Vintage Dachshund Perfection

We're all perfect, but some of us moreso than others. This is 'Cracker Jack,' or Champion Crosswynd's Cracker Jack, Best Hound Westminster 1968 and 1969. We see why.

Have a great Friday!

Those Special Dachshunds: Happy Birthday Max!

Here's to the Birthday Boy! May bones rain from the sky!

Dear Joey and Maggie,

Here is a photo of Max, who will be 13 today (July 31). He is a wonderful sweet boy who is stubborn, smart, and a great watchdog.

We are his second set of humans, as the first ones gave him up when was only 5 months old. He is the world's greatest doxie!

Love,
Emily

Adding A Second Dog

Meet handsome wirehair puppy 'Connor,' the second dog to be adopted by a family in New Zealand. It's a tough decision to decide on adding another dog to a household, or at least it's something not to take lightly. For us personally, having 2 of us around has worked out great; we adore each other. We keep each other company while Dad is at work, and we love to gang up on him and play tricks - he's outnumbered! As long as we remember that he's our pack leader, the only thing Dad really complains about is the price of our vet bills, so it really comes down to just a monetary issue sometimes for some - veterinary medicine is quite expensive these days. But we're so worth it!
So back to Connor. His humans had a lot of similar concerns about adding a second dog to the household, and how has it turned out? Quote: It's magic! If you're one of the few Dachshund Lovers out there with just one Doxie, and are thinking about getting another, check out the article about Connor at Stuff.

Dachshund Dog Freestyle: Henrietta Keeps On Dancing!

Surely you remember 'Henrietta,' the viral video hottie from Emily & Henrietta?! Well here she is performing her fantastic new freestyle routine at the July 2009 Reliant Dog Show, by youtuber doxtrainer. Turn up the speakers.

Work it Henrietta, work it!

Watch Henrietta in 2006 on Martha Stewart, or in 2008 on Good Morning America.

And you can read more about her human, Emily Pyle, at the Musical Dog Sport Association.

Those Special Dachshunds: Meet Greta!

My oh my, check out this beautiful black and tan longhair relaxing on the porch, looking more beautiful than any geraniums could possibly be. Her human, Maggie F. writes:

Dear Joey and Maggie,

Greetings from Greta in Woodbury, VT.......Summer is finally here. No mountains of snow to climb, and sometimes a girl just needs to smell the flowers and let the wind blow through her hair!

Greta sure has her priorities straight.

Dachshund Survives Onion Overdose

Meet lucky little red smooth 'Rommel,' who hails from Hampstead, North Carolina. Rommel was attending a barbecue with his humans when a kabob fell on the ground, and you know what happened next. Yep, he ate the onion and got deathly ill, but thankfully had a full recovery after several days at the emergency vet and his regular vet. Star News notes:

Onions are extremely toxic to dogs in any form: raw, cooked, powdered or dehydrated. Onions contain a chemical called thiosulphate which is harmless to people; however, dogs (and cats) lack the ability to digest it. In a dog's body, it can cause red blood cells to rupture, leading to a potentially life-threatening form of anemia. Eating a little pizza with onions, or a bit of onion might not be harmful, since thiosulphate's effects are dose-dependent. Eat enough, however, and the animal might soon show vomiting and diarrhea.

Read more about Rommel, and find out more about common foods and ingredients that may be harmful to pets at Star News. We're glad to hear that Rommel is doing great.

Dachshund Days of Summer

Your Long and Short of it All host 'Joey' takes a moment to Paws and Reflect on life's heavenly bounties.

Maggie's Corner: Shopping For Dachshunds

Like most girls, your Long and Short of it All hostess 'Maggie' loves to shop, and she has been busy scouring magazines and the internet for the newest designs as well as some classic Dachshund gifts that you might like for your beloved Dachshund, or something special that makes your house a home. Above, 'Sammy' likes to eat out of this modern hanging Dachshund feeder. Measuring in at 11 5/8 "H x 13 1/8"W x 7 1/8"D, it features removable stainless bowls resting on a rubber ring for silent dining. It'll cost you $175 at These Creatures.

Go ahead, you KNOW you want it. There's really not a better gift for the Dachshund Lover than these Dachshund cake/pie servers. Have your cake and eat it too, then flip over your server to display it as a dachshund sculpture and wow all your friends. Designed in France by Laurent Mouveau, we can testify that these are quality sturdy pieces, and will brighten up any kitchen. Multiple designs are available at Pylones, or save a few bucks and support Dachshund rescue by purchasing one at DRNA.

