January 2008 Featured Dog Breed – the Dachshund

Whether Smooth, Long, or Wirehaired, the Dachshund can be seen in a wide assortment of colors & patterns, ranging from red, to black-and-tan, cream, chocolate, rust, copper, fawn, or blue.

Although typically growing no more than 35lbs. in weight once fully mature, the relatively loud bark and courageous vigor frequently exhibited by the Dachshund has led it’s owners to fondly refer to them as, “big dogs in small packages.

Ancestry of the Dachshund can be traced back to as early as the 1500’s.

Translating from German to read, “Badger Dog,” the Dachshund’s name accurately depicts this history. It was the stature, stamina, and fearlessness of the breed that led German foresters, gamekeepers, and sportsmen to so highly value and breed these oddly-proportioned dogs for hunting badger and other small vermin.