The name Dachshund has a German origin and means “Badger Dog.”

Dachshunds can be directly traced back to the 15th century in Germany. However, Dachshund type dogs have appeared in ancient Egyptian and Mexican art. Remains of a Dachshund type dog were found with shipwreck remnants in Italy, dating back to the 1st century AD. The German breed standard was set in 1879 and the breed club established in 1888. Dachshunds were exported to Great Britain with Prince Albert and became popular in Britain and America throughout the 19th century. During World War I, the breed lost popularity in these countries, due to its Germanic origins, however, prejudices have been set aside and the dog is again a favourite family pet and hunting companion. Their body type was developed to be long and low to the ground so they could fit into badger dens and rabbit burrows. This is how the miniature Dachshund came to be. Hunters wanted smaller dogs in order to fit into the dens better and quicker. The dachshund is the smallest breed in the hound group.

The Dachshund was the very first Olympic mascot. Waldie the dachshund was the mascot for the 1972 Munich Olympic games. The Olympic marathon route was designed in the shape of a dog that year. Dachshunds make excellent watch dogs. Don’t be fooled by his size. He is very protective of his family and home.
Now it’s time for some outstanding Dachshund Information!
-H. L. Mencken said that “A dachshund is a half-dog high and a dog-and-a-half long.”
-Dachshunds are considered the national dog of Germany.
-Dachshunds are the smallest breed of dog used for hunting.
-Dogs naturally have a wonderful sense of smell. They have many more sensory ‘smelling’
cells than a man’s 5,000,000. A Dachshund has 125,000,000.

Additional Dachshund information; Famous people that have owned Dachshunds!

Tracy Chapman, singer, songwriter
-Claire Chennault, US air force general in WW2
-Joan Crawford, actress
-James Dean, actor in Rebel without cause
-Maurice Couve De Murville, French prime minster
-David Hasselhoff, actor in TV series Baywatcy
-Fred Hayman, perfume deisgner, Giorgio
-Winona Judd, country singer
-Pablo Picasso, artist
-Dorothy Parker, humorist, short story writer, wit, critic
-William Powell, actor
-Priscilla Presley, actress in the Naked Gun
-Vincent Price, actor in many horror films
-Erwin Rommel, German general in WW2, famous for his tank battles
-Adlai Stevenson, governor of Illinois, candidate for US presidency
-Victoria, queen of England
-Maria von Trapp, whose story inspired Sound of Music