It's no secret that Maggie has a crush on 'Baxter,' the handsome red smooth over at kalyxcornucopia, and yesterday he was proudly displaying his new Dachshund doormat he bought at Pier 1. Maggie says: A boy who shops, be still my aching heart! It doesn't look like this design is available online, but their doormats run about $16.95.

Heading over to the Wonderful World of Dachshunds at Etsy, send secret love letters to your sweetie-pie on this hand screen printed card available for $3.50 at Orange Twist's shop.

And while you're at Etsy, stick one of these long prints in your shopping cart. Measuring in at 19" x 10.5," the vivid colors and almost human-like facial characteristics can be yours for $45 at chetart's shop.

Maggie's Motto: Spend, Spend, Spend!

Badgers and Badgering

Today we are featuring a response written in the October, 1970, edition of the American Dachshund magazine which discusses the modern Dachshund and his conformation in relation to badger hunting ability. Specifically, the issues at hand are steep scapulas and short chests, and how these relate to the pet and show Dachshunds of today, or at least in 1970.

We found the reading to be fascinating, not only for the dedication that fanciers have to the breed, but also the humorous and well-written prose.

It also of course begs the age-old question: for if we are not badger dogs, then are we just dogs?

Without any further ado:

Badgers and Badgering
by John Winther
6022 N. E. 107th Ave, Vancouver, Wa, 98662

I was reminded of the fancy's badger problem in July issue where George Spradling registered shock to find in the show ring Dachshunds, some of whom were low-stationed, steep of scapula, and/or short of chest. These faults were viewed as impediments to their bearers for the singular though hypothetical task of slaying badgers.
Mr. Spradling's comments implied that his show placements reflected a sort of badger-killer ranking. Presumably, his winners were most suited for doing-in badgers, while the lesser specimens were perhaps better fitted for more mundane tasks.
While I get a certain vicarious pleasure in the thought that my resident Teckels are keeping badgers out of the snapdragons, I must admit the matter of relating form to function still has me puzzled. Estimating performance in the field from appearance at ringside may be frightfully simple for an old badger killer like George, but my efforts in this direction are beginning to sap the morale of my pack. In a nutshell, I keep rewarding the wrong dogs for keeping the badgers away.
I don't claim to be an authority on the North American badger, Taxidea taxus, much less the European form, although I will confess to a bit of clandestine checking in the local public library recently just to see what the dogs were up against.
To begin with, the badger standard reads almost like a Dachshund standard. I was pleased to learn that both badgers and Dachshunds were robust mammals. Similarly, standard weights for both run 12-24 lbs., a fair match. When I learned that badger holes are about 1 ft. in diameter, I made a mental note to cull any Dachshunds whose dimensions exceeded the proper fit. I skimmed quickly over the part which said badgers 'toe-in' markedly because I remembered that their fossorial friends, the moles, 'toed-out.' Alteration of the Dachshund standard to 'toes-ahead' now struck me as a reasonable compromise.
I was disappointed to discover that badgers do not climb, especially since I have Ami, a rash and persevering Smooth Standard bitch, who does. Just last week I surveyed the trees in the vicinity looking for badgers. Finding none, I praised Ami and rewarded her with a pound of choice chuck. The scapulae which permit Ami to climb are the very same that she uses for walking, running, and digging. That there remains hope for her rests on her excellence in the latter endeavor.
Since badgers move around mostly at night, the thought struck me that Sally probably also deserved some recognition as she has the best nose. She tracks anything and wouldn't be caught dead with her snoot more than 3/8th of an inch from the ground. She has killed rats and cats and rabbits - and will bite on sight anyone who looks like my father - all in all, a poor show prospect, but the best hunter of the bunch, and a show champion son to her credit.
Hummer is a digger, using her scapulae some, but especially her long strong nails. I'm not sure that she is more effective at excavating than say a razor clam or mole, but I am sure she looks more like a dog. I think this is what the badger killers sometimes forget - the Dachshund is more dog than digger.
As my experience in the exhibition of Dachshunds increases, my respect for the placements of multi-breed judges continues to grow. The all-rounders tend to judge Dachshunds as dogs. Probably only rarely would one claim that he was able to sight-rank a class as to its potential for killing badgers. I have never heard a judge of Chows speculate as to the culinary potential of his entry, nor is it likely that a Poodle judge makes his awards with waterfowling in mind.
The subject of Dachshunds and badgers must be confusing to the new fancier. If he tries to grapple with the problem of optimum scapular angle in relation to the historical art of badger throttling, it must be difficult to also monitor the realities of the show ring.
Perhaps we should all be reminded from time to time that the Dachshund is first and fundamentally a dog. The experienced exhibitor eventually learns that good dogs, regardless of breed, share many features in common. Gait and showmanship, for example, have little to do with the specialized tasks for which the various breeds were originally bred. Must we lose sight of the fact that dog shows today are just that - half dog, and half show.
Like George Spradling, I too kill badgers in my sleep. Most exhibitors, however, would be well advised to leave the badger killing to the dreamers. Show dogs merely have to symbolize their heritage. Until such time that someone throws a badger into the ring, it is probably best that we study the handlers who win and learn to pose the scapulae and other parts into a suitable facsimile of the attack stance.
END

