Probably the most strangely shaped dog in the Hound category is the German Dachshund. The Germans developed this odd little dog to hunt badgers, where his long body and short legs helped him with the task. Consider these fascinating Dachshund facts:

The Dachshund is part of the AKC hound group and has a long body with short legs. It comes in three varieties wirehaired, shorthaired, space and long haired and also in three different sizes which is available in each variety.

This short legged but muscular German Dachshund has an elongated body. With a convex skull and protruding eyebrows, the head is also elongated. He has a friendly and energetic expression with oval eyes that are dark – either brown, black or even red. He has muscular and strong jaws. Long ears that hang down and the tail is carried straight up in line with the back.

The American Kennel Club determines acceptable ranges for height and weight for the breed. These Dachshund facts stat that a standard size Dachshund should 14 to 18 inches long, and weigh around 20 pounds. A dwarf or miniature Dachshund should be between 12 and 14 inches long and weigh around 9 pounds. A toy should be less than 12 inches and weigh around 8 pounds. An average lifespan is 12 to 15 years.

Dachshunds come in two color patterns, solid or bi colored. The solids are a yellow or tan color while the bi coloreds tend to have bright chestnut coat with black, brown or gray markings. On top of this, there are harlequin and piebald varieties.

Although loving and extremely loyal, the independent Dachshund can sometimes be difficult to train. They tend to be a bit high-spirited, and they love to dig, so be sure to watch your yard for holes. In general, the long-haired dachshund may have a bit more serene temperament than the agitated and sometimes silly wire hair.

Dachshunds put on weight very easily and their propensity towards laziness can cause health problems. Heart disease, diabetes, urinary tract infections and disc problem in the spine are the common problems found in this breed.

The short-haired German Dachshunds require only less brushing and need to be rubbed occasionally with a grooming cloth only. The long-haired ones should be brushed daily and the wire-haired should be taken to a professional twice a year to get it tidy.

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