'Nothing will turn a man's home into a castle more quickly and effectively than a Dachshund.'
- Queen Victoria
One of the most recognizable dog breeds on Earth, the dachshund is also one of the most
popular.
But how well do you really know them?
Did you know packs of Dachshunds were used to trail wild boar?
Do you have an incredibly cute image in your head now?
Let's discover 10 amusing facts about the adorable wienier dog.
THE DACHSHUND BREED WAS CREATED TO HUNT BADGERS We all love the wiener dog's amusing and unique
body shape, but the breed wasn't bred that way just to maximize cuteness.
Originally bred to hunt badgers, these hounds are shaped to allow easy access in and out
of badger setts, a name given to badger layers.
The name Dachshund comes from the German 'Dachs' meaning 'badger' and 'hund' meaning dog.
According to the American Kennel Club, Americans called the dog 'Badger Dog' during the postwar
years to disassociate the breed from his German origins.
Today their versatility makes them excellent family companions, show dogs, and small-game
hunters.
DACHSHUNDS ARE THE SMALLEST DOG BREED USED FOR HUNTING
Dachshunds are not as tiny as Chihuahuas or Yorkshire terriers, but those other breeds
were never meant for more than companionship.
Dachshunds, who excel at hunting small game, are the smallest of the hound breeds.
Don't let the weiner's cuteness make youunderestimate how scrappy it is.
The American Kennel Club's breed standard even includes this tough-as-nails note: "Inasmuch
as the dachshund is a hunting dog, scars from honorable wounds shall not be considered a
fault."
DACHSHUNDS MAKE GREAT WATCH DOGS
This breed is notorious for being hyper alert.
A dachshund will unleash a gale of barking to let you know when a stranger is at the
door or walking by on the sidewalk or three miles away.
In fact, a 2008 study in the journal Applied Animal Behaviour Science ranked the diminutive
dachshund as the most aggressive of all breeds.
DACHSHUNDS ARE THE 10TH MOST POPULAR DOG BREED IN AMERICA
According to the AKC's registration statistics, the dachshund currently is the 10th most popular
dog breed in the United States.
That position remains the same from the previous year, but it represent a popularity drop from
seventh in 2008 and fifth in 2003.
Will dachshunds fall out of the top 10 this year?
Comment your thoughts below.
DACHSHUNDS WERE QUEEN VICTORIA's belove hounds
Queen Victoria was a dog lover who owned many dogs of different breeds.
Her consort, Prince Albert, introduced her to dachshunds around the time of their marriage
in 1840.
The breed soon became a favorite of the queen, which raised its profile and popularity around
England.
Queen Victoria is even quoted as saying that quote you already saw in the intro.
AMERICAAN WRITER E.B.
WHITE HAD SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT DACHSHUND STUBBORNNESS
The great writer E.B.
White was a lover of dachshunds and wrote frequently about his own Doxie, Fred.
Although his affection for dachshunds is unquestioned, White wrote frankly about the breed's shortcomings
saying, "Being the owner of dachshunds, to me a book on dog discipline becomes a volume
of inspired humor.
Every sentence is a riot."
DACHSHUNDS HAVE INSPIRED THE WORK OF FAMOUS VISUAL ARTISTS
Pablo Picasso was a dog fanatic, and owned several breeds.
His favorite was Lump, a dachshund, whose story is told in the book, "Picasso and Lump:
A Dachshund's Odyssey."
Andy Warhol also was a great fan of dachshunds, although at first he adopted only because
it was what his partner wanted.
But Warhol fell in the love with the breed.
He often was seen in public with his dog, Archie, until he got a second dachshund, Amos,
to keep Archie company.
Both artists incorporated their favorite dog breed into their paintings.
DOXIE'S COME IN THREE SIZES
Many people are so used to seeing a miniature Dachshund, they forget that the standard size
exist, and it can be almost triple the size of the mini.
The mini is usually around 11 pounds and hunted small vermin while the larger, 32-pound dog
hunted the badger.
In Germany, they come in a third size, in between the miniature and the standard.
Another trait people are not always aware of is that the doxie comes in the popular
smooth coat as well as a longhaired and a wire-haired.
All three coats are acceptable in the show ring.
THEY WERE THE FIRST OLYMPIC MASCOT
The very first Olympic mascot in the history of the Games was Waldie a dachshund for the
1972 Munich Olympics.
a German graphic designer created Waldi for the Summer Games.
That year the Olympic marathon route was designed to be in the shape of a dog.
YOU CAN FIND WEINER DOG RACES
Ever wondered where this came from?
They started in the 1970's in Australia, where they raced other breeds as well.
The events are meant to be more fun than anything, since obviously the breed was not bred for
racing.
The Wienerschnitzel Weiner Nationals is held every December in San Diego, California.
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