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Dr. Engelmann's book regarding the Dachshund gives us this detailed history of Dachshund development over the last 4000 years.
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The domesticated dog is descended from the wolf, or possibly from wild canines that were also the ancestors of our present day wolves. Much time was needed to create the present varieties and the manifold breeds of dogs.
The hounds, with their long dropped ears, originated in west and central Europe. Their earliest representative was the
Bracke, the prototype of the hound. Its task was to rouse the game and to drive it through the thicket in the direction of the hunter or toward a trap. Because of the snapping and breaking sound of dried branches and twigs so one speculation goes the name
"Bracke," or "Brakke," for the hound was originated. Another speculation ventures that such a name found its beginning with the "broken" and crooked legs. And to this day there are certain regions in central Europe where a Dachshund is called a
Bracke.
It is believed that from the Bracke developed all later West European hunting dogs (with long and hanging ears), such as Pointers, Setters, Basset Hounds, Bloodhounds, and Dachshunds. Historically, the developmental stages of the Dachshund were probably the short legs, the ability to follow scent trails, and finally the capacity to hunt underground in dens and warrens. Dr. Schame concluded, after a study of dog skulls, that there was a close ancestral relationship between Dachshunds and Pinschers. Apparently during the re establishment of the wirehaired Dachshund, much German Pinscher blood was introduced. Through the offspring of these crossings, Pinscher characteristics appeared in many smooth Dachshund family lines. These similarities misled Dr. Schiune into believing that Pinschers were involved in the origin of the Dachshund.
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Other theories of origin can also be traced to erroneous Some, for example, believe that the Dachshund existed 4000 years ago in ancient Egypt. There is a portrayal of a dog and a hieroglyphic inscription reading
"tekal" or "tekar" j' on a monument of Thutmose III. The dog, however, does not have the least similarity to a Dachshund, and the translation rests on the false interpretation of the hieroglyphics. The correct meaning leads to the word
"tqru," which can be translated into "fiery." Besides this, the erroneous word
"tekal" has no connection whatsoever to the German word for Dachshund,
"Teckel." This word is German in origin and evolved from the modifications of various vowels. To illustrate, here is the historical sequence of the German names: Tachs Krieger,
Tachskriecher, Tachshunt, Dachshund, Dachsel, Dackel,
Tackel, Teckel. Dachshund and Teckel are therefore synonyms, somewhat like ass and donkey.
Without doubt, in ancient times and in different countries small dogs of varied appearances were used to pursue small game underground. Only later were definite types of such small dogs bred by deliberate selection; this naturally resulted in substantially different breeds.
As to the history of such "earthdogs" in Germany, it is very questionable whether the beaverhound
(Bibarhunt), mentioned in the Lex Bajuvarum
Dachshunds at work, from "La Venerie du Jaques du Fouilloux" (1561). ["Law of the Bavarians"), used to hunt beavers, badgers, etc., was an ancestor of the Dachshund. This lawbook of the 5th century A.D. stated, "whoever kills a dog which hunts under the earth and is called
Bibarhunt, has to replace him and, in addition, is fined seven
solidis."
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In 1561, Jaques du Fouilloux in La Venerie ("The Hunt") illustrated earthdogs at work. But these show little resemblance to the Dachshund; in many features they rather resemble the primitive Spaniel. Woodcuts made in 1582 by Jost Ammons portray a badger and rabbit hunt. This is probably the earliest reference to the work of the modern Dachshund. It shows the "Dachshund" with a terrier pinscher body and docked tail. In 1671 Ein artig Biichlein von dem Weydwerk and der Falknerey ("A Good Booklet on Hunting and Falconry") was published. Among other things, it discussed a little dog "for tracking after rabbits; some of this type have crooked and some have straight legs; and they chase badgers and foxes." Some time later the first printing of Tantzer's jagdgeheimnissen ("Secrets of the Hunt") appeared. Here we find besides
"beaverdogs and otterdogs" (Biber and
Otterhunden) the mention of a "badgerhound"
(Dachskriecher) with "especially crooked legs." Accordingly one might believe that the Dachshund was then in existence even though it was not identical to today's dog. The illustration portrays small dogs, which are distantly reminiscent of terriers
(Terrierpinscher). They are shown as possessing small, stiffly pointed ears and a puglike tail, curled sideways.
The literature of the time also includes such terms as
"holedoggie" (Lochhiindlein), "earthdoggie"
(Erdhiindle), "creeper hound" (Schliefferlin), "badger hound"
(Tachsschliefern), and "dachshund" (Dachseln). These names, however, referred to the utilization of these dogs, rather than to a specific breed, a terminology more helpful to the hunter than the dog breeder.
