Image Copyright: Chemisti

When I was still in school, and pining for a dog of my own, I would make do by playing with dogs that were owned by my friends. There were a bunch of spaniels and labs who were my constant companions outside the house. Then one day, a friend of mine got a dog called Sunny, and I promptly fell in love with him.

Sunny was unlike any other dog I had ever seen. He was spunky, independent, playful, mature, and more importantly, he was a Dachshund. One couldn’t help but fall for the little fella who was plainly a one-master dog, who loved to socialize with others. I remember how much happier my friend was after she got Sunny. In fact their entire family would sit together over tea and watch his antics. It was amazing how the little dog brought that family together every evening, and helped them have fun.

It was mainly this dog that prompted me to research the Dachshund dog breed over time. Did you know that this dog was originally bred in Germany to hunt badgers? If you literally translate the word “Dachshund” into English, you will get Badger (Dachs)+Hound (Hund). The original Dachshund was taller, but over time, they were bred to grow to a lesser height so that they could also hunt foxes and rabbits.

Today, they come in three varieties—short coated, long coated, and wire coated, and in two sizes—standard, and miniature. And if you didn’t already know it, they make fantastic and fun pets.

Is the Dachshund the right pet for you? Well, answer these questions for me:

  • Are you an independent person?
  • Do you love to have fun?
  • Would you want a dog that you do not need to fuss too much about?
  • Are you ready to give up on all the above mentioned notions about yourself once you get a dog?

If your answer is “Yes”, then this is the dog you ought to get. Not convinced? You can always do some research on which dog breeds are right for you! I use this site, Dog Channel, to gather a lot of info and material for this blog. Trust me, you will find several interesting dog breeds over here, and ultimately, you will have to choose.

If you are convinced, then here is some more information that you might find helpful:

1. Training a Dachshund puppy is easy. They are extremely intelligent. The fun part of the training is when you watch them take a call on whether they should go through with what has been taught, or follow their instincts. Yes, they have a mind of their own.

2. Dachshunds are also easy to care for. Just remember, they have been bred to dig and not to catch Frisbees thrown high up in the air. Because of their length, you need to take care that they don’t hurt their spinal cords.

3. Smaller dogs live longer. It’s not a myth. The life expectancy of a Dachshund is 12 to 17 years. That’s a long life for a long dog!

You try this link to look for Dachshund puppies in your area. I promise you won’t regret getting yourself one.

Why this sudden interest in Dachshunds? Well, my mom was cleaning my room while I was not around. I came back home this evening and found an old photograph at my workstation. It was me and Sunny in the photo. Mom had dug it up from an old diary. Ah! the memories… how they invade our thoughts.