Dachshund

The droopy-eared dachshund (pronounced  DAHKS hoont) is so long and low that it is often jokingly called a sausage dog—half-a-dog high and two dogs long.

The dachshund’s low-slung shape was developed long ago in German for “badger hound.”  Tracking badgers and then wiggling into their dens to draw them out was its business.

A long body and short, sturdy legs, with feet well suited for digging, made the dachshund ideal for this job.  Smaller-sized dachshunds were used for digging rabbits out of their burrows.  The original dachshund from Germany was smooth-haired.

Today, you can see dachshunds with long, silky hair and rough-coated, wire-haired dachshunds, as well as the tiny miniature dachshunds.  The dachshund’s loving nature and shrewd intelligence has made them hang and alert dog a popular pet. – Dick Rogers

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