Breed All About It, "Dachshund"
- AmazonUnbox
Breed All About It, "Dachshund"
The Dachshund loves two activities more than all others -- to chase and to dig. Lucy and Merlot have the perfect playground. Gabriela Hucal designed a tunnel safari for her two long-haired Dachshunds in rural Colorado. The dogs are released 200 feet from the tunnel openings. Lucy and Merlot then run lickety-split to the entrances and begin sniffing and searching for their target: a small mouse protected in a cage. The Dachshund was originally bred to tunnel and scurry its way through brush and burrows for beaver, weasels and other small prey. These two dogs take the chase seriously and perform very quickly -- with dirt flying everywhere. Tasha, a miniature Dachshund, is the full-time partner and pet to Nancy Hager. Hager is Claiborne County's Youth Services Director in Tennessee. She takes Tasha to local schools and teaches students about the hazards of drugs. The dog is used to track down drugs in school lockers and classrooms - and at the county jail. Tasha finds drug residue in prisoners' cells and helps to control the contraband problem. Dachshunds were bred to have a strong sense of smell and a great determination for finding whatever it is they're directed to find. Dachshunds are prone to slipped disks and other spinal injuries. Thirteen-year-old Fred developed spinal cord compression three years ago. Despite back surgery, Fred remained paralyzed. His family's only options were euthanasia or a wheelchair-like cart.
AmazonUnbox | October 14, 1999