Here is the column to which Mr. Winther replied, from the July, 1970, edition of the American Dachshund magazine:

TWO WERE 'DOUBLE-YOUR-FUN'
By George C. Spradling
923 First National Bank Bldg., Wichita, Ks 67202

The Longshore-Southport show held June 7 at Wilton, Ct, had an entry of 90 dogs with few absentees. If we may consider the entry as a fairly good cross section of the present dogs in the area, it might be interesting to compare them with the dogs shown in shows I have judged or attended in that vicinity during the past few years.
On the plus side there were several improvements. Thus, a goodly percent of the dogs shown had good to excellent feet. The reverse was true a few years ago. Back lines and heads were above average; front stance about the same but a little improvement in width of rear stance.
It was, however, shocking to find a large percentage of dogs with steep scapulas. Some of them were so bad the scapula laid right along the neck. Improper layback of the scapula causes padding. In extreme cases it results in substantially a hackney pony gait. Steepness sufficient to cause padding is a fault that seriously impairs the dog in doing the work for which it was bred and hence should be penalized accordingly.
Another serious fault that was more prevalent than average was the number of short chests. A short chest or inadequate ribbing is also a serious fault in that it affects stamina, a necessary requirement for a hunting dog such as the Dachshund. It should be heavily penalized. Too many of the dogs were too low in body stance with the depth of chest at or even below the wrist.
One of the rewards of judging is occasionally finding an outstanding specimen. It doesn't happen too often, but here there were two splendid specimens. sort of a "double-your-pleasure-double your-fun." One was a longhair dog in the Open Class named Bayard L'Aquilon. He was placed Best of Variety and later Third in a strong Hound Group by Mrs. Van Court. the other was a Wirehair bitch who appeared in the Specials class. Her name is Ch Westphal's Donnybrook. Both of these youngsters are of such superior quality they should make spectacular wins in the future. They approach perfection of the characters specified in the Standard.
It was a delight to see them.

END

Badger image source: early 1900s postcard

Dachshund News Roundup!

Proving once again that National Hot Dog Month is really all about the Dachshund, here's a Dachshund News Roundup on a beautiful summer day, Monday, July 27, 2009. Can we get a woof?! Above....they grow the sausages big in Kentucky, as evidenced by red shaded smooth 'Buck,' a 50-pound monster who raced at Evansville's Ellis Park Race Course on Saturday. Buck came in last in his heat, but we're sure that what he lacked in speed, he made up for in respect from the other Dachshunds. Congrats goes out to 'Gizmo' for taking the crown. Read all about the event and see some nice pics at The Gleaner.

Wiener Haters? Who doesn't love the Wienermobile? Hawaii, apparently. After a wienermobile commenced a 3-week tour of the islands, a nonprofit group called Outdoor Circle said the Wienermobile violates a recently enacted state law that bars vehicles used primarily to advertise or promote a service or product. Oscar Mayer says it did nothing wrong; they did not know about the ban, they completed all the paperwork for the visit, and the Honolulu mayor even honored the rolling sausage on July 2nd, declaring an official Oscar Mayer Wiener Day. Read all about the beef at the Honolulu Advertiser. Thanks to our pal 'Clancy' for the story tip!

