Dachshund (Smooth Haired)

Developed in Germany from at least the 1600s, the smooth coat is the ancestral type from which the wire and long-haired varieties are thought to have branched through later crosses. Its long body and short, powerful legs let it dig into and travel through badger and fox setts, while a deep chest and loud voice underground helped hunters locate it once it had cornered quarry.

Living with a Smooth Haired Dachshund is rarely dull. It is affectionate with its own family, often fiercely so, but was bred to hunt alone underground and think for itself, which shows up as a stubborn streak at training time. Food-based, patient methods work far better than repetition or correction. The short coat sheds moderately and needs little grooming, but the long spine is a genuine weak point, so stairs, sofas and car boots are best managed with ramps or lifting rather than free jumping.

Today it is one of the most recognisable small dogs in the world, popular as a pet across Britain, still used for hunting in parts of continental Europe, and a familiar sight at Kennel Club shows in both standard and miniature sizes. Its combination of a big personality in a small, low body has kept it consistently popular for well over a century.