Long Haired Dachshund dog - Finding a puppy.

The name "Dachshund" comes from German (dachs) badger (hund) dog but in Germany, its country of origin, the breed is known as the "Teckel". Early German documents from the 16th century refer to predecessors of this breed, as a little "earth dog", "badger digger." Often hunted in packs, they were bred for hunting ferocious badgers (in Europe) and would follow them right into their underground burrows, drag them out and kill them. The original specimens were smooth coated. The Long Haired variety came later, followed by the Wirehaired type near the end of the 18th century. The first Teckel stud book was created in Germany in 1890 and it referred to Smooth, Wirehaired and Longhaired or Long hair breed varieties. The working ability of this breed is paramount and thus its size and structure are chiefly functional. It should be noted that the Mini Dachshund types came later.

The Longhaired, or Long Hair sort has distinctive long, silky hair, soft, sleek and glistening, and often slightly wavy. The hair should be longer under the neck, on the underside of the body, and especially on the ears, and behind the legs, becoming there a pronounced feather, and attaining its greatest length on the underside of the tail. The coat gives the breed an elegant appearance. Its gracefully carried tail is a prolongation of the spine and forms a veritable flag.

Dachshunds are clever, lively and courageous even to the point of rashness, definitely not shy. Their beauty, poise and alert attitude gives an edge at conformation dog shows. They make fun-loving active pets whose daily physical and mental exercise needs, while not excessive, should never be neglected. Puppies or adults, on an unrestricted diet, and not enough exercise will become fat. Their long backs are prone to disc problems, known as the Dachshund back problem, thus overweight dogs are at serious risk. They are happy in the country where they can hunt, but adapt well to urban life. They are often vocal! Leaving them unattended outdoors is not neighborly. A Dachshund puppy is trainable, becoming a lovable, loyal family member, an exceptional watchdog. Check the breeders section or the rescue section for an available adult or puppy.

In the United States, these dogs are bred and shown in two sizes, Standard and Miniature. The Miniature is not a separate classification but competes in a class division for "11 lb. and under, at 12 months of age, and older." With the three different coats, they are considered to be three varieties. In Canada and Britain, the Standard and Miniature are considered two separate varieties. The three different coat types, make six different varieties.