Dachshund- pronounced DAKS-HUND, not Dash-hound, and it come in three varieties, smooth haired, wirehaired and long haired. They are classified as miniatures if they weigh under 11 pounds, standards if they are over 16 pounds and between 11 and 16 pounds they are called tweenies.
The earliest references to these dogs go back to Ancient Egypt, where there are engravings of short-legged hunting dogs and discoveries of mummified dachshund-like remains in burial urns. However it is understood that the Dachshund was developed in Germany. There are documents mentioning dashsel, badger-creeper and earthdogs and also illustrations of dogs resembling the Dachshund dating back to the 15th and 16th century.
In the 1800’s they were bred for pets rather than hunting, and became popular in the royal courts. Queen Victoria was fond of this breed of dog. It was at this time, the size gradually reduced to under 10 pounds, thus the Miniature Dachshund was developed.
The Dachshund is classified as a scent hound in the USA and Great Britain, but is classified within the terrier group in some other countries. Dachshund literally translates from German, meaning ‘badger dog’. This dog was bred to scent and chase badgers and burrow dwellers, packs of Dachshunds were even used to trail wild boar. In the USA they have been used to hunt prairie dogs and wounded deer.
Due to their association with Germany, a Dachshund name Waldi, was chosen to be the first official mascot for the 1972 summer Olympics in Munich.