Dachshunds are playful, fun dogs, known for their propensity for chasing small animals and birds with great determination and ferocity.  Many dachshunds are strong-headed or stubborn, making them a challenge to train.  Dachshunds are often uncommonly loyal to their owners, though this characteristic is less pronounced in the wire-haired variety.

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.”   Their temperament and body language give the impression that they do not know or care about their relatively small and comical stature.  Overindulged dachshunds may become snappy.

The dachshund is known for its deep, soulful eyes, and complex and telling facial expressions.  Their eyes have an allure that is commonly mentioned in writings about the breed.  Coat type is often associated with characteristic temperaments; the long-haired variety, for instance, is considered to be less excitable than the other types, having been cross-bred with the even-tempered Spaniel in order to obtain its characteristic long coat.  Because of the breed’s characteristic barrel-like chest, the dachshund’s lungs are unusually large, making for a sonorous and richly timbred bark that belies the dog’s true size.

Symbol of Germany

Dachshunds have traditionally been viewed as a symbol of Germany, despite their pan-European heritage.  During World War I many Americans began referring to dachshunds as "liberty pups," and political cartoonists commonly used the image of the dachshund to ridicule Germany.  The stigma of the association was revived to a lesser extent during World War II, though it was comparatively short-lived.

When Germany hosted the 1972 Summer Olympics, the official mascot was a Dachshund named Waldi.

Sports

Some Dachshunds are trained to compete in Dachshund races, such as the Wiener Nationals.  Several races across the country routinely draw several thousand attendees, including races in Buda, TX, Davis, CA, Los Alamitos, CA, and Findlay, OH.  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 also is worried about potential injuries to dogs due to their propensity for back injuries.

Another favorite sport is the Earthdog trials, in which Dachshunds enter tunnels with obstacles and dead ends for the purpose of locating artificial bait or live but caged and protected mice.  Additionally, being true scent hounds, Dachshunds also compete in scent tracking events, with a national championship sponsored every year by the DCA.

Legend

The modern American hot dog is supposedly named after the dachshund.  In 1852, the butcher’s guild in Frankfurt, Germany created a smoked, spiced sausage in a thin casing.  This was dubbed a "little-dog" or "Dachshund sausage" for its obvious resemblance to the low-riding German dog.  The popular legend explaining the etymology of the word “hot dog” holds that a cartoonist named Tad Dorgan attended a polo match in New York in 1901 where vendors roamed the aisles imploring patrons to, "…get your red-hot Dachshund sausages."  Enchanted, Dorgan drew a smiling Dachshund nestled in a long bun, but couldn’t spell Dachshund, so he captioned it "hot dog," and thus the food received its name.  Although charming, this legend has never been confirmed.

Popularity

Dachshunds are a popular pet in the United States, ranking 4th or 5th among the most common dog breeds.  They are especially popular with apartment dwellers, vying with the poodle to rank as the most common breed in New York City in recent years.  One will find varying degrees of organized local Dachshund clubs in most major American cities, including New York, New Orleans, Los Angeles, and Chicago.  American Dachshund enthusiasts will enjoy their visits to overseas, as the breed’s popularity is legion in places such as Germany, France, Switzerland, Hungary, Poland and Japan.