Miniature Dachshund

The Dachshund (or Teckel) was bred as a badger hound in its native Germany. Badger hunting required a short-legged hound with a keen sense of smell, coupled with courage and gameness; a dog that could burrow - an ability which, if unchecked, today's pet Dachshund will demonstrate in your garden.

Some dachshunds are still bred as hunting dogs and will bravely tackle an opponent larger than themselves, such as the badger. They would also defend their own until death. Howevec their role nowadays is mainly as a companion. They like children, but can be a little aggressive with strangers if unchecked. They are affectionate, full of fun and, despite their short legs, can cope with as much exercise as you can give them. They have a large bark for their size and are good watchdogs.

Origin and history

The Dachshund was bred as a badger hound, or hunting dog, and is known to have existed prior to the sixteenth-century and to have been derived from the oldest breeds of German hunting dog, such as the Bibarhund.

In 1840 the first volume of the Deutscher Hunde-Stammbuch, an all-breed stud book, was published. It contained the names of 54 types of Dachshund, but it did not always provide complete pedigrees or coat-length notations for the Dachshund. Thirty-nine years later a standard for the Dachshund was established, and in 1888 the German Dachshund Club or Deutscher Teckelklub was founded.

Today there are three varieties, with miniatures of each type: the Smooth-haired, Wire-haired and Long-haired. The Wire-haired Dachshund arose through crossing with the Scottish Dandie Dinmont and other terriers, the Long-haired by crossing the Smooth-haired with the spaniel and an old German gundog, the Stbberhund.

Both bandiness, due to a weakness in the tendons, and exaggerated length have now been eradicated.

In his book The Dachshund (Popular Dogs), the late Eric Fitch Dalglish refers to the severe blow dealt to dog breeding in the United Kingdom and elsewhere, during World War I. 'All breeds were affected,' he writes, 'but none, perhaps, so tragically as the Dachshund'. Ever since its appearance among us the little Teckel had been recognized as the national dog of the Teutonic Empire, and with the outbreak of hostilities it came in for a share of the scorn heaped on everything made in

Germany. This sad state of affairs continued in the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe during World War II, when dachshunds were unfairly discarded, shouted at and even stoned in the streets because of their German ancestry. Happily this behaviour is now long past and the sporty, lovable Dachshund has come again to the fore in popularity polls.

The miniatures, like the standards, were also introduced for a purpose. Towards the end of the nineteenth century, German sportsmen required a hound to go to ground after rabbits. Some were produced by chance, the smaller, weaker members of a littec but there also appears to have been a miniature type, known as the Kaninchenteckel, which was intentionally produced by mating lightweight dachshunds to toy terriers or pinschers. The early miniatures aparently had little of the quality of the show Dachshund about them, but selective breeding produced a far better type - for many years known as the dwarf Teckel - but with the shallow chest, short head and full eye that had characterized its predecessor.

Miniature Dachshund Puppies

Good points

• Affectionate nature
• Courageous
• Easy to look after
• Loyal family pet
• Great sense of fun
• Good watchdog

Take heed

• Prone to disc trouble-don't let it jump, or get overweight
• Self-willed
• Slightly aggressive with 'strangers if unchecked

Size

Long-haired, Smooth-haired and Wire-haired: ideal weight 10lb (4.5kg). It is most important that judges should not award a prize to any dog exceeding 111b (5kg) in weight. It is also important that owners do not allow dachshunds to become overweight.

Exercise

Regular exercise is important as the tendency to put on weight must be discouraged. This doesn't mean you should take your Dachsie on 10 mile (16km) treks every day, but short, frequent walks are a must with plenty of runs in a fenced garden or yard.

Miniature Dachshund Information

General appearance
In conformation the Miniature Dachshund should be in all respects similar to the Dachshund of standard size: compact, short­legged and long in body, well muscled and strong with a bold and intelligent expression. The body should be neither so plump as to give an impression of cobbiness nor so slender as to impart a weasel-like appearance. Height at shoulder should be half the length of the body measured from the breast bone to the base of the tail, and the girth of the chest double the height at the shoulder. The length from the tip of the nose to the eyes should equal the length from eyes to base of skull.

Colour
Any colour. No white is permissible except for a small spot on the breast and even this is undesirable. The nose should be black except in dapples and chocolates, in which it may be flesh­coloured or brown. In all cases the coat colour should be bright and clearly defined. In black and tans, the tan should be rich and sharp. Dapples should be free from large unbroken patches, the dappling being evenly distributed over the whole body.

Head and skull
Long and conical when seen from above, sharp in profile and finely modelled. Skull neither too broad nor too narrow, only slightly arched and without prominent stop. Foreface long and narrow, finely modelled. The lips should be tightly drawn but well covering the lower jaw, neither heavy nor too sharply cut away. The corners of the mouth slightly marked.

Tail
Set on fairly high, not too long, tapering and without too marked a curve. It should not be carried too high and never curled over the back.

Feet
Broad and large in proportion to the size of the dog, straight or turned only slightly outwards. The hindfeet smaller than the fore. Toes close together and with each toe well arched. Nails strong. The dog must stand equally on all parts of the foot. The whole should be poised 'equally on the ball of the foot, not merely on the toes.

Miniature Dachshund Feeding & Grooming

Grooming

The Dachshund's coat is easy to keep in condition. The Smooth­haired needs only a few minutes' attention every few days with a hound glove and soft cloth. A stiff­bristled brush and comb should be used on the Long-haired and Wire­haired varieties.

Feeding

About 5-70z (142-198g) of a branded, meaty product with biscuit added in equal part by volume, or 1 cupful of a dry complete food, mixed in the proportion of 1 cup of feed to 1/2 cup of hot or cold water.

Resources 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Home || Small Dogs || Medium Dogs || Large Dogs || Care

© 2004 www.Dogs-Care.Com. All Rights Reserved.