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The last 18 months have seen many of us welcome a new four-legged friend into our homes, as the Kennel Club saw dog ownership rise by nearly eight per cent over 2020.
But with 221 different breeds of pedigree dog to choose from, there’s plenty of thinking to do before you select your perfect pup.
There’s even academic guidance to seek out, with Psychologist Stanley Coren’s book ‘The Intelligence of Dogs’ ranking breeds by instincts, obedience, and the ability to adapt.
One dog that often appears at the top of people’s canine wishlists is the Dachshund – they were the UK’s fifth most popular pet in 2020 (only bested by the Labrador Retriever, French Bulldog, English Bulldog and Cocker Spaniel) and have a range of positive attributes that make them a great family pet.
Here are 10 fun and interesting facts about the breed.
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Queen Victoria was a big fan of Dachshunds, dramatically increasing their popularity in Britain. She has been quoted as saying: “Nothing will turn a man’s home into a castle more quickly and effectively than a Dachshund.”
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There’s a very good reason for the Dachshund’s unusual shape. They were bred to find badgers and other burrow-dwelling animals – and are perfectly suited to scurrying down burrows to flush them out for hunters.
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There are countless varieties of Dachshund – with 15 different colours, six marking types, three coat types, and three sizes. The most common type in the UK is the red standard smooth coat Dachshund.
Photo: Canva/Getty Images
Dachshunds are notoriously stubborn and difficult to train. Stuart Little author E. B. White summed up the breeds temperament well, saying: “I would rather train a striped zebra to balance an Indian club than induce a dachshund to heed my slightest command. When I address Fred I never have to raise either my voice or my hopes. He even disobeys me when I instruct him in something he wants to do.”
Photo: Canva/Getty Images
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