Weiner dog, hot dog, sausage dog or Doxie are all nicknames for the Dachshund. These dogs were breed in Germany around 1550 to 1850. They first appeared in the United States in 1879.
The word Dachshund means badger dog. They were given this name for they were fearless in burrowing down small holes to flush out small prey and even going head to head with badgers weighing up to 40 pounds. This breed's loud, high pitch bark alerts hunters of the location of the prey. The Dachshund also has a keen sense of smell.
The Dachshund comes in three sizes: standard, miniature, and kaninchen (which is the German word for rabbit.) They also come in three variations: smooth coat (short hair), long hair, and wire-hair.
Read more at What Is the Dachshund?
