Do you have a Dachshund? Are you curious Why dachshunds are small? Do you know why they were raised this way? Here’s everything you need to know about why dachshunds have short legs. Why do dachshunds have short legs? Dachshunds have short, stocky legs due to a genetic condition called chondrodysplasia, which is a type of dwarfism. They were bred this way on purpose so they could scratch at brush and burrow into the ground to hunt badgers.
Read on to find out how tall miniature and standard dachshunds are, why they were bred to have such short legs, and the genetic reason behind them. This article is based on research and personal experience as a dachshund owner for over 10 years. I am not a veterinarian, a qualified dog trainer, or a dog behaviorist.
Why dachshunds are small? How big are Dachshunds?
On average, Miniature Dachshunds are 5 to 7 inches tall at the withers. Standard dachshunds are between 20 and 22 centimeters tall at the withers. They are very small in size and have their little paws to thank for that. In fact, their short legs and long bodies are the defining traits of the Dachshund breed. And there’s a really interesting reason dachshunds ended up with that long, sausage-like appearance.
Why were dachshunds bred to have short legs?
Dachshunds were originally bred as hunting dogs over three hundred years ago. Their hunting consisted of following the scent of burrowing animals and diving into holes to hunt them. The short legs of a dachshund allowed them to enter the burrows of badgers and other small animals. Only with such short legs would it be possible for them to continue hunting underground, leaving the badgers with nowhere to hide. Their small size allowed Dachshunds to fit into small holes that other longer-legged dog breeds would simply be too big to dive into!
Therefore, dachshunds were the perfect dog for this type of hunting. Their short legs allowed them to crawl through burrows without any problem. And their brave attitude meant that they would manage to capture their prey.
A short-legged dachshund in the park. Being so low to the ground helped dachshunds track the scents of their prey. It also allowed them to scratch the undergrowth. Their small size helped them detect animals that would have been similar in size to their own, such as badgers, rabbits, or moles. This made it the ideal height for hunting burrowing creatures.
Why Dachshunds Are Small – Force
A dachshund’s legs may be short, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have a lot of strength to dig. They must be able to quickly burrow into the ground if they are following prey. Dachshunds have an ingrained ability to use their strong feet like paddles to dig for burrowing animals. You may see evidence of its burrowing ability in your garden or yard or when it hides under your cover at night.
What is the genetic reason for a dachshund’s short legs?
They have short legs due to a genetic condition called chondrodysplasia. This is a type of skeletal dwarfism, which means that Dachshunds have a normal body size, but much shorter legs than most other dog breeds. Chondrodysplasia is a condition that affects different breeds of dogs, as well as Dachshunds, including Corgis and Basset Hounds.
In fact, the genetic cause of short legs in dachshunds is the same genetic reason for short legs in all dog breeds we have. Therefore, They have a mutated gene that causes a delay in the development of cartilage in their legs when they grow in the womb. It is this genetic mutation that means that during fetal development, a dachshund’s legs do not develop as they normally would.
Why dachshunds are small – Side view of a Dachshund showing their short legs while standingÂ
Chondrodysplasia causes the excessive production of a protein during the development of the dachshund in the womb. This causes their leg bones to stiffen prematurely. So instead of growing completely, his legs stop growing much sooner. The condition does not impact the development of the rest of a dachshund’s body, just its limbs. This is the reason why dachshunds have such short legs compared to the rest of their body. They have been selectively bred to have this specific characteristic of abnormal leg development. This was due to the advantages it gave them of being hunting dogs. Breeders would have tried different breeding mixes over time until they found the right kind of genetic mutation that would allow dachshunds to have shorter legs while maintaining a long body.
Interestingly, They don’t have long backs like people tend to think, they just have short, stocky legs. So this is it! They have short legs due to a genetic condition called chondrodysplasia, a type of dwarfism. They were bred this way on purpose so they could run through dense undergrowth and burrow into the ground to hunt badgers.