Can't you just feel the anticipation in this photo? This was the scene at the 5th annual West Virginia Hot Dog Festival on Saturday at Pullman Square in Huntington, West Virginia. Thousands enjoyed wiener dog races, a Bun Run 5K, a hot dog eating contest and a root beer chugging contest at the event. See a super gallery of photos at the Herald-Dispatch.

 
And finally, in rescue news, do you remember the six sickly Dachshunds that were dumped at Furrytale Farm animal shelter about 6 weeks ago on Bainbridge Island in Washington state? They are now looking for forever homes. What's especially sad about this case is that a veterinarian has determined the females had never had litters, so it's not thought that they came from a puppy mill at this point, and yet were in such poor health. The vet bill for these six came to $12,000. Warning, the video is hard to watch. Read more at Q13 Fox News.

Have a nice day.

Dachshunds in Pop Culture: Billy Fury

Who? Billy Fury (17 April 1940 - 28 January 1983), was an internationally successful British pop singer from the late 1950s to the early 1960s, and remained an active songwriter until the 1980s. An early British rock and roll (and film) star, he equalled The Beatles' record of 24 hits in the 1960s, and spent 332 weeks on the UK charts, without a chart-topping single or album. Allmusic journalist, Bruce Eder, states, "His mix of rough-hewn good looks and unassuming masculinity, coupled with an underlying vulnerability, all presented with a good voice and some serious musical talent, helped turn Fury into a major rock and roll star in short order". Rheumatic fever which he first contracted as a child, damaged his heart and ultimately contributed to his early death.
In 2003 a bronze statue of Fury was unveiled at the National Museum of Liverpool Life.
So, where's the Dachshund? Check out this excerpt from the American Dachshund magazine, January, 1969 (the excerpt most likely originates from a newspaper):

Fred is one of the longest - and most valuable dogs in London. One recent night she was confined to quarters and not permitted outdoors for any reason whatsoever. For lost somewhere in her sausage-dog body was a $600 engagement ring that pop star Billy Fury gave to his fiancee, Judith Hall. X-ray films revealed the diamond solitaire about halfway along the Dachshund's stomach, but progressing.
Fred - who is a female - swallowed the gem in a doggy dinner when Judith was feeding her during the weekend. Her meaty chunks, enriched with marrow-bone jelly, became even richer when the ring fell off into her dish.

Fury and Hall married in May, 1969, but the couple soon separated; maybe the Dachshund was trying to make a point.

Billy Fury and one of his beautiful songs - Once Upon A Dream

Hot Dog Night Results!

Thanks so much to our good pals 'Oscar' and 'Hans' for providing a recap and photos again this year for the Annual Hot Dog Night, which took place last Thursday in Luverne, Minnesota. This fun event featured a Dachshund Beauty Contest, Wiener Races, and 10,000 free hot dogs!

There were more than 20 dogs entered in the beauty contest, and 50+ dogs that raced. There were many heats, then semifinal and final runs. The finals had to be re-run due to a starting issue, so it was very exciting! (Oscar gave it his all in the first finals and ran out of gas by the time we re-ran, so he brought up the rear. But not too shabby for a 9 year old, 30-lb standard running against all those young little minis!)
Cooper took first place in the Hot Dog Wiener Races. His owners are Sam and Emily Rens, of Sioux Center, Iowa, who enticed him to the finish line with a bubble-blowing toy. Moxie, with owners Payton and clay Metzger, of Larchwood, took second place. He was enticed with a hot dog.
As far as the beauty contest, “Walter” won the male division, and I **THINK** Penelope won the female? (Can’t remember for sure and Oscar didn’t take very good notes!)
Dakota Dachshund Rescue was there once again with many lovable wieners looking for forever homes. New this year, Myhre Studio, a local photographer, opened their doors for FREE Dachshund portraits throughout the evening!
Wieners came from Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota, Wisconsin, even West Virginia to compete! It was an awesome night to celebrate our favorite Hot Dogs!
The local newspaper put up an awesome video. There is also a slideshow at Luverne Chamber.

'Walter B. Wiener,' head of his Neighborhood Watch program, won the Male division of the Wiener Dog Beauty Contest.

"Diva Wiener" was a contestant in the Beauty Contest.

Dancing to win the Beauty Contest.

Thanks so much to our Minnesota Dachshund News Correspondents, 'Oscar,' and his human, Holly B. Congrats to Oscar for coming in 4th in the Wiener Races!

