DACH HUND

OVERVIEW
Dachshunds are long-standing members of the Dog World, with evidence that dogs of the dachshund type were known in Ancient times. It is generally accepted that the breed, much as we presently know it today, was developed in Germany between the 15th and 18th Centuries. The word “Dachshund” means “Badger Dog”, and they were primarily used for the hunting of the Badger. They are also known as “Teckels” throughout Europe and as “Dackels” in Germany. The breeds were well established by the late 1800’s and German Pedigrees have been recorded as far back as 1859.
The characteristic long and low form of the Dachshund is ideally suited for work both in dens and tracking through underbrush. Their ability to go both forwards and backwards in a crouching position combined with their sturdy bodies, strong jaws and powerful scissors bite, allows them to excel at bringing the Badger, Fox or other quarry from their dens. This is known as “going-to-ground”. Although the Dachshund is no longer used for hunting Badgers, there are still “Den Matches” at specialty shows which challenge the Dachshund by “going-to-ground” to catch their quarry in man-made tunnels with tight turns in them and their “quarry” safe in a rat cage at the end of the tunnel - these events are done with great enthusiasm on both the Dachshund’s part and the owners of these dogs. Dachshunds were also used to hunt Wild Boar and other game through dense undergrowth, and are still used today by hunters and guides to track wounded game animals such as Deer and Bear.
Specialization took place, with the larger Standard Dachshunds being used for Badger and Boar, while the smaller dogs hunted hare and rabbits. Smaller dogs became known as “Zwergteckels” (Dwarf Dachshunds), and the smallest ones as Kaninchenteckels”(Rabbit Dachshunds). In Canada and many other Countries the two smaller sizes have been combined together as the Miniature Dachshund.
Both the smooth-haired and the long-haired Dachshunds have existed since the origins of the breed. The wire-haired Dachshund appears to have been developed later, possibly by introducing some terrier wire-haired type blood into the breed. Dachshunds were introduced into North America approximately in the 1880’s and gained in popularity, until the world wars when because of their German origin, they suffered quite a setback. Since then, due to the efforts of dedicated breeders, they have once again attained their status as one of the best known popular breeds.
THE C.K.C.(Canadian Kennel Club) OFFICIAL
DACHSHUND BREED STANDARD

Origin and Purpose: Early in the seventeenth century the name Dachshund became the designation of a breed type with smooth and long-haired varieties, and since the 1890’s wire-haired Dachshunds have been registered as the third variety. The name Dachshund (dachs, meaning badger and hund meaning dog) at once reveals and conceals the origins of the breed. In medieval European books on hunting, dogs, similar only in possessing the tracking ability of hounds and the proportions and temperament of terriers, because they were used to track badgers were called badger-dogs or Dachshunds.
General Appearance: Low to the ground, short-legged, long-bodied, but with a compact figure and robust muscular development, with bold confident carriage or head and intelligent facial expression; conformation preeminently fitted for following game into burrows. In spite of his shortness of leg, in comparison with his length of trunk, he should appear neither crippled, awkward, cramped in his capacity for movement, nor slim and weasel like. Added to this, his hunting spirit, good nose, loud tongue and small size render him especially suited for beating the bush. His figure and his fine nose give him an especial advantage over most other breeds of sporting dogs for trailing.
Temperament: He should be clever, lively and courageous to the point of rashness, persevering in his work both above and below the ground; with all senses being well-developed.
Size:
Standard Dachshund - over 11 lbs (5 kg) ideal weigh is 25 lbs
Miniature Dachshund - ideal weight is 10 lbs (4.5 kg)
It is of the utmost importance that Judges should not award championship points to Miniature Dachshunds over 11 lbs (5 kg). Withint the limits imposed, symmetrical adherence to the general Dachshund conformation, combined with smallness and mental and physical vitality should be the outstanding characteristics of the Miniature Dachshund.
Coat: There are three coat types: Smooth or Short-haired - short, dense, shining and glossy. Wire-haired - like German Spiky-Haired Pointer, hard with a good undercoat. Long-Haired - like an Irish Setter.
Special Characteristics of the Three Coat Varieties of Dachshunds.
The Dachshund is bred with three varieties of coat: (1) Short-Haired(or Smooth); (2) Wire-Haired; (3) Long-Haired. All three varieties should conform to the characteristics already specified. The long-haired and short-haired varieties are old, well established varieties, but the wire-haired dachshund the blood of other breeds has been purposely introduced; nevertheless, in breeding him, the greatest stress must be placed upon conformity to the general Dachshund type.
The following specifications are applicable separately to the three coat varieties respectively.
Short-Haired or Smooth Dachshund: Hair: Short, thick, smooth and shiny; no bald patches. Special faults are: Too fine or thin hair. Leathery ears, bald patches, too coarse or too thick hair in general. Tail: Gradually tapered to a point, well but not too richly haired; long sleek bristles on the underside are considered a patch of strong-growing hair, but not a fault. A brush tail is a fault, as is also a partly or wholly hairless tail.
