Pets Hunting

Wednesday, 11 April 2018

Hunting season safety tips for pets

Hunting , Tips
Hunting season safety tips for pets
Fall means hunting season throughout much of the United States. Many animal lovers also love the outdoors. Whether you let your cats out by the woods, go hiking with your dogs, go out hunting with dogs, or live by a hunting area, autumn is a great time to remember how to safely share the woods while protecting pets.
“I experience this conundrum every year,” said Dr. Brian Collins, head of the Community Service Practice at Cornell University’s Hospital for Animals. “I love to hike but I worry about safety in the woods during hunting season. For people whose animals go into the woods or live close to hunting areas, there are several things that can help minimize the risks the season brings.”
Collins offers the following tips:
Outfit your dogs with bright clothing. Many sporting goods stores have blaze orange reflective vests for dogs. In a pinch, tie brightly colored fabric such as bandanas around your dog’s neck
dogDo not let dogs off-leash in areas where hunting or trapping occurs. Shooting mistakes can happen, and some states allow body-gripping traps.
Do not let dogs chase deer regardless of the season. If your dog has this inclination, leashing at all times or reliable voice control is necessary.
Wear a vest or bright clothing yourself. Avoid earth-tones. It is best for both of you to be very visible.
Make sounds when in the woods. Whistle or sing as you walk. If you hear shots, shout to make sure hunters know you’re there.
Consider avoiding hunting areas altogether. Take this opportunity to check out urban parks or take walks through the village and sharpen your dog’s heeling skills. 
If your property borders hunting areas, do not let your dog off-leash in your yard unless they are under close supervision.
Do not let pets eat carcasses. Dogs allowed to roam in hunting areas often find remains of deer carcasses and can become ill from ingesting them.
Consider pets’ fears. Some pets become very anxious from the sound of guns. It’s best to keep such pets away from areas where they’ll hear gunshots. If this occurs near your home your veterinarian may prescribe medication to help keep your friend calm. 

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Hunting dog

Dogs ,
Hunting dog

Spaniels[edit]

Spaniels definitively fall into two types: ones that seek prey in water and others that seek it on land. Spaniels are the oldest class of gundog in existence, going back at least to the late Renaissance. Flushing spaniels combine hunting, flushing, and retrieving skills. Flushing spaniels that are used in the modern field include the Brittany, the English Springer Spaniel, the slightly smaller Welsh Springer Spaniel, and the field bred American and English Cocker Spaniels. The larger two chiefly are used for retrieveing and flushing game in thick grass or mild underbrush, with the Brittany having working habits closest to later developed pointers. Cocker Spaniels are generally used for thick prickly brush that they can duck, dive and dodge in pursuit of smaller game like rabbits, and Clumbers, Sussex, and Field Spaniels are preferred for their slower, methodical hunting pattern.
The American Water Spaniel, Irish Water Spaniel, Kooikerhondje, and the Boykin Spaniel are noted for their water work and do very well in temperate water, with the last being adapted to subtropical swamps. They fall into the water spaniel category. Many of these breeds vary their game according to the desires of the hunter: American Water Spaniels are known to be able to go after animals as big as a large goose in the water or the much smaller prairie chicken out of the water. Boykin Spaniels have a coat more closely adapted to the warmer temperatures of the American South whereas Irish Water Spaniels are adapted for cool, damp conditions, hence the curly coat and whiplike tail of the latter.

Hounds[edit]

Like spaniels, hounds generally fall into two types: Sighthounds and scenthounds. The scenthounds are the younger of the two classes. Typical examples of the scenthound family include the Beagle, Bloodhound, members of the Coonhound family, and the Grand Bleu de Gascogne. There is great variety in how this group operates, but the one constant is having some of the strongest noses in dogdom: Bloodhounds have been used for hundreds of years to track both man and beast, sometimes on trails that have been sitting on the ground for days. Members of the coonhound family were originally bred in the American South, a region with terrain that varies from mountains to forest to swamps, and thus require hounds with very versatile abilities. They are still used to this day to hunt many different kinds of beasts, ranging in size from the squirrel to the American black bear, so accordingly they are bred for great stamina in multiple terrain, on water and land (all are excellent swimmers,) a loud booming bark that can carry for miles, an ability to defend themselves against animals that can fight back violently, an ability to work singly or in packs, and a short coat that pairs well with a humid subtropical climate. Beagles have been bred in the British Isles since at least the 16th century as rabbit and fox hunters who will relentlessly pursue the scent of prey even when it goes to ground and were originally intended to work in large packs: they have a gregarious temperament. A Grand Bleu de Gascogne is a very large breed of scenthound that is also quite old: it was a common dog for noblemen to use in their hunting parties and also was a pack hunter; many scenthounds in France were kept by wealthy men to trail quarry on private estates and today it still sees use for slow, methodical hunts of medium-sized game.
Sighthounds are different from scenthounds in their methods and adaptations. The long, lean head of the sighthound gives it a greater degree of binocular vision, and the body is usually quite slender with an elongated lower spine, giving a double suspension gallop when it runs. In many cases this class is older than the scenthoundgroup: the greyhound, the Scottish Deerhound, and the Saluki have origins going well back into the Middle Ages and earlier. Their speed, agility and visual acuity are particularly adapted for coursing game in open meadows or steppes, and all of them are adapted for running down prey rather than just sniffing for them until they catch up. They are independent in nature, and are worked singly or in a "brace" of two or three dogs. Sighthounds are generally quiet and placid dogs compared to other hunting breeds, but are capable of explosive speed. The Irish Wolfhound, a member of this group, is noted for its very quiet demeanor and love of a good rest by the fireplace, but for hundreds of years it was used for coursing and killing wolves; its long legs would chase the wolf until it was worn out. Rhodesian Ridgebacks are one of the few hound breeds with both capabilities, and, though they are not the fastest runners, they are notable for having exceptionable endurance.