Have a great Friday!

Those Special Dachshunds: Meet Chloe!

Look how happy this sweet smooth girl is with her ball! She's in heaven! Her humans, B and Tony, write:

Hi Joey & Maggie !

I've attached a picture of our 4 year old little girl named 'Chloe.' We live in Northern New Jersey where summer is in and Chloe gets to run around with the ball in her mouth until she is so tired that she collapses at night. Don't let the playful looks fool you, she can be a true menace sometimes :)

Thanks so much for sending in her nice photo!

A Hot Mess: Dachshund On Viagra

A Friday Funny?

If you enjoyed this, check out Hot Mess Alaskan Booty Call in the post The World Revolves Around Dachshunds.

'The Long and Short of it All' is Brought to You by:

(click photo to enlarge)

Old Frankenmuth Lager Beer, Frankenmuth, Michigan. Reach For The Best.

Please Support Our Advertisers.

Vintage Dachshund Fun: Clutch Cargo: Bush Pilots, Episode One

Much thanks to youtuber thesixtiesguy: part 1 of 5. Clutch, spinner and Paddlefoot come to the rescue of a downed pilot in the Alaskan wilderness.

Watch all the episodes at the sixtiesguy channel.

Related: Dachshunds in Pop Culture: Paddlefoot in Clutch Cargo

Those Special Dachshunds: Meet Mufti!

Check out this Handsome Boy. His human, Marlo M., writes:

Hi Joey and Maggie!

I’m the proud human of the little dachshund in the photos, Mufti. We live in Tasmania, Australia and read your blog every day. Thanks for such a great site dedicated the greatest animal of all – dachshunds!

Keep up the great work,

Marlo & Mufti

Thanks for sending in such a nice photo of Mufti!

Free Book Download: Heroic Measures

Thanks so much to our pal 'Hashbrown' (don't you love that name?!) for sending the link where you can download this new novel, Heroic Measures by Jill Ciment for free at Oprah.com. Actually, the download might expire in about an hour, 10:59 EST today, so ACT FAST.

From Oprah's site: After a lifetime together, 70-something Alex and his wife, Ruth, are still smitten—with each other ("He has loved her for so long that he can no longer distinguish between passion and familiarity") and with their elderly dachshund, Dorothy. About to sell their Manhattan walk-up, the couple is caught up in crisis: Their dog is suddenly paralyzed, a truck jackknifes in a tunnel, news channels click into terrorist-hype overdrive. Read Jill Ciment's Heroic Measures (Pantheon) for its painterly depictions of a rattled city, its deliciously biting satire of media and real estate madness, its tender knowledge of the creaturely ties that bind.

Pottery Barn Dachshund

Thanks so much to our pal 'Dash,' as well as our pals 'Truman,' 'Bingley,' 'Shelbe' and 'Lolly' for sending in the link to this brand new Dachshund sculpture available at Pottery Barn. And look! It's affordable! Just $24 with free shipping. The Dachshund is 2" wide x 10" deep x 5" high, and cast of aluminum with a rich bronze finish.

A Broken Record: Pitbulls Attack and Kill Dachshund Puppy; Injure Teen

This time in Allendale Township, Michigan. We try to support the "deed not the breed" philosophy, but these recurring stories honestly stretch our patience. Read more about the unfortunate incident at woodtv.

Celebrity Dachshund Watch: Jennifer Aniston

Woof! Is Jennifer Aniston really helping this lady pick up Dachshund poop? Well, yes and no...it's fake. According to People Magazine:

Jennifer Aniston was recently spotted pitching in on doggie duties (and, er, bagging what looked like dog poop) on the New York City set of her new comedy, The Bounty. PEOPLE Pets has learned that her canine costar, a miniature dachshund, belongs to the film’s director Andy Tennant (best known for films like 2005's Hitch and 2002's Sweet Home Alabama).

You can see another photo from our friends at Celebrity Dog Watcher.

We All Scream For Ice Cream

'Barney,' a miniature red smooth owned by Chris Ripnak from North Coventry, Pennsylvania, gets his just dessert...a scoop of ice cream for being a good dog and getting a bath at the Coventry Ice Cream Parlor on Sunday afternoon. The doggie wash was in support of the American Cancer Society's Bark for Life of Pottstown. Read all about the event and see more pics at The Mercury.

