Hobbies And Interests
History
In German the word dachshund means "badger dog," and dachshunds were bred by German hunters for the purpose of hunting badgers. Hunters took dwarf mutations of larger hunting dogs like the bloodhound and used selective breeding to create a dog with short legs and a long body -- ideal for getting into awkward spaces. By the 18th century, the standard dachshund with its recognizable short legs was used by hunters to drive badgers out of their dens.
Miniature Dachshund
While the standard dachshund had its uses, hunters wanted something smaller that could get into rabbit holes. The standard dachshund was selectively bred to produce a miniaturized version that could chase rabbits out of their warrens and allowed hunters to then go after the rabbits. Miniature dachshunds were also used in fox hunting.
Dachshunds in Art
Artist Pablo Picasso was inspired by a dachshund called Lump. Picasso painted his own interpretations of Diego Velazquez's masterpiece "Las Meninas," and in fifteen of his reinterpretations Picasso replaced the dog in the original with a dachshund based on Lump. Lump was owned by photographer David Douglas Duncan who introduced the dachshund to Picasso in 1957 when Duncan went to take pictures of the renowned artist. Picasso painted the dog's portrait that same day, and the dachshund ended up staying with Picasso for the next six years. Other dachshunds owned by famous artists include Archie and Amos, who were the pets of Andy Warhol. The pair of dachshunds appeared in Warhol's paintings and were often referred to in his diaries. Artist David Hockney painted portraits of his dachshunds Stanley and Boodgie.
Popularity
Dachshunds were introduced to the United States in the early 1900s, but their popularity took a dive in the U.S. during the first World War because the dogs were so closely associated with Germany. However, after the war, breeders imported dachshunds from Germany to rebuild the gene pool, and the breed's popularity increased once more.