6 Dachshund Fun Facts (That Are Actually True)

Quick take

• The Dachshund was built for a very specific job: hunting badgers.
• It has a surprising claim to Olympic fame.
• That long back is charming, and it also needs care.

1. The name means “badger dog”

The Dachshund was developed in Germany to hunt badgers, and the name means “badger dog” ^1,3. Its long body and short legs let it follow prey into burrows.

2. Its history is older than it is well documented

Some sources claim the breed’s origins go back to the 15th century, but the first verifiable references appear in books from the early 1700s ³. If you see a confident date from further back, treat it with caution.

3. There are three coat types

Dachshunds come in smooth, long-haired and wire-haired coats ^1,3. Sources disagree about how the coat varieties arose: one account says the smooth coat came first and the others came from crossbreeding, another links them to different climates, so the origin story is unsettled ³.

4. A Dachshund was the first Olympic mascot

Waldi, a Dachshund, was the first official mascot of an Olympic Games, at Munich in 1972 ^2,3. Accounts differ on who designed the mascot, so we don’t name a designer.

5. It is a top-five American favorite

In the AKC’s 2025 list, the Dachshund ranked fifth, after the French Bulldog, Labrador Retriever, Golden Retriever and German Shepherd Dog ⁴. Rankings change yearly.

6. That long back needs protecting

Short-legged, long-backed breeds like the Dachshund are prone to intervertebral disc disease (IVDD), where a spinal disc bulges or ruptures. Research has linked a genetic variant to the condition in these breeds, and estimates of how many dachshunds are affected vary widely between studies. Keeping your dog lean, using ramps instead of jumps and supporting its back when carried all help. Read more in our guide to inherited diseases in popular dog breeds.

Want the full picture? Read our complete Dachshund breed profile.