… we celebrate the many facets of the Dachshund.
Fritz Engelmann famously commented in his Der Dachshund: “Take the hunt away from the Dachshund — and you take away the roots of his strength; he sinks down to be nothing but a dog.”
More than a century after Engelmann wrote those words, we still believe that a well-bred Dachshund is more than just a pretty face. His physique, intelligence and temperament should reflect the purpose for which the Dachshund was created. The breed standard stipulates as much:
Low to ground, long in body and short of leg, with robust muscular development; the skin is elastic and pliable without excessive wrinkling. Appearing neither crippled, awkward, nor cramped in his capacity for movement, the Dachshund is well balanced with bold and confident head carriage and intelligent, alert facial expression. His hunting spirit, good nose, loud tongue and distinctive build make him well-suited for below-ground work and for beating the bush. His keen nose gives him an advantage over most other breeds for trailing … The Dachshund must have agility, freedom of movement, and endurance to do the work for which he was developed … 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.
Given the importance of these qualities, participation in the other seven event venues open to the Dachshund (more than any other AKC breed) allows fanciers to assess a dog’s ability to function as intended by the German foresters who developed this unique breed.
Based on the comments that we receive in person and on TDHP’s Facebook page, we know that people are aware of the ROM pages, educational articles, and pieces on notable fanciers of the past. But how many of you have visited the other pages of our website?
Some sections, like Performance and Obedience, have introductory pages that discuss the history of those events from a Dachshund-centric perspective. You can check out which dogs have won the DCA national field trial or obedience trial through the years. Find out how many Dachshunds have earned a MACH, a CT or DCA Versatility Certificate.
Go explore!
Tracy Freeling