Setters and pointers[edit]

Setters and pointers hunt over long distances to find game birds like members of the pheasant and quail family, using their noses to find the prey and then sneaking up on them in the brush, showing the hunter exactly where the bird is hiding. Most of this family comes from Europe, and would include the Shorthaired, Wirehaired, Shorthaired German Pointers and Weimaraner from Germany, The Viszla from Hungary, Bracco Italiano from Italy, and field bred Irish Setters, Irish Red and White Setters, English Pointers, English Setters, and Gordon Setters from the British Isles. Many in this group share traits with spaniels in terms of the coat they have: it is easier to pick out bits of nettle from a long coat than a short one and the coat itself offers some protection from damp and thorny conditions.

Water dogs[edit]

Water dogs fall into two categories for hunting: the retrievers and multi-purpose. Retrievers are excellent swimmers with characteristic webbed feet, and many derive from either Canadian, American, or British stock. Retrievers typically have oily coats that help repel icy water, and are noted for having high intelligence and being very strongly bonded to their masters. The Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever is very unusual in the fact that it "tolls"-plays around in the hopes of attracting the attention of waterfowl from above and then letting its master shoot the bird, whence it retrieves it and goes back in the blind. It's long silky double coat is ideal for brushy locations hunters hide in for waterfowl. Golden Retrievers are originally from Scotland: their long, flowing, blonde double coats make them ideally suited to Scotland's rainy wet climate and their patience on land and in water is the stuff of legend; they shall wait for a bird for hours and will obey their master so long as master rewards him with fond affection. Curly Coated Retrievers were bred in England for both upland bird hunting and for still water retrieval, and are noted for being very stubborn even if the weather is wet, windy, and cold: they simply will not leave the field until they have found the goose and brought it back to master.
Chesapeake Bay Retrievers, very popular in the United States, are brown dogs bred to jump in water after ducks and geese even when there is a coating of ice over the water-they have deep chests meant to act as a jackknife that will cut through it when they swim. In their native Maryland and Virginia they are a common sight at the beach merrily playing in the surf as they were bred for both salt water and freshwater conditions: when it is summertime and out of season for hunting, they make excellent lifeguards of master's children when the young ones are learning to swim in the tide. Most famous of all is the Labrador, native to an island in Maritime Canada but popular around the world: the field type Labrador has longer legs and a slimmer frame than the bulkier show type that is better known in Britain, but both show signs of being attracted to water from puppyhood. Like the Chesapeake, in addition to their use as a duck season gundog, they are used in lifeguard rescue since both are strong enough swimmers to withstand riptides and undertows and both were bred for swimming in both salt and fresh water.
Book of the Hunt, Gaston III, Count of Foix, 1387–88.
Other water dogs are multipurpose hunters. Standard Poodles fall into the water dog category because they originally were used by wealthy Germans to hunt ducks; they predate most types of water dogs. Today there are kennels in the United States and Canada that have revived the breed for this purpose, with the dogs proving adept hunters at flushing bobwhite quail and common pheasant and achieving very high ranks in competitions, sometimes beating the more popular Labrador Retriever. They are highly intelligent, second only to Border Collies in rank in overall aptitude, and hunters must be very specific in indicating what they want when giving commands: they cannot be trained by conventional means and require very concrete signals to indicate what is desired so they won't attempt to solve the puzzle themselves and forget to follow all the checkpoints. They are excellent swimmers whose coat requires a simple bath after a swim and a simple cut about an inch off the skin rather than the impractical show clips; they have a gentle temperament and an eagerness to learn that makes them very easy to train and like most water dogs they live in the house with their master and his family. Portuguese Water Dogs are medium-sized dogs that will retrieve just about anything from the water and have a strong instinct to swim, plus they will guard whatever quarry a hunter keeps: they are one of the only water dogs that were bred to hunt fish.

Terriers[edit]