Wire-Haired Dachshund: The general appearance is the same as that of the short-haired, but without being long in the legs, it is permissible for the body to be somewhat higher off the ground. Hair: With the exception of the jaw, eyebrows and ears, the whole body is covered with a perfectly uniform tight, short, thick, rough, hard coat, but with finer shorter hairs (undercoat) everywhere distributed between the coarser hairs, resembling the coat of the German Spiky-Haired Pointer. There should be a beard on the chin. The eyebrows are bushy. On the ears the hair should be shorter than on the body; almost smooth, but in any case conforming to the rest of the coat. The general arrangement of the hair should be such that the Wire-Haired Dachshund, when seen from a distance, should resemble a Smooth-Haired. Any sort of soft hair in the coat is faulty, whether short or long, or wherever found on the body; the same is true of long, curly or wavy hair or hair that sticks out irregularly in all directions; a flag tail isalso objectionable. Tail: Robust, as thickly haired as possible, gradually coming to a point without a tuft.
Long-Haired Dachshund: The distinctive characteristic differentiating this coat from the Short-Haired or Smooth-Haired is alone the rather long silky hair. Hair: The soft, sleek, glistening, often slightly wavy hair should be longer under the neck, on the underside of body, and especially on the ears and behind the legs, becoming there a pronounced feather; the hair should attain its greatest length on the underside of the tail. The hair should fall beyond the lower edge of the ear. Short hair on the ear, so called “leather” ears, is not desirable. Too luxurious a coat causes the long-haired dachshund to seem coarse and masks the type. The coat should remind one of the Irish Setter, and should give the dog an elegant appearance. Too thick hair on the paws, so called “mops”, in inelegant and renders the animal unfit for use. It is faulty for the dog to have equally long hair over all the body, if the coat is too curly, or too scrubby, or if a flag tail or overhanging hair on the ears are lacking; or if there is a very pronounced parting in the back, or a vigorous growth between the toes. Tail: Carried gracefully in prolongation of the spine; the hair attains here its greatest length and forms a veritable flag.
Note: Inasmuch as the Dachshund is a hunting dog - "Scars from honourable wounds shall not be considered a fault.”

Head: Viewed from above or from the side, it should taper uniformly to the tip of the nose, and should be clean-cut. The skull is only slightly arched, and should slope gradually with-out stop (the less stop the more typical) into the finely-formed slightly arched muzzle. (Ram’s nose). The bridge bones over the eyes should be strongly prominent. The nasal cartilage and tip of the nose are long and narrow; lips tightly stretched, well covering the lower jaw, but neither deep nor pointed; corner of the mouth not very marked. Nostrils well open.
Jaws: Opening wide and hinged well back of the eyes, with strongly developed bones and teeth.
Teeth: Powerful canine teeth should fit closely together, and the outer side of the lower incisors should tightly touch the inner side of the upper. (Scissors bite.)
Eyes: Medium size, oval, situated at the sides, with a clean, energetic, though pleasant expression; not piercing.
Colour: lustrous dark reddish-brown to brownish-black for all coats and colours. Wall (fish or pearl) eyes in the case of grey or dapple coloured dogs are not a very bad fault, but are also not desirable.
Ears: Should be set near the top of the head, and not too far forward, long but not too long, beautifully rounded, not narrow, pointed, or folded. Their carriage should be animated, and the forward edge should just touch the cheek.
Neck: Fairly long, muscular, clean-cut, not showing any dewlap on the throat, slightly arched in the nape, extending in a graceful line into the shoulders, carried proudly but not stiffly.
Forequarters: To endure the arduous exertion underground, the front must be correspondingly muscular, compact, deep, long and broad. Shoulder blades long, broad, obliquely and firmly placed upon the fully developed thorax, furnished with hard and plastic muscle.
Upper arm: Of the same length as the shoulder blade, and at right angles to the latter, strong of bone and hard of muscle, lying close to the ribs, capable of free movement.
Lower arm: Is short in comparison to other breeds, slightly turned inwards; supplied with hard but plastic muscles on the front and outside, with tightly stretched tendons on the inside and at the back. .
Pasterns: Joint between forearm and foot (wrists) - these are closer together than the shoulder joints, so that the front leg does appear absolutely straight.
Feet: Full, broad in front and a trifle inclined outwards; compact with well-arched toes and tough pads. Toes, there are five of these (dew claws are not to be removed), although only four are in use. They should be close together, with a pronounced arch; provided on top with strong nails; and underneath with tough toe pads. .
Body: The whole trunk should in general be long and fully muscled. The back, with sloping shoulders, and short rigid pelvis, should lie in the straightest possible line between the withers and the very slightly arched loins; these latter being the short, rigid and board.
Topline: The straightest possible line between the withers and the loin. .
Chest: The breastbone should be strong, and so prominent in front that on either side a depression (dimple) appears. When viewed from the front, the thorax should appear oval, and should extend downward to the midpoint of the forearm. The enclosing structure of the ribs should appear full and oval, and when viewed from above or from the side, full volumed, as the allow by its ample capacity, complete development of heart and lungs. Well ribbed up, and gradually merging into the line of the abdomen. If the length is correct, and also the anatomy of the shoulder and upper arm, the front leg when viewed in profile should cover the lowest point of the breast line. Loin slightly arched, being short, rigid and slightly slinking towards the tail. Abdomen slightly drawn up.
