Dachshund pets are known by lots of different names - wiener dogs, sausage dogs, daschunds.
The list goes on and on, but the exact origin of the breed is not really known.
There are however quite a few theories as to how the Dachshund came to be.
Short leg dogs were used for hunting rats by the Ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Chinese and even South Americans - carvings of short legged dogs have been found to support this.
Hunting hounds with short legs were also used in the Dark and Middle Ages, but these were more terrier like.
One theory suggests that the Dachshund is a mix between the terrier - for its tenacity and inclination to go to ground - and the hunting hound, for it's tracking ability.
German foresters, it seems, can be credited for the breed that we know today as the Dachshund.
They wanted a dog that could track prey, such as badgers, foxes, rabbits and even wild boar.
At the same time, this hunting dog had to be small enough to allow the hunter to keep up with it, and also allow it to get into the small holes to fetch the foxes and rabbits.
This is where the loose skin comes into play.
The dog also had to have a loud enough bark to alert the hunter as to where it was, but also had to be brave enough to be able to hold wild boar at bay.
As the breed became very popular to hunting badgers they were called "dachshunds" by the Germans, which literally translated means Badger dogs.
Dachshund pets come in different sizes.
The miniature and standard being the most common.
There again there are different beliefs in determining whether the dog is a miniature or standard breed.
Some countries used the circumference of the chest to determine this, while others go with weight.
The standard breed should weigh between 16 and 32 pounds while the mini should be under 11 pounds as an adult.
Dachshund pets are very protective of their families and territory and this makes them extremely brave.
They will take on anything and anyone, within reason.
Our family is owned by a Standard Red Dachshund called Milo and a Miniature black and tan Dachshund called Sophy.
Our standard Dachshund has already alerted us to a few snakes on our property.
These little dogs love company, be it another dog in the family or their humans.
Attention seeking missiles, they are extremely intelligent and very fast learners.
Of course, it just depends on whether or not your dachshund wants to learn what you are trying to teach it.
With perseverance, they can be easily and quickly house trained.
They love to have toys to play with, at the moment their favourite toys are actually cat toys - they look like rats or mice and these are very quickly "killed".
Every Dachshund must have his or her own bed, they do not like to share their beds, and beds are very important to them.
Creatures of comfort, they should be encouraged to lie in or on their beds rather than jumping onto the furniture or "human" beds.
A dachshund as an extremely long back for it's height, but it does not have extra vertebrae which can cause spinal problems in some dogs.
Smaller animals in the home with Dachshunds are not advised, unless kept in their cages.
Because they are predominantly hunters, they will hunt things like hamsters and pet mice.
Full of mischief and ready for a walk or to play, the Dachshund makes a wonderful, loving companion - but they do need plenty of attention and care, just like most breeds.
Because of their high intelligence, these very special little dogs will quickly take over your home and become the boss, but only if you allow it.
Having owned numerous breeds of dogs over the years, my experience with my dachshunds has been absolutely wonderful.
They make the most wonderful companions, all they ask is food, lots of love and attention - and walks! and you will have a best friend for life.