Dachshunds

Dachshunds may not look like it, but the breed is actually part of the hound family of dogs, bearing the keen sense of smell hounds are famous for.

Bearing distinct short stubby legs and a long lean body, dachshunds were originally bred for hunting purposes, particularly to seek out burrowing animals like badgers, foxes and rabbits.

Though they aren’t always kept as hunting dogs in households today, they are still quite popular as pets, with their cute physiques defining them as one of the top 10 dog breeds in the United States.

Itchy Itchford stands to be one of the world’s most popular dachshund characters, featured in the 1996 released All Dogs Go To Heaven 2, playing the role of best friend to the movie series’ main title character, Charles B. Barkin.

Though Itchy, as a dachshund is described to suffer from frequent scratching fits, dachshunds are not exactly liable to succumb to fleas or other allergic reactions which would induce scratching and itchiness. Itchy’s itching is simply his bit as a character.

The dachshund name is actually a literal translation of “badger dog” in German, with the popularity of the breed as a badger hunter ascribed to be the reason why its dachshund name was opted. As their short stubby legs and long bodies are consistent in the breed, dachshunds come in three different types, including the short haired dachshund, the wire-haired dachshund and the long haired dachshund.

In terms of coat patterns, dachshunds come in a wide range of coat pattern types, with two-colored dachshunds, solid-one colored dachshunds and single colored with spots dachshunds also known to be up and about.

Generally affectionate and truly loyal to their masters, dachshunds are also known for their keen sense of smell, along with active metabolisms which result to hours of regular exercise being a requirement in keeping them as pets.

 Dachshunds Video