: Positioned fairly high above the eyes, the ears should appear pointed, narrow, hanging close to the cheek and flat, not folded.

Neck: The neck should display a somewhat arched nape, fairly long, muscular and showing no dewlap.

Forequarters: A deep, long and wide chest should flow into the shoulder blade, also long and sloping; a well muscled upper arm should be strong-boned and lie close to the ribs.

Legs and feet: The forelegs should appear strong, very short and slightly bent inward. They should never appear bent forward or knuckled over. Round, large feet are strong with well-arched toes and thick pads; the nails are black and very strong.

Body: A long and muscular body with a very oval chest, the loins should be short and strong, and the line of the back only marginally depressed behind the shoulders and slightly arched over the loins.

Hindquarters: A rump round and broad with powerful muscles; the hip bone broad and sloping but not too short. Straight legs should appear wide apart with a well-developed knee joint.

The coat can appear short, wire-haired or long. A small amount of white is allowable on the chest, but is not generally desired.

The Dachshund is considered the perfect gentleman, meticulously clean in his habits. As a companion, he is affectionate, often amusingly jealous and sensitive to scolding or unkindness. He is an excellent watch dog, valiant in defense of his territory and quick to detect a stranger. At one time in Germany he was regarded as the most popular of dogs and found in almost every home. Quaint, entertaining and energetic, the Dachshund is an obedient and unobtrusive comrade.

Learn more about this author, Annetta Ribken.
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