Why dachshunds -- wiener dogs -- are shaped the way they are
"How do dachshunds stay in a small shape?," asked Michael Palmer, 8, a third-grader at W.C. Petty Elementary School in Antioch.
Adorable, lovable and almost comical dachshunds, known by many as wiener dogs, are a very special breed of dog. Their heads seem too large, their bodies too long and their legs too short to be a real breed of dog. But every inch of a dachshund is designed for maximum muscle and might.
First known by hunters in the 1500s, dachshunds were bred to track and capture badgers. The word literally means badger dog in German. A larger size dachshund can be found in Europe, but in the U.S. there are two sizes recognized by the Dachshund Club of America -- the official organization that sets the breed standard. The miniature weighs 11 pounds or less at a year old; the standard size weighs 16 to 32 pounds. Dachshunds also come with three different types of coat -- smooth hair. long hair and wire hair.
Dachshunds are small so can they do what they were bred to do -- chase their prey into its burrow, follow it through a deep and twisting underground tunnel, snatch it and drag it back to its owner. Its long nose and broad chest give plenty of space for air, even in tight underground passages. Its strong muscles power the animal as it tirelessly follows its prey -- either a badger, a rabbit or a fox --or a play toy if it's a house pet.
Linda McGuire of Almost Home Dachshund Rescue Society in Crystal Lake said this about the dachshund, "My favorite aspect of the breed is their wonderful personalities. They are playful, full of mischief and they absolutely love their family. You will not find a more loyal breed."
Dachshunds have nosed their way in to the hearts of many families and are the fourth most loved dog breed in America.
There's more information about the breed and about adopting dachshunds on the Almost Home Dachshund Rescue Society Web site, www.almosthomerescue.org/index.htm.
For more information
The Warren Newport Library in Gurnee suggests these book titles on dachshunds:
• "The Dachshund," by Charlotte Wilcox
• "The Story of the Dachshund," by Jennifer Quasha
• "Dachshunds," by Stuart A. Kallen
• "Dachshunds," by Lynn M. Stone
• "Puppy Love," by Dick King-Smith