I must confess, for most of my life I never really liked Dachshunds. They just looked so ridiculous to me and seemed just wrong. Who could possibly like these dogs? How could anyone want one?
That is until I met a Dachshund in person and realized what delightfuland determined little characters they are. They aren't for every family, but those that have them certainly do love them.
As per our Dachshund breed profile on the Embrace site:
Famously described by H. L. Mencken as "a half-dog high and a dog-and-a-half long," the Dachshund ranks among the most popular dog breeds in America. These short-legged, long-backed dogs are brave, bold and sometimes reckless, willing and ready to take on the badgers they were bred to hunt. To the surprise of their many fans, a 2008 study in the journal Applied Animal Behaviour Science named the Dachshund the most aggressive of all dog breeds.
But along with that elongated body comes some health issues, in particular back issues.
Because of their long, low-slung spines, normal canine behavior like jumping off the sofa may result in a slipped, pinched, herniated or ruptured disc. Dogs can be injured even in relatively mild play, and will sometimes show defensive or apparently aggressive behavior at other dogs – or children – who are nearby. In fact, a study done at the College of Veterinary Medicine at the Ohio State University approximated that Dachshunds are 57 times more likely to suffer from a herniated intervertebral disc than all other breeds.
Dachshunds are also particularly prone to several hereditary conditions such as Cushing's Disease and corneal dystrophy, not inexpensive conditions to treat.
To read more about this fascinating breed, check out the Dachshund breed profile on the Embrace site.