Terriers were bred to kill, and are one of the few hunting dogs that have worked in urban environments: many terriers of English, Scottish, and Irish extraction were extremely popular for killing vermin. Some weighed only 15-20 pounds and were easy to keep in small apartments. Unlike many other hunters, this group did not exclusively work in rural areas: rats were rampant in Victorian era London, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Dublin, Birmingham, Belfast, and Glasgow, and poisons had marginal effects: the rats bred in the dirty conditions of these cities faster than traps could be laid. It became very profitable for working-class men to have a profession where they trained small dogs to sniff out and kill as many rats as they could as fast as they could. They required dogs that had very fast reflexes, had a high tolerance for pain (rat bites are painful), and a ruthless never say die attitude. They also required dogs that had more than one type of coat depending on the work needed, but both had to be low maintenance: Cairn terriers, a breed from Scotland, have a waterproof coat with a harder outer layer and a softer inner layer that was ideal in cool and damp conditions. It would have been an excellent breed for hunting rats in a laird's stable and only required a clipping once a month. The Jack Russell Terrier comes in two coats, one long and wiry and the other short: the short coated variety spent more time underground doing battle with badgers and foxes and did not need the wiry hair as much as it would be taken out of the hunter's saddle bag at the last moment to seek its prey.
In fox hunting, they are often paired with hounds should prey go to ground, since most breeds of terrier will pull the fox out of its hole and never back down until its master calls it off. Members of the bull and terrier subfamily are used in the United States and Australia for the hunting of feral pigs, often paired with scenthounds - their job is to wait until the hounds have found the pig and thereafter to charge at it in an explosion of strength and stamina, throwing themselves at the pig and keeping it busy until the hunter comes to kill it. From their terrier ancestors they get great courage, lightning fast reflexes, and great stamina that enables them to run for miles without getting tired. They are bred to have a loyal heart that will protect their master and the other dogs from the razor sharp tusks of an adult boar and the bulldog blood of their ancestors is considered to promote a bite that does not let go.
Wild Boar and hunting dog on a Roman relief
Though some use this powerful subfamily for illegal dogfighting, they are noted for having incredible loyalty to their master and will do anything for the love of master and master's family, even the children: an attempt to harm the family of bull and terrier type dogs is a grave mistake, as its heart and soul is rooted in its home and family. Because it is such a powerful combination it is paramount that dogs of this type be trained with a firm but kind hand that lets the dog know when to apply the brakes. A dog of this type showing proper temperament is a dog that has a nature of satin and steel: ruthless and relentless in the field, but quite content to sit in the same chair with master or friends and be petted and fussed over; unlike hounds and some other hunting breeds these dogs do very poorly if left in a kennel by themselves and are normally kept in the home with the hunter's family. So long as they are loved, properly trained, and well cared for, they will reward their master or any of master's family by never backing down easily if they sense danger or if the boar is about to charge or hurt their beloved humans or other members of the pack, even if injured. The Old English Bulldog itself is believed to be the descendant of the medieval Alaunt, a boarhound, and thus in the Southeastern United States it is very common to see its two descendants, the American Pitbull Terrier, and the American Bulldog, working side by side in Kevlar vests pursuing a furious boar for hours in a swamp.
This ancient mosaic, likely Roman, shows a large dog with a collar hunting a lion

Molossers[edit]

Some hunting dogs are used primarily to aid in the hunt for large members of the cat family (felids) such as lion in the Old World and cougar in the New World. A pack may be used either, to track the animal and keep it at bay—which combines both giving voice to the sound known as baying, and surrounding and confining the animal—or, they may be expected to engage the animal in combat and seize it, in the manner of the catch dogs used in boar hunting, until the huntsmen have the opportunity to dispatch it. This dual function means that the dogs are of essentially molosser type and are among the largest of all hunting dogs.

Lion hunters[edit]

Rhodesian Ridgeback
It is thought that in ancient times Assyrian mastiffs were used to hunt Lions and in Roman times mastiffs from Britain were put into combat against them. In the quotation, “...deemed worthy to enter the Roman amphitheatreand in the presence of the masters of the world, encounter the pard and assail even the lord of the savage tribes, whose courage was sublimed by torrid suns, and found none gallant enough to oppose him on the deserts of Zaara or the plains of Numidia.",[1] the “lord of the savage tribes” is thought to refer to the lion. The practice of lion-baiting also occurred as late as the 19th century in England, using Old English Bulldogs and Staffordshire Bull Terriers.[2][unreliable source?]The breed most associated with lion hunting is the Rhodesian Ridgeback,[3] an African breed whose history began in the 18th century, when the first European settlers bred their own dogs with dogs domesticated by Khoisan tribes that had a ridge of hair along their backs. Though the resulting dogs were undoubtably used to bay lions, the 2008 Rhodesian Ridgeback World Congress took the view that in its early use, the Ridgeback was more a "hunter's/farmer's ox-wagon dog" than a "lion dog”, and had a general guarding and hunting role, including the hunting of birds. They have also been used to hunt other felids such as cheetahs and leopards.[4][unreliable source?]

Panther dog[edit]

Aaron Hall (1828-1892), hunter, breeder of the panther dog
The "panther dog" was a Pennsylvanian crossbreed dog developed in the 19th century by Aaron Hall to hunt cougars, for which “panther” was a colloquial name. It was the only breed known to have been specifically bred for hunting cougars and is now extinct. Henry W. Shoemaker wrote of it in 1907:
Packs of panther dogs would soon spring up in the mountainous settlements, and the breeding of these animals would give an impetus to the canine industry in these regions. SMALL "game bred" bulldogs ARE SAID TO BE THE BEST for this purpose. Although many prefer the ordinary whippet or "fice". Aaron Hall, the "Lion Hunter of the Juniata", slayer of fifty panthers in Pennsylvania between 1845 and 1869, bred a race of panther dogs. They were part bulldog, part bloodhound, part Newfoundland, and part mastiff. They were so large that C. K. Sober, of Lewisburg, former State Game Commissioner, when on a visit to Hall at his hunting cabin on Rock Run, Centre County, was able to ride on the back of one of them. They were trained to hunt in pairs, and when the quarry was overtaken, to seize it by the ears on either side, holding the monster until the hunter appeared. With Hall's death, in 1892, this interesting breed of dog was allowed to become extinct.
— Henry W. Shoemaker, [5]
As of 2018, the hunting of cougars using dogs is permitted within the designated removal areas in the United States.[6]
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Dachshund

