Making Less Useful Dachshunds

Show ring folks often seem to think "the standard" for their breed was hand delivered by the Gods rather than written down by nameless, faceless people, often with little experience working their breed.

A lot of folks also seem to think the "standard" for their dogs is the same from one nation or Kennel Club to another, and from one year to another.  

Sometimes that's true, but often it's not.  There's not much standard about standards! 

Take the Dachshund or Teckel.  This is not a new breed.  

The FCI notes that:

The Dachshund, also called Dackel or Teckel, has been known since the Middle Ages. From the Bracken, dogs especially suitable for hunting below ground were consistently bred. From these short-legged dogs, the Dachshund evolved and is recognised as one of the most versatile hunting breeds. He also shows excellent performance above ground, hunting while giving tongue, flushing and tracking wounded game. The oldest Club devoted to the breeding of Dachshunds is the “Deutsche Teckelklub” e.V., founded in 1888.

Right.

Not said:  In 2017 the FCI fundamentally changed the Dachshund breed standard.

What happened in 2017? 

The FCI Dachshund or Teckel “standard” massively increased the allowed chest size for a full-sized Dachshund from 35 cm to as much as 47 cm -- an up to 34 percent increase.  

For Americans used to imperial measurements, that's a chest size that's been increased from 13.75 inches to 18.5 inches.  

The human equivalent is a fashion designer redefining the ideal female form from a 32 inch chest to one over 42.8 inches.  

Some difference!

What was going on?

The simple story is that the FCI seems to have been under pressure from British and American breeders to find a place for their over-large chested dogs.  

The pre-2017 FCI Dachshund standard was an excellent standard for a true working dog, but since few show people were actually working their dogs, why not allow the standard to balloon up, under cover of a different chest size permitted for males than females, and never mind if the quarry in the hole does not care what gender the dogs is behind it! 

Look at the pictures below, from Frank J. in Germany  These are from back in 2006.  At the time I noted that:

Frank reports that his dachshunds have a chest of 35 cm (13.78 inches). The Germans are very precise about chest measurements, as they understand that for a dog to be a "gebrauchshund" (i.e. a "useful" hunting dog), it cannot be too big to fit into a tight den, nor can it be so nose-dead as to be unable to find in the field. Along with size and nose and gameness, a German working dachshund has to show that it is also not gun shy.

Right.  A useful dog.

Frank's dogs had no problems working Badger or Red Fox or American Raccoon or Raccoon-dog (Tankuki).  

But can a dog with an 18.5 inch chest follow a Red Fox into a narrow pipe?  Nope. The Fox can go where the big-chested dog may not be able to follow. In the field that can be a problem, even if it isn't in the show ring.

The old 35 cm Teckel standard of just under 14 inches in circumference was experience-based and reflected the true size of a Red Fox chest -- the most common historical quarry for working Dachshunds.   

An 18.5 inch chest?  There is no fox anywhere in the world with a chest that size.

To be fair, dachshund means BADGER dog, and a badger hole is generally larger than a naturally-dug fox earth. But European Badgers are quite variable in size, from 15 to 45 pounds depending on age, season, and feed and, as Frank's dogs make clear a larger chest size is NOT needed to work badger.

Also, to be fair, Dachshunds or Teckels come in three sizes, so suitable-sized dogs are still found in the gene pool as "miniature" dachshunds.

So has anything been lost?  

Probably not. 

But is "the standard" standard, and is it always written free of politics and by folks with real work experience with their dogs?  

Almost never.