Are you wondering if Dachshunds are still used for hunting? Do you want to know why Dachshunds are still being used for their hunting instincts? Here’s everything you need to know about Dachshunds and hunting!
Are Dachshunds Still Used For Hunting? Yes, Dachshunds are still used as hunting dogs in Europe and other parts of the world. Dachshunds are used to trace scents of wounded animals, and flush badgers or rabbits from burrows. They’re great hunting dogs due to their body shape and natural instincts.
But wait, there’s more you need to know! Read on to find out more about how hunters still use Dachshunds to help them track down prey, and what kind of hunting Dachshunds can do.
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This article is based on research and personal experience as a Dachshund owner of 10+ years. I’m not a Vet, qualified dog trainer or dog behaviourist.
Are Dachshunds Still Hunting Dogs?
Yes, Dachshunds are still hunting dogs. Hunting might not be an essential part of our day-to-day lives anymore, but many people do still hunt for sport.
Dachshunds are one of the most popular breeds for helping with hunting due to their intelligence, elongated body shape, and natural instincts!
That’s because Dachshunds were originally bred as hunting dogs. They were historically used to hunt badgers and rabbits, amongst other animals.
Of course, Dachshunds are now incredibly popular as domestic pets. But that doesn’t mean some Dachshunds aren’t still used for hunting!
Using Dachshunds for hunting is still common, particularly in Europe. Many people who hunt for leisure use Dachshunds as tracking dogs.
In Germany, where Dachshunds were originally bred, wirehaired Dachshunds are now being used as working dogs to hunt game.
Hunting as a sport with Dachshunds includes hunting for deer, birds, wild boar, rabbits, moles, and badgers.
What Type Of Hunting Do Dachshunds Do Today?
Dachshunds were historically used mostly to hunt badgers and flush other small animals out of their burrows.
But nowadays, hunters are using a Dachshund’s talents for many different reasons.
These are the types of hunting that working Dachshunds do today:
Dachshunds are used to trace scents on hunts
Dachshunds have a keen sense of smell so they’re able to track down prey. Hunters use them for tracking down wounded animals. This is known as blood tracking.
In America and Europe, often the chosen animal to hunt is deer. Dachshunds can follow the trail of a wounded deer, including the scent of their blood, leading hunters right to the animal.
Dachshunds are also used to track down the scents of birds and other small game like rabbits or squirrels.
Once the Dachshund catches a whiff of the animal’s scent, they’ll run off to find the animal and bark loudly to alert the hunter when they catch their prey.
Dachshunds are used to go into burrows to retrieve game on hunts
Historically, Dachshunds were mostly used for flushing out badgers and rabbits from burrows. Once the game was out of the burrow, the hunter would kill it.
Some hunters still use Dachshunds for this purpose. They train their working Dachshunds to follow animals into burrows and then flush them out.
This prevents the prey from hiding away underground, allowing the hunters to successfully finish the hunt.
Dachshunds are used in packs to trail large game on hunts
Small packs of Dachshunds can be used to trail large game such as boar.
This means they’ll find the scent of the boar and then chase after that scent until they find the animal.
Dachshunds are used for hawking on hunts
Hawking is a special type of falconry where hawks are used to track down game for sport.
Dachshunds are used in American hunting sports to help hawks spot small animals like rabbits.
They’re trained to chase after the rabbit to make it run away. This allows the hawk to detect the rabbit’s white tail, track it from above, and then capture it.
Dachshunds also used to chase squirrels up trees, to give the hawk an opportunity to capture the squirrel.
Why Are Dachshunds Still Used For Hunting?
Dachshunds are still used for hunting because they’re intelligent, stubborn and fearless with an ability to run, dig into burrows, and track scents.
They have a unique elongated shape, making them very useful for hunting small game and even, in some cases, much larger game.
Here are the main reasons why Dachshunds are still used for hunting:
Dachshunds are still used for hunting because they have a strong sense of smell
A Dachshund’s long snout means they have a strong sense of smell. This allows them to pick up on scents, even scents from old dried blood.
This makes them especially good at tracking down wounded animals.
They’re also great at finding prey, which is why hunters love using them to chase down game.
