Summary :
The Dachshunds, affectionately known as Doxies or Sausage dogs, are famous for their adorable and amusing shape.
However, their long body and short legs are not just to make humans fall in love with them.
Here are some interesting and sometimes surprising facts you didn't know about these adorable fur balls 🐶
1. The famous Sausage Dog comes in 3 sizes
Breeders originally created two different sizes of dachshunds (in the 15th century) :
The standard dachshund and the miniature dachshund.
The standard dachshund can weigh up to 10 kg and is still used for hunting badgers and wild boars. The miniatures weigh up to 6 kg or less.
The latest addition to the breed is a miniature size weighing up to 3.5 kg, which is none other than the kaninchen dachshund (or rabbit dachshund).
All 3 sizes are recognized by the AKC.
2. The Dachshund breed has 3 different coat types
The Wiener dog breed can have three different types of coat : smooth (short-haired), wirehaired, and long haired.
In the past, all Dachshunds had a smooth coat, and this variety of fur is still very popular in breeding.
These beautiful pets also come in a variety of coat colors, ranging from solid to Merle! There is truly something for everyone 😍
Below is an incredible "merle" or "harlequin" longhaired Dachshund.
3. The dog, not the Sausage Dog, came first
Teckels are sometimes called sausage dogs because their long body looks like a hotdog 🌭👀
But would you believe that the original name for the hotdog was dachshund sausage?
This type of sausage was named after the dog breed because of its resemblance. The name was later shortened to "hotdog"!
4. Dachshunds were temporarily renamed during World War I
Dachshunds were associated with Germany during World War I, because they were used in a lot of propaganda and because Emperor Wilhelm II was known for his love of sausage dogs.
This association led to a decline in the breed's popularity in America.
To counteract this effect, the AKC (American Kennel Club) tried to give dachshunds the name "badger dogs," which is the translation of their German name, or "liberty pups."
5. Two Doxies named the World's Oldest Dog
Dachshunds generally live from 12 to 16 years, which is longer than most dog breeds.
Of the 23 dogs that have held the Guinness World Record for the oldest living dog, two were Dachshunds and one was a Dachshund mix.
A Doxie named "Chanel" held the record until 2009 when she passed away at 21 years old. A 20-year-old Dachshund and Terrier mix named "Otto" then held the record until 2010.
In 2013, another sausage dog named "Scolly", who also lived to be 20 years old, held the title 😊
6. The first dog to be cloned in Britain was a Sausage dog
The first successful cloning of a small British dog was a sausage dog named "Winnie".
Winnie's owner entered a contest to win the chance to have her dog cloned, a procedure that usually costs over 60,000 euros.
Scientists took a skin sample from Winnie and created Mini-Winnie. Her owner claims that Mini-Winnie looks exactly like Winnie did when she was a puppy. Mini-Winnie is healthy and expected to live a long life.
According to our research, dog cloning is possible in the USA or South Korea.
7. There are Dachshund Races
Sausage dog races started in Australia in the 1970s and have since spread around the world.
The "Wiener schnitzel Wiener Nationals" have been held annually in Southern California since 1995.
Indeed, it's not a very serious sport since Dachshunds were never bred to be racing dogs (rather hunting dogs), but it's a real pleasure for some owners to see them stretch their legs! 🐶
👉 Don't miss our blog post on the price and cost of Dachshunds, If you'd like to find out more about this unique breed, or welcome one into your family!
The Teckelshop Team - 🧡💚