Go Junior, Go!

Cassandra Dishwiller and Lulu Landeros cheer for their favorite Dachshund during the Wienerschnitzel 2009 Wiener Nationals at Los Alamitos Racetrack in Cypress, California, on Saturday. See 22 photos from the event in a great slideshow at the OC Register.

Playtime!

A boxer plays with Dachshund puppies. Via The London Paper's weird pictures of the day.

Awesome Dachshund Videos: Presley, 2009 Los Alamitos Wienerschnitzel Wiener Nationals Champion

Our hats off to the organizers of Saturday's 2009 Wienerschnitzel Wiener Nationals at Los Alamitos Race Course in Cypress, California. There have been great promo videos this year by both the Wienerschnitzel food chain as well as the race track, and this video documenting the win by little red smooth 'Presley' is just icing on the cake. Congrats to Presley and his humans, Jim and Amy Caetta of Placentia, California on taking the title, and all the Dachshunds who competed. From youtuber losalqh:

The King, errr Queen, has left the building. Actually, Presley, a two-year-old female brown dachshund owned by Jim and Amy Caetta of Placentia, California, left Los Alamitos as the 2009 Wiener Nationals Champion after she pulled away to a daylight win over Miranda Libres' #7 Sully in the 2009 Wienerschnitzel Wiener Nationals on Saturday at Los Alamitos Race Course. Ariel Biley's #5 Detective Douglas, last year's runner-up was third. Defending champion #6 Max lacked racing room at the start and finished fourth. He was trying to become the first back-to-back winner of the event. While the paid attendance was 8,288, track officials estimate that more than 12,500 people enjoyed the event, as children 17 and under are admitted to the event for free. The Wiener Nationals featured 98 wiener dogs competing in a record 13 races, the most ever in the fourteen-year history of this event.
Rounding out the rest of the finishers (in post-position order) was Joyce Olivera's Oliver of Ventura, Lona Castro's Daisy of Pico Rivera, Kim Day's Jasmeiner of Tujunga, Paul and Christine Guzman's Covina, Charlotte Groves' Link of Palm Desert, and Eulices and Yeci Gomez's Otto of Long Beach.

Related: Los Alamitos Wiener National Coverage

Vancouver Wiener Champ

Thirty-two Long and Lows competed for a $1,000 purse at a showdown on Saturday in Vancouver, Canada, with the first ever Dachshund races to take place at Hastings Race Course.

Congratulations goes out to the champ, 2.5-year-old red smooth 'Joey,' pictured here with his human Nancy Green. Of special note in this race are the antics of 'Jasmine':

So it is fitting that one of the highlights of the day was the first race when Jasmine, a black mini, bolted from the gate and then proceeded to run around the entire track with track officials and her two owners frantically chasing her.
When Jasmine was finally caught after completing the half-mile course, the crowd erupted in cheers.
"I had to chase my dog around the freaking track," said an exhausting Brenda English of Burnaby.

Read all about it and see some nice pics at The Vancouver Sun.

Wienermobile Crashes Into Wisconsin Home

Frankly Ridiculous

An Oscar Meyer Wienermobile crashed into the home and outdoor deck of Nick Krupp in Racine, Wisconsin on Friday morning, July 17, 2009. According to a witness, the vehicle was parked in the driveway. The driver lurched the vehicle forward instead of backing out of the driveway, hitting Krupp's deck and cracking the foundation of his house. (AP Photo/Journal Times, Tom McCauley). Read all about it at The Chicago Tribune. We're glad that no one was hurt.

Thanks to tips from 'Clancy,' 'Bogie,' and 'Monty' for this story!

Related: Wienermobile Stories

Why Dachshunds Are Short

Get Shorty

Thanks to 'Willow' and 'Cocoa,' as well as Nolen Clark for sending in links to reports of an interesting new study which explains why Dachshunds have short stubby legs. Here is an excerpt from Reuters:

An extra gene may explain why dachshunds, corgis and basset hounds have short, stubby legs, U.S. researchers said on Thursday in a finding that may also lend new clues about human dwarfism.
They said while most dogs have only one copy of a growth-related gene, nearly 20 different breeds of short-legged dogs have a second, slightly altered copy of the gene called fibroblast growth factor 4 or FGF4.
This so-called retrogene appears to be copy of a wolf gene that got spliced back into the dog genome some time after modern dog breeds diverged from wolves.
The trait affects only the legs, unlike the small-all-over effect seen in miniature or toy breeds, such as poodles.
Researchers should start looking in humans to see if the FGF4 gene plays a role in a form of dwarfism called hypochondroplasia, which represents about one-third of the unexplained cases of dwarfism in humans.

