What does Dachshund mean?

The name is German for “badger dog”. Dachshunds were developed to track and pursue badgers underground, which makes rather more sense of their unusual shape — and of the breed’s legendary determination.

Why are Dachshunds so long and low?

Those proportions were functional. Short legs allowed the dog to enter burrows, while a long, well-developed ribcage provided room for the heart and lungs needed for demanding work underground. Strong feet helped them dig through earth as they followed their quarry.

What coat types do Dachshunds come in?

Dachshunds come in three coat types: smooth, longhaired and wirehaired. The smooth is generally considered the oldest form, while selective breeding produced the distinctive silky longhair and the whiskered, rough-coated wirehair.

What is the difference between a Miniature and Standard Dachshund?

Both share the same long-and-low Dachshund outline, but the Miniature was developed for smaller quarry such as rabbits while the Standard was built for larger, tougher work. In Britain both sizes are recognised across the three coat types.

Who was Waldi, the famous Dachshund?

Waldi, a brightly coloured Dachshund, became the first official mascot in Summer Olympic Games history at Munich 1972. The breed was chosen partly for qualities such as endurance, tenacity and agility — which is a rather dignified description of the dog most British households now affectionately call a sausage dog.

Our Dachshund gifts and homeware celebrate those unmistakable proportions and enormous little-dog personality. Explore more breeds in our Dog Gifts by Breed collection.