Dachshunds can even trace down scents which have been stale for a while, and can keep on following even the faintest of scents.
They have stamina, an ability to think on their own, and they never give up. Interestingly, that’s why our domesticated Dachshunds are naturally so stubborn!
Dachshunds are still used for hunting because they can fit into underground burrows
A Dachshund’s long body and short legs means they’re good at tunnelling into burrows where badgers and rabbits might live. They’ll then flush out these animals so the hunters can catch them.
In fact, Standard Dachshunds are the ideal size for hunting larger animals like badgers and wild boar, or even tracking wounded deer.
But, it isn’t so easy for them to hunt smaller animals like rabbits. And that’s where the miniature Dachshund comes in!
The miniature was bred by selectively breeding the smallest of the Dachshunds.
Being smaller makes them the ideal size for scurrying down rabbit holes and flushing out smaller prey for hunters.
Dachshunds are still used for hunting because they are good diggers
Dachshunds are also powerful little diggers with paddle-like paws, which are great for finding prey underground.
You may even see evidence of this in your domestic Dachshunds too. They may dig up the lawn, dig at their bed, or dig under their blankets to sleep at night!
Dachshunds are still used for hunting because they can be well trained
Hunters love using Dachshunds because they’re easily trained to succeed on a hunt. It’s a natural instinct for them to hunt so they tend to enjoy doing it.
In fact, Dachshunds can be trained to trace scents, chase prey, tunnel underground, and even capture prey in some cases!
Dachshunds are still used for hunting because they have great stamina
Dachshunds have the stamina to be out on the hunt for many hours.
This can be very useful for hunters who need to trail after game for a while before finding it!
Dachshunds are still used for hunting because they have a loud bark
Dachshunds may be small but their barks are most definitely bigger than them!
They were bred to have strong and muscular broad chests, and that’s what’s responsible for their deep, loud bark!
This gives Dachshunds the ability to alert hunters when they’ve caught their prey, even if they’re far away or underground.
Do Dachshunds Have A High Prey Drive?
Yes, Dachshunds do have a high prey drive. Dachshunds were originally bred to be hunting dogs, and even domesticated Dachshunds still maintain that high prey drive.
Dachshunds will see small animals such as rats, mice, rabbits, birds, and squirrels and think that it’s prey!
You might find your Dachshund chases after these kinds of animals regularly, or barks at them in the garden or yard.
Just be aware that Dachshunds won’t be afraid to chase after and kill small animals such as rabbits or mice when they spot them.
As a result of their strong sense of smell, Dachshunds can detect whenever there’s prey around, particularly if there’s wounded animals nearby.
They can be driven crazy by these scents, as they desperately want to follow their natural instincts and go on a hunt!
Can I Train My Dachshund To Hunt?
Yes, you can train your Dachshund to hunt, but it won’t be easy! Your Dachshund is probably from a long line of domesticated Dachshunds, specifically bred to be a friendly and happy pet.
Hunting Dachshunds are bred to highlight certain characteristics, such as a drive to hunt and chase. But your Dachshund is likely to have been bred to be a good family pet, not a good hunter.
This means your Dachshund isn’t going to be the best hunter in the pack, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be able to hunt at all!
You might find that his hunting instincts kick in when he sees a rabbit or squirrel while you’re out in the yard or garden.
Your Dachshund can be trained to follow hunting commands and track down scents. Regardless of his domesticated qualities, that strong nose will be able to track anything!
Can I Train My Dachshund To Hunt For Truffles?
Yes, you can train your Dachshund to hunt for truffles! Dachshunds are brilliant truffle hunters because they’re scent hounds!
They have the ideal body shape and short legs to scurry through the undergrowth and sniff out truffles!
However, it’s best to start truffle training while your Dachshund is still a puppy, so you can teach him to track that distinctive fungi smell!
The history of Dachshunds is actually really interesting and there are some things about them that you may not know. To read about the history of Dachshunds click here!
So, there you have it! Dachshunds are still used by some people to hunt game. They’re a great choice of hunting dog because of their size, elongated shape, fearless attitude, strong sense of smell, and ability to follow commands. So Dachshunds are great pets, but also great hunters!
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