It’s hard not to love a Dachshund. Affectionately known as “sausage” or “wiener” dogs—rather ungraceful appellations once you know about the Dachshund’s noble history—these adorable, sturdy little dogs are never short on character. They also come in various colors, patterns, and coat types, and can be one of two sizes—standard or miniature.

Breed Overview

In this post, we’ll step back in time and explore the history of long-haired Miniature Dachshunds, unique facts about the breed, and what they’re like as family pets today.

Mini Dachshund Characteristics

The Earliest Records of Long-Haired Mini Dachshunds in History

The Dachshund’s ancestors were hunting dogs in the Middle Ages in Germany. In the 17th century, the breed began to develop rapidly to fulfill the need for compact, cylindrical dogs that could fit into burrows and be capable of taking on a fully-grown badger. The qualities developed in these little hunting dogs are still very evident in Dachshunds today—courage, intelligence, and a fondness for digging.

While standard Dachshunds were bred to hunt badgers, they were a tad too large to take care of the rabbit population. For this reason, hunters began to develop a smaller version in the 19th century—the Miniature Dachshund. There are three Dachshund sizes recognized by the Fédéracion Internationale Cynologique (FIC) in Europe—standard, miniature, and “Teckel” (rabbit Dachshund).

Teckels are wire-haired and terrier-like in appearance and about mid-way in terms of size between the Miniature and Standard Dachshund. There are three coat types in Dachshunds—wire-haired, smooth-haired, and long-haired. It’s possible that long-haired Dachshunds came about as the result of breeding with Spaniels.

How Long-Haired Mini Dachshunds Gained Popularity

The qualities that made Dachshunds excellent hunting dogs are also what made them popular companion dogs—loyalty, high-spiritedness, and a sense of adventure. By the early 20th century, Dachshunds were appearing in works of art and their image was used to promote a 1905 Berlin dog exhibition, but they were in the public eye way before this point.

Historically, Dachshunds have been seen as a symbol of Germany. They lost popularity during the first world war and again briefly in the second world war. Their popularity was restored and continued to grow after the second world war.

Throughout history, several high-profile figures have owned Dachshunds, including Queen Victoria, Queen Elizabeth II, Abraham Lincoln, Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, David Bowie, and Andy Warhol.

Formal Recognition of Long-Haired Mini Dachshunds

Dachshunds first made their way to England from Germany in the 19th century, where the Miniature Dachshund became a popular pet. The Miniature Dachshund Club was formed in England in 1935, but Dachshunds were first recognized by the American Kennel Club much earlier in 1885.

The American Kennel Club only recognizes two Dachshund types—standard and miniature, whereas the FIC in Europe recognizes three. To determine whether a Dachshund is standard or miniature, the AKC judges by weight. Standard Dachshunds weigh around 16–32 pounds whereas Miniature Dachshunds weigh no more than 11 pounds.

Top 3 Unique Facts About Miniature Dachshunds

1. The Miniature Dachshund Is a Member of the Hound Group

The hound group defines dogs that were bred to hunt by sight or scent. Other members of the hound group include Beagles, Greyhounds, and the American Foxhound.

2. There Are 15 Mini Dachshund Coat Colors

Dachshunds are incredibly diverse when it comes to appearance. 12 colors are accepted as standard by the AKC, and 3 are non-standard (black, fawn, and chocolate). Solid black, fawn, and chocolate Dachshunds are quite rare.

3. Mini Dachshunds Are Quite Vocal

Dachshunds are known for vocalizing a fair bit with barks, whines, and howls. This is because it’s instinctive for them to let humans know when they’ve found prey. Even if they’re not catching much prey these days, they haven’t lost their communicative natures and it’s not uncommon for them to alert you to things that have captured their attention. They’ll often vocalize as a way of extending a friendly greeting, too.

Does a Long-Haired Mini Dachshund Make a Good Pet?

Mini Dachshunds are known for being affectionate with their humans and typically get along well with kids and other dogs as long as they’ve been properly socialized. They can also be quite open to strangers and enjoy meeting new people, though not in every case. Some are a little more reserved whereas others are quite extraverted—it all depends on the dog’s individual character.

Miniature Dachshunds are also quite easy to train as a rule due to their eager-to-please, confident natures, though they’re also known for being a bit stubborn, which might mean a bit of extra work training-wise. They need firm but kind and consistent leadership, or they may just run rings around you! Be sure to heap on the praise and motivate them with rewards for good behavior.

When it comes to grooming and care, long-haired Miniature Dachshunds need a bit of extra brushing to prevent their coats from getting matted or tangled. Though not the heaviest shedders, they do have an undercoat that sheds moderately. They also need regular nail trims to prevent overgrowth. Regular teeth cleaning is also recommended.

Conclusion

To recap, Miniature Dachshunds were developed in the 1800s to hunt rabbits, but their ancestors were around in the Middle Ages. They were imported into England in the 19th century and proved very popular with Queen Victoria and later Queen Elizabeth II and other high-profile and famous people. It’s possible that Dachshunds were crossed with Spaniels at some point, which resulted in the long-haired Dachshund variety.

Today, Miniature Dachshunds with coats long, wiry, and smooth are beloved family dogs in many homes around the world and are ranked number 10 on the AKC’s 2021 most popular dogs in America list.

• See Also: Fawn (Isabella) Dachshund: Pictures, Facts, History & Origin

Featured Image Credit; yhelfman, Shutterstock