"Official Standard of the Dachshund"
"General Appearance - Low to ground, long in body and short of leg, with robust muscular development; the skin is elastic and pliable without excessive wrinkling. Appearing neither crippled, awkward, nor cramped in his capacity for movement, the Dachshund is well balanced with bold and confident head carriage and intelligent, alert facial expression. His hunting spirit, good nose, loud tongue and distinctive build make him well-suited for below-ground work and for beating the bush. His keen nose gives him an advantage over most other breeds for trailing. NOTE: Inasmuch as the Dachshund is a hunting dog, scars from honorable wounds shall not be considered a fault... "
Here's Dylan Vaughan Hendrix (his official name) after his encounter with the HUGE German Shepherd across the street. Doesn't he look pitiful with that cone thingy on his head?
He was just a pup at the time but true to his nature. He was protecting the people he loves. THIS was a truly honorable wound.
Below, you see a trench dug by the plumber. Dylan could have easily done the work for him! Daschunds really know how to DIG! One morning when I called him to come inside he was busy hunting for moles. Finding and destroying that mole was way more important than coming when Mom called. More important than breakfast!
I couldn't even find Dylan at first. But, there he was at the bottom of a cavernous hole. The dirt was just flying! I still wonder where all of the dirt goes? There's never enough left to fill his holes back up.
Dylan is a real daschund. He weighs about 30 pounds. The vet says he is "perfect" and not overweight at all. He has the "robust muscular development"of a true hunter. True to standard!
If you're going to have one daschund, you really should have TWO!
Enter Nugget. An absolutely adorable long-haired miniature daschund. This is a photo of the boy's first meeting. It was a bit dicey at first, but when Dylan realized this cute, little fellow was not a threat, they became fast friends.
Now that Nugget has settled in and taken over the house, these two have become my great and mighty protectors. Double trouble for anyone - any dog, any cat, anything that comes within 100 yards of our house. Even the squirrels are not welcome.
They are always watching out for intruders. Maybe there is size in numbers? Nothing gets past these two!
When I open the back door to let them outside, Nugget leaps over Dylan just to be first. Nugget always has to be first! He amazes me with his agility. I know you aren't supposed to let daschunds jump because of their backs. Tell that to Nugget! He is always jumping up on or over something. One of his favorite places to perch lately has been on top of the dining room table. He knows I don't like that. Does he care? He definitely has a mind of his own!
Daschunds bark a lot. You need to know that if you're planning on getting one, or two. They use their outside voices all the time. I'm trying to teach them to be a little more calm and understanding of people that deliver mail, collect garbage or walk their dogs on the other side of the street. Did I see those eyes rolling?
Here's a photo of my guys "helping" me sort out my file cabinet. They are always in the middle of whatever I'm doing. They love to paint too (or actually get into the paint) when I'm trying to paint. I've had multi-colored dogs here more than once. There is never a dull moment around here.
I do love their loyalty and companionship. Their antics keep me in stitches too. Especially the way they greet me when I come home. Nugget runs to get what's left of his "stegasaurus" and then spins circles before me. Dylan dances around asking "what's for dinner?
Nugget with his Stegasaurus
The best thing about daschunds is the way they like to cuddle. Mine both sleep with me. Under the covers, of course. It's like having two hot water bottles, one on either side, to keep me warm. Sometimes when it's very quiet, I'll hear Nugget softly barking as he sleeps.
Sweet dreams, little one, sweet dreams.