Hunting , Types
Dachshund
"Wiener-Dog" redirects here. For the 2016 American comedy film, see Wiener-Dog (film).
Dachshund
Short-haired-Dachshund.jpg
A red, smooth, standard-sized dachshund
Common nicknamesTeckel (BNL/FR/GER), Dackel (GER), Weenie Dog (US) (S.Am.), Wiener Dog/Hotdog (US), Sausage Dog (UK/US/AUS/ZA), Salsichinha (BR), Bassotto (I), Sosis (TR), Perro Salchicha (ES/MX), Worshond (ZA), Taksis (LV), Jamnik (PL), Badger Dog (literal translation), Tax (SE), Такса (Taksa) (UA)
OriginGermany
[hide]Traits
Litter size4–8
Life span12.7 years (median age)[1]
[hide]Classification / standards
FCIGroup 4, Section 1 Dachshunds #148standard
AKCHoundstandard
ANKCGroup 4 – (Hounds)[miniature wire-hairedstandard]
CKCHounds
NZKC[long-haired
smooth-haired
wire-haired
miniature long-haired
miniature smooth-haired
miniature wire-hairedstandard]
UKCScenthound Breedsstandard
Domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris)
The dachshund (UK: /ˈdæksənd/ or US: /ˈdɑːkshʊnt/ DAHKS-huunt or /ˈdɑːksənt/[2]) (English badger dog) is a short-legged, long-bodied, hound-type dog breed.
The standard size dachshund was developed to scent, chase, and flush out badgers and other burrow-dwelling animals, while the miniature dachshund was bred to hunt smaller prey such as rabbits. In the United States, they have also been used to track wounded deer and hunt prairie dogs.
Dachshunds also participate in conformation shows, field trials and many other events organized through pure-bred dog organizations such as the American Kennel Club (AKC). According to the AKC, the dachshund is ranked in 13th place in popularity amongst dog breeds in the United States.[3]

Etymology[edit]

A smooth dachshund
A standard long-haired dachshund
A black and tan miniature dachshund
The name "dachshund" is of German origin and literally means "badger dog," from Dachs ("European badger") and Hund("hound, dog"). The pronunciation varies widely in English: variations of the first and second syllables include /ˈdɑːks-/, /ˈdæks-/ and /-hʊnt/, /-hʊnd/, /-ənd/. Although "dachshund" is a German word, in modern German they are more commonly known by the name Dackel or, among hunters, Teckel. The German word is pronounced [ˈdakshʊnt].[4]
Because of their long, narrow build, they are often nicknamed wiener dog or sausage dog. "Dachshund" may be erroneously pronounced and/or spelled "dash hound," "dash-hound," or "dashound" by some English speakers.

Classification[edit]

While classified in the hound group or scent hound group in the United States and Great Britain, the breed actually has its own group in the countries which belong to the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (World Canine Federation).[5] Many dachshunds, especially the wire-haired subtype, may exhibit behavior and appearance that are similar to that of the terriergroup of dogs.[6] An argument can be made for the scent (or hound) group classification because the breed was developed to use scent to trail and hunt animals, and probably descended from the Saint Hubert Hound like many modern scent hound breed such as bloodhounds and Basset Hounds; but with the persistent personality and love for digging that probably developed from the terrier, it can also be argued that they could belong in the terrier, or "earth dog", group.[6]

Characteristics[edit]

Appearance[edit]

A wire-haired dachshund
A typical dachshund is long-bodied and muscular with short, stubby legs. Its front paws are unusually large and paddle-shaped for extreme digging. It has skin that is loose enough not to tear while tunneling in tight burrows to chase prey. The dachshund has a deep chest that provides increased lung capacity for stamina when hunting prey underground. Its snout is long with an increased nose area that absorbs odors.[7] In as much as the Dachshund is a hunting dog, scars from honorable wounds shall not be considered a fault.[8]

Coat and color[edit]