Hindquarters: The hindquarters viewed from behind should be of completely equal width. Pelvic bones not too short, rather strongly developed and moderately sloping. Thigh robust and of good length, set at right angle to the pelvic bones. Hind legs robust and well muscled, with well-rounded buttocks. Knee joint broad and strong. Calf bone in comparison to other breeds, short; it should be perpendicular to the thigh bone, and firmly muscled. The bones at the base of the foot (tarsus) should present a flat appearance, with a strongly prominent hock and a broad tendon of Achilles. The central foot bones (metatarsus) should be long, movable towards the calf bone, slightly bent towards the front, but perpendicular (as viewed from behind).
Hind Feet: Four compactly closed and beautifully arched toes, as in the case of the front paws. The whole foot should be posed equally on the ball and not merely on the toes; nails should be short. .
Tail: Set in continuation of the spine, extending without very pronounced curvature and should not be carried too gaily. .
Faults: .
Serious Faults: (Which may prevent a dog from receiving any show rating): Overshot or undershot jaws, knuckling over, very loose shoulders. .
Secondary Faults: (Which may prevent a dog from receiving a high show rating): a weak, long-legged or dragging figure, body hanging between the shoulders; sluggish, clumsy, orwaddling gait; toes tuned inwards or too obliquely outwards; splayed paws; sunken back, roach (or carp) back; croup higher than withers; short-ribbed or too weak chest; excessively drawn up flanks like those of a Greyhound; narrow poorly muscled hindquarters; weak loins; bad angulation in front or hindquarters; cowhocks; bowed legs; “glass” eyes, except for grey or dappled dogs; a bad coat. .
Minor Faults: (Which may prevent a dog from receiving the highest rating in championship competition): Ears wrongly set, sticking out, narrow or folded, too marked a stop, too pointed or weak a jaw, pincer teeth, distemper teeth; too wide or short a head; goggle eyes; “glass” eyes in the case of dapple or grey dogs, insufficiently dark eyes in the case of all other coat-colours; dewlaps; short neck; swan neck; too fine to too thin hair. .
Movement: The most desirable movement for any dog is that which propels the animal forward in the most efficient manner. Movement is not included in the C.K.C. (Canadian Kennel Club) Breed Standard, but is in the A.K.C. (American Kennel Club) Bred Standard and is as follows:
Gait: Fluid and smooth. Forelegs reach well forward, without much lift, in union with the driving action of the hind legs. The correct should assembly and well fitted elbows allow the long free stride in front. Viewed from the front, the legs do not move in parallel planes but incline slightly inward to compensate for shortness of leg and width of chest. Hind legs drive on a line with the forelegs, with hocks (metatarsus) turning neither in nor out. The propulsion of the hind leg depends on the dog’s ability to carry the hind leg to complete extension. The thrust of correct movement is seen when the rear pads are clearly exposed during rear extension. Feet must travel parallel to the line of motion with no tendency to swing out, cross over, or interfere with each other. Short, choppy movement, rolling or high stepping gait, close or overly wide coming or going are incorrect. The dachshund must have the agility, freedom of movement, and endurance to do the work for which he was developed.
Size of the Dachshund: The ideal weight for Miniature Dachshunds in 10 lbs, with 11 lbs being maximum for the show ring. Occasionally Miniatures will be smaller or larger than this, and while disadvantaged at shows, they may still be valuable breeding animals when mated correctly, and are ideal pets. A Miniature Dachshund is still a hunting dog and should never be considered a “toy dog”. Officially the Standard Dachshund is one that weighs over 11 lbs but the usual size is from 16 lbs to 30 lbs with the average weight being 20 - 26 lbs. At maturity,males are generally 10% to 20% heavier than females. While size is a factor in breeding and for show, no Dachshund is ever too big or too small - they are all “big-hearted” dogs with short legs.
Dachshund Character: Developed in Europe as a hunting dog, the Dachshund is lively, clever, curious, courageous, independent and can be a little stubborn. However, since coming to North America, where they are mainly used as pets, their character has been changed, making them more outgoing, with a cheerful disposition. Most of them still retain strong hunting instincts, but really like being with people. They will occasionally exhibit an odd hearing problem call “Dachshund Deafness” when given a command they would rather ignore. They excel with children, but for young or boisterous children, the Standard size is preferable. Miniature Dachshunds are ideal for smaller quarters, especially in situations where the dog has to be lifted or carried. The Wire-Hiared Dachshund is somewhat more rash than the smooth, while the Long-Haired tend to have the gentlest character - BUT - there is more difference between individuals than between breeds, or between males and females of these breeds. Males are as loving and gentleand are often more patient than females. Regardless of coat, size or sex, Dachshunds are optimists and with gentle but firm guidance they make wonderful companions.