Read even more at The American Institute of Physics. Now, who can explain why we're long?

Photo source: The Daily Mail

Have a fantastic Friday.

Angst Over Angus

It's not often that we get Dachshund news from New Zealand, but this handsome red smooth boy named 'Angus' has gone missing. His human is Nigel "Booga" Beazley, the lead singer of the rock band Head Like A Hole. 4-year-old Angus was visiting friends when a barking dog next door caused him to take off. Read more at the Manawatu Standard. We hope Angus makes it home safe and sound.

Head Like A Hole: Dachshund Lovers Wear Nipple Rings

Vintage Dachshund Love

We love to be pampered. Photo source unknown.

Dachshunds To Watch Out For

The 14th running of the Wienerschnitzel Wiener Nationals will be this Saturday, July 18, 2009, at the Los Alamitos Race Course in Los Alamitos, California,with proceeds to benefit the local Seal Beach Animal Care Center. The Care Center is a non-profit group dedicated to finding home for stray animals in the Orange County area. See how the wieners are training for the event in the above fun video.

Also racing will be this beautiful girl, 'Maddie,' who hails from Whittier, California. Maddie is seen practicing here on Tuesday, running 50 yards for a hot dog at a local High School.

Maddie's human Dan Marquez said the family adopted Maddie when another family lost their home and had to move into an apartment.
"She's a super, super good dog," Marquez said. "We let her smell a little piece of a hot dog, and then we run, and let her go, and she just bolts as fast as can be."

Read all about Maddie, see another great pic of her with her humans, and find out more about the event at the Pasadena Star-News.

Related: Los Alamitos Wiener Nationals coverage

Diminutive Dogs Get Their Day

Diminutive? Hardly!

'Abbra,' an 18-month-old Dachshund, checks out a camera during the sixth-annual Dachshund Fun Day, held Saturday at Peace Arch Park in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada. The event was organized by the Miniature Dachshund Club of B.C.
Source.

Those Special Dachshunds: Meet Tobi!

We could sure use help from our readers with this one. Check out this beautiful guy who hails all the way from Lübeck, Germany. His human writes:

Dear Joey and Maggie,

I'm writing to you from Germany, having the impression that the two of you are genuine experts on Dachshunds! My 4-legged friend Tobi had been saved from a Killing Station in Spain, one year ago. He's now 12 years old, alive and kicking and always in the center of the attention (as all Dachshunds are!). Luckily, my boss gave permission to take Tobi with me to the office. He got him the position of an "Official-Sub-Desk-Area-Manager", which entitles Tobi to stroll around, say HELLO to everybody and plead for doggychew. Now, my question: It's quite obvious that he's not 100% Dachshund, but due to the fact that I have no clue about Tobi's past, I haven't figured out which other breed might be in his family tree.. Basset Hound? Beagle? He's quite big for a Dachshund and his front paws are massive! But I can assure you, that he's 100% Dachshund inside!!! Or could it be possible that he's a rare sort of Dachshund? Any hint will be welcome, because people don't stop asking me about his bloodline! Many thanks in advance!

Kind regards and WoofWoof from Tobi,
Anika

Experts, hardly! It's hard for us to tell from the photo, and wirehairs are especially more difficult for us, but he certainly looks long and short, and has the face and head of a Dachshund. Dachshunds come in so many colors and varieties, just from the photo alone we'd be remiss to discount him as 100% Dachshund. There's a thin line it seems between a piebald Dachshund and a tri-color; and we don't think that tri-color is an official Dachshund color or pattern, but when you see one like this one who owns Fashion designers Traver Rains and Richie Rich, there is definitely more of a beagle coloring versus the traditional piebald pattern - and yet he's still a Dachshund.

He's certainly handsome regardless. Can anyone provide any more clues?

Ceramic Dachshund by Jonathan Adler

Thanks to our friends Nina and Franny for sending in the link to this sharp ceramic Dachshund figurine by designer Jonathan Adler. A nice addition to your curio collection, this high-fired stoneware with a matte white or midnight glaze measures in at 12" long x 3" wide x 5.25" high, and will cost you 88 bucks.