A redhaired miniature dachshund
There are three dachshund coat varieties: smooth coat (short hair), longhaired, and wirehaired.[9] Longhaired dachshunds have a silky coat and short featherings on legs and ears. Wirehaired dachshunds are the least common coat variety in the US (it is the most common in Germany) and the most recent coat to appear in breeding standards.[9] Dachshunds have a wide variety of colors and patterns, the most common one being red. Their base coloration can be single-colored (either red or cream), tan pointed (black and tan, chocolate and tan, blue and tan, or Isabella and tan), and in wirehaired dogs, a color referred to as wildboar. Patterns such as dapple (merle), sable, brindle and piebald also can occur on any of the base colors. Dachshunds in the same litter may be born in different coat colors depending on the genetic makeup of the parents. The dominant color in the breed is red, followed by black and tan. Tan pointed dogs have tan (or cream) markings over the eyes, ears, paws, and tail. The reds range from coppers to deep rusts, with or without somewhat common black hairs peppered along the back, face and ear edges, lending much character and an almost burnished appearance; this is referred to among breeders and enthusiasts as an "overlay" or "sabling". Sabling should not be confused with a more unusual coat color referred to as sable. At a distance, a sable dachshund looks somewhat like a black and tan dog. Upon closer examination, however, one can observe that along the top of the dog's body, each hair is actually banded with red at the base near the skin transitioning to mostly black along the length of the strand. An additional striking coat marking is the brindle pattern. "Brindle" refers to dark stripes over a solid background—usually red. If a dachshund is brindled on a dark coat and has tan points, it will have brindling on the tan points only. Even one single, lone stripe of brindle is a brindle. If a dachshund has one single spot of dapple, it is a dapple.
The Dachshund Club of America (DCA) and the American Kennel Club (AKC) consider both the piebald pattern and the double dapple (double merle) pattern to be nonstandard. However, both types continue to be shown and sometimes even win in the conformation ring.
Dogs that are double-dappled have the merle pattern of a dapple, but with distinct white patches that occur when the dapple gene expresses itself twice in the same area of the coat. The DCA excluded the wording "double-dapple" from the standard in 2007 and now strictly use the wording "dapple" as the double dapple gene is commonly responsible for blindness and deafness.
  • There are three types of dachshund, which can be classified by their coats: short-haired, called 'smooth'; long-haired; and wire-haired
  • A wirehaired dachshund
    •  
  • A smooth dachshund
    •  
  • A longhaired dachshund
  • Examples of different types of dapple patterning
  • Black and Tan Dapple dachshund.
    •  
  • Black and tan double dapple smooth-haired miniature dachshund with one blue eye and one brown eye
    •  
  • A double dapple longhaired dachshund
A black and tan miniature dachshund with brindle markings

Size[edit]

Dachshunds come in three sizes: standard, miniature,[9] and kaninchen (German for "rabbit"). Although the standard and miniature sizes are recognized almost universally, the rabbit size is not recognized by clubs in the United States and the United Kingdom. The rabbit size is recognized by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (World Canine Federation) (FCI), which contain kennel clubs from 83 countries all over the world.[10] An increasingly common size for family pets falls between the miniature and the standard size, frequently referred to as "tweenies," not an official classification.[11]
A full-grown standard dachshund averages 16 lb (7.3 kg) to 32 lb (15 kg), while the miniature variety normally weighs less than 12 lb (5.4 kg).[9] The kaninchen weighs 8 lb (3.6 kg) to 11 lb (5.0 kg). According to kennel club standards, the miniature (and kaninchen, where recognized) differs from the full-size only by size and weight, thus offspring from miniature parents must never weigh more than the miniature standard to be considered a miniature as well.[9] While many kennel club size divisions use weight for classification, such as the American Kennel Club, other kennel club standards determine the difference between the miniature and standard by chest circumference; some kennel clubs, such as in Germany, even measure chest circumference in addition to height and weight.[12]
H. L. Mencken said that "A dachshund is a half-dog high and a dog-and-a-half long,"[13] although they have been referred to as "two dogs long".[14] This characteristic has led them to be quite a recognizable breed, and they are featured in many a joke and cartoon, particularly The Far Side by Gary Larson.[15]

Eye color[edit]

Red piebald long hair miniature dachshund puppy
Light-colored dachshunds can sport amber, light brown, or green eyes; however, kennel club standards state that the darker the eye color, the better. They can also have eyes of two different colors; however, this is only found in dapple and double dapple dachshunds.[16] Dachshunds can have a blue and a brown eye. Blue eyes, partially blue eyes, or a blue eye and a brown eye are called "wall" coloring, and are considered a non-desirable trait in kennel club standards. Dappled eyes are also possible.
Wall-eye is permissible according to DCA standards. Piebald-patterned dachshunds will never have blue in their eyes, unless the dapple pattern is present.

Temperament[edit]

