Are Dachshunds Still Used For Hunting?

Are Dachshunds Still Used for Hunting?

Updated 12/20/2024 by Ava Jaine

When you think of a hunting dog, do you ever picture a Dachshund?  The original purpose for creating the Dachshund dog breed was for hunting the pesky badger.

Back in the day, the badger was considered a major pest for eating people’s crops.  Hunters needed to have a dog that was low to the ground and able to dig through small holes in order to get to their prey.

Don’t let their size fool you! Dachshunds are extremely intelligent dogs who are brave and tough in the face of danger.  They had to be, in order to win a battle with a fierce badger.

Are Dachshunds Still Used For Hunting?
 

The Dachshund Name:

The name Dachshund (pronounced: Dahks-hunt) means “badger dog.” In German, dachs means “badger,” hund means “dog.”  Some other proper names in Germany are Dackel and Teckel.

England was one of the first countries to turn the Dachshund from a hunter into a favored pet.  The Dachshund was brought to the United States in the 1870’s, but more as a pet instead of a hunter.

Are Dachshunds Still Used For Hunting Today?

Yes, Dachshunds are still among the Top Dog Breeds For hunting. Many hunters in Europe and the US still use the Dachshund dog to track and hunt.

Hunters often use a pack of dachshunds to hunt down their prey.  This gives the hunter the advantage as these little long-dogs will hunt together, then split off to dig down into different entrances of the animal’s burrow.

Are Dachshunds Still Used For Hunting?

Dachshund Falconry:

Dachshunds and Hawks (or Falcons) work together as a hunting team.  How cool is that? 

In the United States, Dachshunds are used to hunt alongside hawkers or falconers for small game, like rabbit and squirrel.

While hunting, the Dachshund will chase after the animal and the hawk follows up with the final catch – Team Work!

Check out the Teckel Club for more information and pictures.

Are Dachshunds Good for Hunting?

In the past, it was mainly the standard-sized Dachshund that was used for badger hunting. The Miniature Dachshund came along later and was used for smaller game like rabbit, squirrel, and prairie dogs.

Nowadays, hunters in the US and Europe are using Miniature and Standard Dachshunds for badger hunting.  In the Western part of the United States, Dachshunds have also been used to track down wounded deer (Blood Tracking).

Hunters use a transmitter collar to help keep track of their hunting dachshunds while they are underground.  When using this special tracking collar, the hunter has a more accurate location to dig down and help flush out the hunted animal.

Different Dachshund Coats:

Did you know that there is an actual purpose for the different Dachshund coats?

Short-Hair Dachshunds:

Dachshunds with the short-hair coat made it harder for their prey to bite down and hold on.  This made it easier for the doxie to hunt and tumble with its prey.

Wire-Hair and Long-Hair Dachshunds:

Since Dachshunds are lower to the ground, the short hair doxies tended to get more scratched up by the sharp prickers and branches while hunting in the wooded areas. 

The wire-hair and long-hair Dachshunds could keep their skin more protected from the sharp debris of the forest floor.

 

Why Are Dachshunds Good Hunters?

  • Lungs: The Dachshund dog breed has a large lung capacity, despite its short stature.  When the Dachshund digs into the small animal burrow, they can continue to breathe with less risk of getting stuck.  Larger lung capacity also allows the doxie to hunt and fight with their prey for longer periods of time.

  • Senses: The Dachshund is a hound dog, so they can track the scent of their prey (spoor sense) and are able to hear and feel ground vibrations (reverberatory sense).

  • Training: The hunting Dachshund is trained to track the animal,  chase the animal into its burrow, dig down into the hole after the animal, and drag it out for the hunter to make the final kill.  Their main purpose is to retrieve the animal for the hunter, not to fight the animal to the death.  Badgers can be pretty fierce animals, so it made sense that hunters would use a pack of Dachshunds while on the hunt.

  • Claws: Dachshunds are awesome digger dogs. They have to dig deep into an animals narrow burrow during the hunt.

  • Bark: Dachshund owners are very familiar with that loud doxie bark!  While hunting, the Dachshunds used their loud bark to help the hunter locate their prey.

Are Dachshunds Still Used For Hunting?

Do Dachshunds Hunt Foxes?

Yes, Dachshunds are used for fox hunting.  A trained hunting Dachshund can chase a fox out from its underground den in no time.  While the Miniature Dachshunds can be used to track and chase down a fox, the larger Standard Dachshund can be used to fight and defend if needed.

 

What Animals Can Dachshunds Hunt?

Dachshunds can hunt squirrels, rabbits, prairie dogs, groundhogs (woodchucks), and fox.  They can also sniff out wounded deer. 

Some hunters use Dachshunds to hunt opossums, raccoons, and pheasants.  In the past, they were even used to track wild boar,  Yikes!

Have you ever gone hunting with a Dachshund before?  We would love to hear all about your adventures. Please tell us your story in the comments below.

Are Dachshunds Still Used For Hunting?

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