A book published in 1700, Holberg's Georgica Curiosa, provides some of the first reliable information about the ancestors of our modern Dachshund. In the section on "Badger , Otter , and
Beaverdogs" (Dachsen , Otter and Biberhunden), Holberg states, "These three varieties have about the same hunting accomplishments, but the first variety is especially suited to go after badgers. The French call these particular dogs Bassets (Bassets), because of their low structure, their long slender body and their low, somewhat turned in little legs . . ., they have various colors, but mostly brown, gray and
ottercolored, sometimes also black." In 1716 the book Neue lustigeundvollstiindige jagdkunst ("New Merry and Complete
Huntmanship") was published. It contained the following, "The badger is being hunted with little hounds .... As soon as the fox smells these little dogs he sneaks out of the den, with the exception of a vixen with cubs. Nevertheless foxes can sometimes be surprised and caught inside the den by keen little hounds."
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In 1719 von Flemming published his book Der vollkommene teutsche ,lager ("The Complete German Hunter") in which he showed pictures of
"Tachs Kriecher" and "Tachs Krieger." These two dogs are, without doubt, the equivalent of our modern Dachshund. Von Flemming wrote that these dogs "trail and chase and track their game, give tongue and point with such diligence and zeal, as any of the others would, to show to the hunter where the game is hidden. This miniature type is most often red or black with dropped ears,practically similar to the Pointer
(Jagdhund), only smaller like miniatures ...."
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To make the young dogs more eager he gets encouragement with cheerful words and blood to get the taste. These Dachshunds are also often used by some people as tracking dogs to search out rabbits and foxes, or to locate weasels and other destructive animals and to exterminate them."
In 1734 von Parson mentions "small, shortlegged, compact and very snappy dogs, which enjoy entering underground passages."
The famous print of Ridingex also dates from around this time. It shows
"Tacks Schlieffer, Tachs Wurger;" which much resembles our Dachshunds.
In 1751 von Happe remarks that some Dachshunds are high and others are low to the ground and that some have straight and others have crooked legs like those of the hounds
(Leithunde). In the bookjagerpraktika ("Hunting Practice") Dobel in 1786 demands keen Dachshunds for fox and badger hunting: "It happens that if the dogs are not really keen, the badger sits in a chamber in his den and waits until he is discovered. Then he moves away and rests at a different place; in this way all the initial effort has been in vain."
Buffon in his Histoire Naturelle ("Natural History") published in 1793, mentions the crooked legged and straight legged Dachshunds; he describes their color as black, fawn, white, or dappled. He reports that Dachshunds are very snappy and chase badgers out of holes. The illustrations by Buffon show that the crooked legged Dachshunds, even then, tended to knuckle over more than the straight legged ones. They also showed that the Dachshunds were built low, but not at all in an exaggerated way, had rather long bodies, and were somewhat overdeveloped, like most hunting dogs of those days.
Jester, in 1797, wrote: "The Dachshund is of all the hunting dogs the smallest and the weakest, but he surpasses them all in courage. He searches for his far superior enemy deep inside the earth and fights him in his own home territory for endless hours, yes, even for days .... The uneven dappled and the stockhaired Dachshunds are less common than the black and brown." By "brown" Jester probably meant the color we call "red" today.
In 1812 Dr. Walther said of Dachshunds: "They are snappy, often pugnacious, brave, but often quarrelsome animals, who are tenacious of life. They tend to start fights with any dog, no matter how large he is."
Dr. Walther also mentioned the wirehaired Dachshund and referred to it as a very good worker which is generally "not as low legged or crooked as the smooth variety." These are characteristics which are still attributed to the wirehairs, and often rightfully so. Dietrich aus dem Winkell mentioned the longhaired Dachshunds in 1820.
The first one to list all varieties was Dr.
Reichenbach, in 1836. This is of special interest because only in more recent times did some varieties receive a fresh impetus through more knowledgeable dog breeding. In his illustrations we see smooth, longhaired, and wirehaired Dachshunds; their colors are black, fawn, brown, dappled, or brindle; and they are shown with crooked and straight legs.
Then came the destructive revolution followed by the terrible years of the fifties. Interest slackened, but Dachshunds were bred here and there without any uniformity among breeders. Yet this breeding was sufficient enough to act as a springboard for later extensive and purposeful breeding.
The year 1879 was of great importance, since this was when the breed characteristics, essentially as they are today, were first standardized. At that time, however, the standard was not as rigid as it is today. The first German studbook contained 54 entries; among these were names of owners who, in the opinion of experts, enjoyed an especially high reputation. Among these were: G.
Barnewitz, W. v. Daacke, and Baron v. Knigge.
The exhibition in Berlin in 1883 was a great event. Von Knigge's Dachshunds received the highest awards of the show and the gold medal of Kaiser William I. The Dachshunds of von Knigge were a major influence on the breed. Their names would appear in most pedigrees of today, if one would or could trace them back far enough.