Dachshunds are playful, but as hunting dogs can be quite stubborn,[17] and are known for their propensity for chasing small animals, birds, and tennis balls with great determination and ferocity.[18][19][20] Many dachshunds are stubborn, making them a challenge to train.[19][21][22][23][24]
Being the owner of dachshunds, to me a book on dog discipline becomes a volume of inspired humor. Every sentence is a riot. Some day, if I ever get a chance, I shall write a book, or warning, on the character and temperament of the dachshund and why he can't be trained and shouldn't be. I would rather train a striped zebra to balance an Indian club than induce a dachshund to heed my slightest command. When I address Fred I never have to raise either my voice or my hopes. He even disobeys me when I instruct him in something he wants to do.
— E. B. White[25][26]
Dachshunds are statistically more aggressive to both strangers and other dogs.[27] Despite this, they are rated in the intelligence of dogs as an average working dog with a persistent ability to follow trained commands 50% of the time or more.[28] They rank 49th in Stanley Coren's Intelligence of Dogs, being of average working and obedience intelligence. They can have a loud bark. Some bark quite a lot and may need training to stop, while others will not bark much at all.[19][20] Dachshunds are known for their devotion and loyalty to their owners,[20][29] though they can be standoffish towards strangers.[18] If left alone, many dachshunds will whine until they have companionship. Like many dogs if left alone too frequently, some dachshunds are prone to separation anxiety and may chew objects in the house to relieve stress.
Dachshunds are burrowers by nature and are likely to burrow in blankets and other items around the house, when bored or tired.
Mini dachshund displaying typical burrowing behavior
Dachshunds can be difficult to housebreak, and patience and consistency is often needed in this endeavor.[19][21][21][30]
Dachshund puppy
A climbing dachshund
According to the American Kennel Club's breed standards, "the dachshund is clever, lively and courageous to the point of rashness, persevering in above and below ground work, with all the senses well-developed. Any display of shyness is a serious fault."[31] Their temperament and body language give the impression that they do not know or care about their relatively small size. Like many small hunting dogs, they will challenge a larger dog. Indulged dachshunds may become snappy or extremely obstinate.[19][21][32]
Many dachshunds do not like unfamiliar people, and many will growl or bark at them.[18][33] Although the dachshund is generally an energetic dog, some are sedate. This dog's behavior is such that it is not the dog for everyone. A bored, untrained dachshund will become destructive.[18] If raised improperly and not socialized at a young age, dachshunds can become aggressive or fearful.[19] They require a caring, loving owner who understands their need for entertainment and exercise.
Dachshunds may not be the best pets for small children. Like any dog, dachshunds need a proper introduction at a young age. Well trained dachshunds and well behaved children usually get along fine. Otherwise, they may be aggressive and bite an unfamiliar child, especially one that moves quickly around them or teases them.[19][20][21] However, many dachshunds are very tolerant and loyal to children within their family, but these children should be mindful of the vulnerability of the breed's back.
A 2008 University of Pennsylvania study of 6,000 dog owners who were interviewed indicated that dogs of smaller breeds were more likely to be "genetically predisposed towards aggressive behaviour". Dachshunds were rated the most aggressive, with 20% having bitten strangers, as well as high rates of attacks on other dogs and their owners. The study noted that attacks by small dogs were unlikely to cause serious injuries and because of this were probably under-reported.[34][35]

Health[edit]

Two dachshund puppies
The breed is prone to spinal problems, especially intervertebral disk disease (IVDD), due in part to an extremely long spinal column and short rib cage.[36] The risk of injury may be worsened by obesity, jumping, rough handling, or intense exercise, which place greater strain on the vertebrae. About 20–25% of Dachshunds will develop IVDD.[37]
Treatment consists of combinations of crate confinement and courses of anti-inflammatory medications (steroids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like carprofen and meloxicam), or chronic pain medications, like tramadol. Serious cases may require surgery to remove the troublesome disk contents.[38] A dog may need the aid of a cart to get around if paralysis occurs.
A new minimally invasive procedure called "percutaneous laser disk ablation" has been developed at the Oklahoma State University Veterinary Hospital.[39] Originally, the procedure[40] was used in clinical trials[40] only on dachshunds that had suffered previous back incidents. Since dachshunds are prone to back issues, the goal is to expand this treatment to dogs in a normal population.
In addition to back problems, the breed is also prone to patellar luxation which is where the kneecap can become dislodged.[41]Dachshunds may also be affected by Osteogenesis imperfecta (brittle bone disease). The condition seems to be mainly limited to wire-haired Dachshunds, with 17% being carriers.[42] A genetic test is available to allow breeders to avoid breeding carriers to carriers. In such pairings, each puppy will have a 25% chance of being affected.[43]
In some double dapples, there are varying degrees of vision and hearing loss, including reduced or absent eyes.[44] Not all double dapples have problems with their eyes and/or ears, which may include degrees of hearing loss, full deafness, malformed ears, congenital eye defects, reduced or absent eyes, partial or full blindness, or varying degrees of both vision and hearing problems; but heightened problems can occur due to the genetic process in which two dapple genes cross, particularly in certain breeding lines. Dapple genes, which are dominant genes, are considered "dilution" genes, meaning whatever color the dog would have originally carried is lightened, or diluted, randomly; two dominant "dilution" genes can cancel each other out, or "cross", removing all color and producing a white recessive gene, essentially a white mutation.[45] When occurring genetically within the eyes or ears, this white mutation can be detrimental to development, causing hearing or vision problems.
Other dachshund health problems include hereditary epilepsy,[46] granulomatous meningoencephalitis, dental issues, Cushing's syndrome, thyroid[46] and autoimmune problems,[47] various allergies[48] and atopies, and various eye conditions including cataracts, glaucoma, progressive retinal atrophy,[46] corneal ulcers, nonucerative corneal disease, sudden acquired retinal degeneration, and cherry eye. Dachshunds are also 2.5 times more likely than other breeds of dogs to develop patent ductus arteriosus, a congenital heart defect. Dilute color dogs (Blue, Isabella, and Cream) are very susceptible to Color Dilution Alopecia, a skin disorder that can result in hair loss and extreme sensitivity to sun. Since the occurrence and severity of these health problems is largely hereditary, breeders are working to eliminate these.

Inbreeding depression[edit]

Factors influencing the litter size of puppies and the proportion of stillborn puppies per litter were analyzed in normally sized German dachshunds.[49] The records analyzed contained data on 42,855 litters. It was found that as the inbreeding coefficient increased, litter size decreased and the percentage of stillborn puppies increased, thus indicating inbreeding depression. It was also found that young and older dams had smaller litter sizes and more stillborn puppies than middle-aged dams.