Vintage Dachshund Pride

Aren't you proud of your Dachshund?

CH SHERLITT'S HI TONE has won half of all the shows in which he has been entered, that the lowest he has ever gone in any show was a third placing in one show. Hi Tone was sired by Ch Hainheim's Lance x Ch Sherlitt's Hi Laurry. via The American Dachshund, August, 1962

MUSHROOM ALERT: Wet Season Spawns Deadly Mushrooms

A wet season near Confier, Colorado (and all over the country!) has produced a heavy year for mushrooms, which can be poisonous to dogs, especially small dogs. Dachshund Lover Jeff Clark wants dog owners to beware after losing his beloved red smooth 'Herman' over the weekend. The Conifer Veterinary Hospital is reporting a couple cases a week of suspected mushroom poisoning.

Clark said on Saturday evening he noticed Herman was salivating a lot. The dog threw up his dinner and seemed lethargic. A few hours later he seemed to be feeling better and fell asleep. The Clark's say when they checked on Herman at 4 a.m. he was dead.
"It broke our heart. It has been a very tough couple of days," he said.

Don't miss the photos and article at 9NEWS. There are lots of tips which could save your Dachshund's life. Our hearts go out to Herman's family and friends. We thank Mr. Clark for getting the word out.

Why a Mailman Doesn't Stick Fingers in the Mail Slot

From youtuber Mailmandolin, a mailman and mandolin player: I deliver to this home. There is a Dachshund that lives there. He doesn't like the mailman.

We see the dachsie still got a treat though.

Every Dog Has His Day

The third annual Weiner Dog Day was held recently at Chew On This Dog Barkery in Frankfort, Illinois, to raise money and awareness for the Midwest Dachshund Rescue. More than 40 dachshunds brought their owners out to watch them to compete for the coveted Best Weiner Dog in the Midwest title. Competitions included longest, fastest and musical sit/stay. Source.

COMING SOON: 2009 Hot Dog Night

(click image to enlarge)

If you're near Luverne, Minnesota, don't miss the 47th Annual Hot Dog Night this Thursday. Amongst the festivities, you can enjoy 10,000 free hot dogs, a wiener dog beauty contest and wiener races! It's small town America at its finest; find out more at Luverne Area Chamber. Stay tuned for pictures and a full report from our pals 'Oscar' and 'Hans!'

Dachshund News Roundup!

It's summertime, summertime, sum sum, summertime, and here's a Dachshund News Roundup on a relatively cool, yet absolutely beautiful Monday July 13, 2009. Did someone say Woof!? Above, meet 5-year-old 'Gracie' the champion, the 2-time wire-hair champion, from the 2nd Annual Dachshund Race Fundraiser at Perini Ranch in Buffalo Gap, Texas, on Sunday. Besides wiener races, the event featured a Doggie Beauty Pageant for all breeds of dogs, a Doggie Maze and Fun Course, dog wellness, training and grooming booths, Frisbees, stick horse races and other activities for children. See lots of Dachshund photos and read all about the event at the Reporter News.

The 12th Annual North East Ohio Dachshund Picnic took place on Saturday in Kent, Ohio. Weather reports were calling for rain, but it looks like a great time was had by all from the pics at the official NEOD picnic site. While those pics are OK, don't even think about missing the costume pics over at Doxie Lovers Club. Wish we could've attended this fun event!

It wouldn't be a Germanfest without Dachshunds, and this was the scene from the "Viener Dog" races at the Syracuse, Nebraska event over the weekend. Also featured were a beer garden, live entertainment, a street dance, a watermelon feed and a variety of contests ranging from polka dancing, hot dog eating, hog calling, mother calling, bed races and cake eating. Read all about it at the Nebraska City News Press.

And finally, we've saved the unfortunate news for last, but a math error may have led to a 10-fold overdose of chemotherapy medication for red smooth 'Hans,' (above left), a Dachshund who hailed from New York City. Pictured here with his pal 'Mitzi,' Hans was being treated for a cancerous growth under his right eye, and died shortly after the alleged overdose. His family is suing the veterinary clinic. Read the tatty details at the New York Post. Our hearts go out to Hans' family and friends.

Have a fantastic Monday.