Origin and Purpose
Early in the seventeenth century the name Dachshund became the designation of a breed type with smooth and long-haired varieties, and since 1890, wire-hairs have been registered as the third variety. The name Dachshund (dachs, badgers; hunt, dog) at once reveals and conceals the origin of the breed. In medieval European books on hunting dogs, similar only in possessing the tracking ability of hounds and the proportions and temperament of a terrier, because they were used to track badgers were called badger-dogs, or dachshunds.
General Appearance
Low to ground, short-legged, long-bodied, but with compact figure and robust muscular development, with bold and confident carriage of head and intelligent facial expression; conformation preeminently fitted for following game into burrows. In spite of his shortness of leg, in comparison with his length of trunk, he should appear neither crippled, awkward, cramped in his capacity for movement, nor slim and weasel-like. Added to this, his hunting spirit, loud tongue, and small size render him especially suited for beating the bush. His figure and fine nose give him an especial advantage over most other breeds of sporting dogs for trailing.
Temperament
He should be clever, lively and courageous to the point of rashness, persevering in his work both above and below ground; with all senses being well developed.
Size
Standard Dachshund - over 11 lb . (4.989 kg)
Miniature Dachshund - ideal weight 10 lb. (4.5 kg)
It is of utmost importance that Judges should not award championship points to Miniature Dachshunds over 11 lb. (4.989 kg). Within the limits imposed, symmetrical adherence to the general Dachshund conformation, combined with smallness and mental and physical vitality should be the outstanding characteristics of the Miniature Dachshund.
Coat and Color
Three coat types:
Smooth or Short-haired - short dense, shining, glossy. Wire-haired - like German Spikey-haired Pointer, hard with good undercoat. Long-haired - like Irish Setter. See later paragraphs in this standard regarding the Special Characteristics. Colour - Solid red (tan) of various shades, and black with tan points, should have black noses and nails and narrow black line edging lips and eyelids; chocolate with tan points permit brown nose. Eyes of all, lustrous, the darker the better.
Head
Viewed from above or from the side, it should taper uniformly to the tip of the nose and should be clean-cut. The skull is only slightly arched and should slope gradually without stop (the less stop, the more typical) into the finely-formed, slightly-arched muzzle (ram's nose). The bridge bones over the eyes should be strongly prominent. The nasal cartilage and tip of the nose are long and narrow; lips tightly stretched, well covering the lower jaw, but neither deep nor pointed; corner of the mouth not very marked. Nostrils well open. Jaws opening wide and hinged well back of the eyes, with strongly developed bones and teeth. Teeth: powerful canine teeth should fit closely together, and the outer side of the lower incisors should tightly touch the inner side of the upper (Scissors bite). Eyes medium size, oval, situated at the sides, with a clean, energetic, though pleasant expression; not piercing. Colour: lustrous dark reddish brown to brown-black for all coats and colours. Wall (fish or pearl) eyes in the case of grey or dapple-coloured dogs are not a very bad fault, but are also not desirable. Ears should be set near the top of the head and not too far forward, long but not too long, beautifully rounded, not narrow, pointed, or folded. Their carriage should be animated, and the forward edge should just touch the cheek.
Neck
Fairly long, muscular, clean-cut, not showing any dewlap on the throat, slightly arched in the nape, extending in a graceful line into the shoulders, carried proudly but not stiffly.
Forequarters
To endure the arduous exertion underground, the front must be correspondingly muscular, compact, deep, long and broad. Shoulder Blade long, broad, obliquely and firmly placed upon the fully developed thorax, furnished with hard and plastic muscle. Upper Arm of the same length as the shoulder blade, and at right angles to the latter, strong of bone and hard of muscle lying close to the ribs, capable of free movement. Lower Arm: this is short in comparison to other breeds, slightly turned inwards; supplied with hard but plastic muscles on the front and outside, with tightly stretched tendons on the inside and at the back. Pasterns: joint between the forearm and food (wrists): these are closer together than the shoulder joints, so that the front leg does not appear absolutely straight. Feet full, broad in front, and a trifle inclined outwards; compact with well-arched toes and tough pads. Toes: there are five of these, though only four are in use. They should be close together, with a pronounced arch; provided on top with strong nails, and underneath with tough toe-pads.
Body
The whole trunk should, in general, be long and fully muscled. The back, with sloping shoulders, and short, rigid pelvis, should lie in the straightest possible line between the withers and the very slightly arched loins, these latter being short, rigid and broad. Topline: the straightest possible line between the withers and the loins. Chest: the breastbone should be strong, and so prominent in front that on either side a depression (dimple) appears. When viewed from the front, the thorax should appear oval, and should extend downward to the midpoint of the forearm. The enclosing structure of ribs should appear full and oval, and when viewed from above or from the side, full volumed, so as to allow by its ample capacity, complete development of heart and lungs. Well ribbed up, and gradually merging into the line of the abdomen. If the length is correct, and also the anatomy of the shoulder and upper arm, the front leg when viewed in the profile should cover the lowest point of the breast line. Loin slightly arched, being short, rigid and broad. Croup long, round, full, robustly muscled, but plastic, only slightly sinking toward the tail. Abdomen slightly drawn up.
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