History[edit]

Old-style dachshund showing the longer legs
Illustration of dachshund baying a European badger
Some writers and dachshund experts[50] have theorized that the early roots of the dachshund go back to ancient Egypt, where engravings were made featuring short-legged hunting dogs.[51] Recent discoveries by the American University in Cairo of mummified dachshund-like dogs from ancient Egyptian burial urns may lend credibility to this theory.[citation needed] In its modern incarnation, the dachshund is a creation of German breeders and includes elements of German, French, and English hounds and terriers. Dachshunds have been kept by royal courts all over Europe, including that of Queen Victoria, who was particularly enamored of the breed.[52]
The first verifiable references to the dachshund, originally named the "Dachs Kriecher" ("badger crawler") or "Dachs Krieger" ("badger warrior"), came from books written in the early 18th century.[53] Prior to that, there exist references to "badger dogs" and "hole dogs", but these likely refer to purposes rather than to specific breeds. The original German dachshunds were larger than the modern full-size variety, weighing between 14 and 18 kg (31 and 40 lb), and originally came in straight-legged and crook-legged varieties (the modern dachshund is descended from the latter). Though the breed is famous for its use in exterminating badgers and badger-baiting, dachshunds were also commonly used for rabbit and fox hunting, for locating wounded deer, and in packs were known to hunt game as large as wild boar and as fierce as the wolverine.[citation needed]
There are huge differences of opinion as to when dachshunds were specifically bred for their purpose of badger hunting, as the American Kennel Club states the dachshund was bred in the 15th century, while the Dachshund Club of America states that foresters bred the dogs in the 18th or 19th century.
Double-dapple dachshunds, which are prone to eye disease, blindness, or hearing problems, are generally believed to have been introduced to the United States between 1879 and 1885.[54][55]
The flap-down ears and famous curved tail of the dachshund have deliberately been bred into the dog. In the case of the ears, this is to keep grass seeds, dirt, and other matter from entering the ear canal. The curved tail is dual-purposed: to be seen more easily in long grass and, in the case of burrowing dachshunds, to help haul the dog out if it becomes stuck in a burrow.[7]The smooth-haired dachshund, the oldest style, may be a cross between the German Shorthaired Pointer, a Pinscher, and a Bracke (a type of bloodhound), or to have been produced by crossing a short Bruno Jura Hound with a pinscher.[24] Others believe it was a cross from a miniature French pointer and a pinscher; others claim that it was developed from the St. Hubert Hound, also a bloodhound, in the 18th century,[56] and still others believe that they were descended from Basset Hounds, based upon their scent abilities and general appearance.[50]
The exact origins of the dachshund are therefore unknown. According to William Loeffler, from The American Book of the Dog (1891), in the chapter on dachshunds: "The origin of the Dachshund is in doubt, our best authorities disagreeing as to the beginning of the breed."[50] What can be agreed on, however, is that the short-haired dachshund gave rise to both the long-haired and the wire-haired varieties.
There are two theories about how the standard longhair dachshund came about. One theory is that smooth Dachshunds would occasionally produce puppies which had slightly longer hair than their parents. By selectively breeding these animals, breeders eventually produced a dog which consistently produced longhair offspring, and the longhair dachshund was born. Another theory is that the standard longhair dachshund was developed by breeding smooth dachshunds with various land and water spaniels. The long-haired dachshund may be a cross among any of the small dog breeds in the spaniel group, including the German Stoberhund, and the smooth-haired dachshund.[24]
The wire-haired dachshund, the last to develop, was bred in the late 19th century. There is a possibility the wire-haired dachshund was a cross between the smooth dachshund and various hard-coated terriers and wire-haired pinschers, such as the Schnauzer, the Dandie Dinmont Terrier, the German Wirehaired Pointer, or perhaps the Scottish Terrier.[24][57]

Symbol of Germany[edit]

Dachshunds have traditionally been viewed as a symbol of Germany. Political cartoonists commonly used the image of the dachshund to ridicule Germany.[58] During World War I the dachshunds' popularity in the United States plummeted because of this association. As a result, they were often called "liberty hounds" by their owners similar to "liberty cabbage" becoming a term for sauerkraut mostly in North America.[59] The stigma of the association was revived to a lesser extent during World War II, though it was comparatively short-lived. Kaiser Wilhelm II and German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel were known for keeping dachshunds.
Due to the association of the breed with Germany, as well as its popularity among dog keepers in Munich, the dachshund was chosen to be the first official mascot for the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, with the name Waldi.[60]

Sports[edit]

A short haired dachshund in organized race
Some people train and enter their dachshund to compete in dachshund races, such as the Wiener Nationals. Several races across the United States routinely draw several thousand attendees, including races in Germantown, Tennessee; Bossier City, Louisiana; Buda, Texas; Davis, California; Phoenix, Arizona; Los Alamitos, California; Findlay, Ohio; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Kansas City, Kansas; Palo Alto, California; and Shakopee, Minnesota. There is also an annual dachshund run in Kennywood, located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, called the Wiener 100, and in Huntington, West Virginiacalled the Dachshund Dash.
Despite the popularity of these events, the Dachshund Club of America opposes "wiener racing", as many greyhound tracks use the events to draw large crowds to their facilities. The DCA is also worried about potential injuries to dogs, due to their predisposition to back injuries. Another favorite sport is earthdog trials, in which dachshunds enter tunnels with dead ends and obstacles attempting to locate an artificial bait or live but caged and protected rats.[61]

Dackel versus Teckel[edit]

In Germany, dachshunds are widely called Dackel (both singular and plural). Among hunters, they are mainly referred to as Teckel. There are kennels which specialize in breeding hunting dachshunds, the so-called jagdliche Leistungszucht ("hunting performance breed") or Gebrauchshundezucht ("working dog breed"), as opposed to breeding family dogs. Therefore, it is sometimes incorrectly believed that Teckel is either a name for the hunting breed or a mark for passing the test for a trained hunting dog (called "VGP", "Verband-Gebrauchsprüfung") in Germany.[62]

Popularity[edit]

Dachshunds are one of the most popular dogs in the United States, ranking 13th in the 2016 AKC registration statistics.[63] They are popular with urban and apartment dwellers, ranking among the top ten most popular breeds in 76 of 190 major US cities surveyed by the AKC.[64] One will find varying degrees of organized local dachshund clubs in most major American cities, including New York, New Orleans, Portland, Los Angeles, and Chicago.
  • In Art
  • Die Dackelfamilie mit Jäger und Magd (The Dachshund family with Hunter and maid) by Adolf Eberle
    •  
  • Jean-Baptiste Oudry – Dachshund with Gun and Dead Game, 1740
    •  
  • How will it end? Wie wird es enden? c. 1900.
    •  
  • German postcard with inscription "This beer belongs to my master!" c. 1900.

Notable dogs and owners[edit]

  • John F. Kennedy bought a dachshund puppy while touring Europe in 1937 for his then girlfriend Olivia. The puppy, named Dunker, never left Germany after Kennedy started to get terrible allergies.[65]
  • Grover Cleveland, the 22nd and 24th President, had a dachshund in the White House.[66]
  • William Randolph Hearst was an avid lover of dachshunds. When his own dachshund Helena died, he eulogized her in his "In The News" column.[67]
  • Fred, E.B. White's dachshund, appeared in many of his famous essays.[68]
  • Lump, the pet of Pablo Picasso, who was thought to have inspired some of his artwork. (Pronounced: loomp; German for "Rascal") Picasso & Lump: A Dachshund's Odyssey tells the story of Picasso and Lump.
  • Jack Ruby, the killer of Lee Harvey Oswald, had a dachshund named Sheba, which he often referred to as his wife.[69] At the time he committed his infamous murder, he had four of them—although he once had as many as ten.[69]
  • Andy Warhol had a pair of dachshunds, Archie and Amos, whom he depicted in his paintings and mentioned frequently in his diaries.[70]
  • Stanley and Boodgie, immortalized on canvas by owner David Hockney, and published in the book David Hockney's Dog Days.[71]
  • Wadl and Hexl, Kaiser Wilhelm II's famous ferocious pair. Upon arriving at Archduke Franz Ferdinand's country seat, château Konopiště, on a semi-official visit, they promptly proceeded to do away with one of the Austro-Hungarian heir presumptive's priceless golden pheasants, thereby almost causing an international incident.[72] Another one of his beloved dachshunds, Senta, is currently buried at Huis Doorn, Wilhelm's manor in the Netherlands.[73]
  • Former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld was asked, in 2003, whether he has duct tape, plastic sheeting, and a three-day supply of bottled water at home. He replied, "I would like to say I did. I don't believe we do. But I do have a miniature dachshund named Reggie who looks out for us."[74]
  • In Zelenogorsk, Russia, a parade of Dachshunds pass by a Dachshund monument every July 25th to commemorate the day the city was founded.[75]
  • Joe was the dachshund of General Claire Lee Chennault, commander of the Flying Tigers and then the China Air Task Force of the US Army Air Forces, and became the mascot of those organizations.[76]
  • Maxie, a dachshund owned by actress Marie Prevost, tried to awaken his dead mistress, who was found with small bites on her legs. Maxie's barking eventually summoned neighbours to the scene. The incident inspired the 1977 Nick Lowe song "Marie Prevost".[77]
  • Liliane Kaufmann, wife of Edgar J. Kaufmann who commissioned the home Fallingwater from Frank Lloyd Wright in 1935, was a well known breeder and owner of long-haired dachshunds. At the Fallingwater bookstore, visitors are able to purchase a book titled "Moxie" which is about one of the dachshunds who lived at Fallingwater.[78] Liliane raised long haired dachshunds and they travelled from Pittsburgh to Bear Run with her.[79]
  • Obie is a dachshund who became infamous for his obesity, weighing as much as 77 pounds (35 kilograms), more than twice a normal-weight standard dachshund.[80][81] He reached his target weight of 28 lb (13 kg) in July 2013.[82]
  • Carole Lombard and Clark Gable had a dachshund named Commissioner.[83]
  • Crusoe the Celebrity Dachshund is a social media sensation. Crusoe has over 2 million likes on Facebook and over 84 million views on Youtube.[84] [85] In 2015, Crusoe came out with his New York Times best-selling book titled "Crusoe: Adventures of the Wiener Dog Extraordinaire!". [86] At the 9th annual Shorty Awards, Crusoe won the best animal category. [
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