National Dachshund Day

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The Dachshund may rank 10th on the American Kennel Club’s annual list of most popular dogs, but these small dogs with larger than life personalities hold the number one spot in the heart of anyone who has been fortunate enough to have welcomed a doxie into their life. Every year this popular breed is celebrated on National Dachshund Day.

When is National Dachshund Day?

National Dachshund Day takes place each year on June 21. Why June 21? The day was selected because it is the longest day of the year!

Did You Know?

Long before DogTipper was a dream–actually long before BLOGS were a dream–our Dachshund named Peanut was the center of our world, along with his feathered best friend, Daisy. Peanut and Daisy became the subject of my first big magazine sale, a Reader’s Digest feature, “The Dog and the Dachshund.”

Trivia

Did you know that several of the canines who have earned a spot in the Guinness Book of World records for The Longest Living Dog have been Dachshunds? They include:

• Chanel, who lived to be 21 years, 114 days, carried the title for a time, until her passing in 2009
• a Dachshund/Terrier known as Otto lived for 20 years, 334 days
• a Wirehaired Dachshund named Lady lived to be 20 years, 130 days old

Dachshund coats come in several styles: smooth, longhaired or wirehaired, and a wide variety of colors, including black and cream, black and tan, blue and tan, chocolate and tan, cream, fawn (also referred to as isabella), red and tan. 

Doxie coats can also be brindle, dapple, double dapple, piebald or sable. 

Dachshunds Around the World

The world’s first museum dedicated solely to the Dachshund is located in Passau, Germany. The Deckelmuseum displays over 4,500 breed-themed items!

In the New Zealand city of Tauranga, dog devotees can visit the bronze depictions of acclaimed author Dame Lynley Dodd’s canine characters from her beloved Hairy Maclary children’s book series. Among the sculptures is a Dachshund dubbed Schnitzel von Krumm.

The first Olympic mascot was a Dachshund! Waldi was a symbol for the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich. German designer Otl Aicher’s inspiration for his creation was his canine companion, Cherie von Birkenhof.

While a Dachshund has never been deemed Best in Show at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, in 2020 a Wirehaired Dachshund named Maisie made history by besting over 26,000 canine competitors to earn the title at the world’s largest dog show, Crufts. The win was the first for the breed since the start of Crufts in 1905. 

Famous Dachshund Pet Parents

Here is just a small sample of the many high-profile dog lovers who have welcomed a dachshund into their heart and home:

Adele –The British chart topper said “Hello” to her fur baby in 2009, naming him Louie after the iconic trumpeter and singer Louis Armstrong. 

Marlon Brando — Meaning ‘short legs” in German, Kurze Beine was the canine companion of the silver screen idol’s grandmother.  

Grover Cleveland —  Three Dachshunds traveled 4,000 miles from Germany to meet the President at the White House.

Jacques Cousteau —  A marine life researcher who made friends with the denizens of the deep, on land Cousteau’s four-legged friends included Dachshunds Bulle and Scaphandrier.

Joan Crawford —  Among the dogs who were cast in the real life role of canine companion to the Academy Award winner were Dachshunds named Puppchen (who once tried to take a  bite out of Clark Gable’s ankle!) and Stinky.

Marion Davies —  In front of the camera she shared scenes with such co-stars as Clark Gable and Bing Crosby, but behind the scenes a Dachshund called Gandhi was the four-legged leading man in the life of William Randolph Hearst’s longtime love.

Liam Gallagher — Proving that even rock stars can be fans of entertainment idols, the former Oasis frontman named his Dachshunds after silver screen legend Bridgette Bardot and a song by The Rolling Stones, Ruby Tuesday.  

Sarah Michelle Gellar–  The actress who starred alongside an animated Great Dane in the family-friendly film franchise Scooby-Doo took on the real life role of a pet parent to a long-haired Dachshund named Franz.

Jean Harlow — The platinum blonde with a heart of gold was a proud pet parent of a doxe she called Nosey.

William Randolph Hearst — The publishing  magnate loved his miniature Dachshund Helen so much that when she crossed Rainbow Bridge he penned a tribute to his tail-wagging chum,  which read in part: “Helen died in my bed and in my arms. I have buried her on the hillside overlooking the green lawn– where she used to run– and surrounded by the flowers. I will not need a monument to remember her. But I am placing over her little grave a stone with the inscription: Here lies dearest Helen — my devoted friend.’ 

Helen Keller — In her later years one the disability rights advocate’s many four-legged friends was a dachshund named Sunshine.

Princess Margaret — While her sister Queen Elizabeth II is synonymous with Corgis in the eyes of dog lovers, the late princess was a pet parent to a Dachshund who answered to the name Pipkin. Thanks to a pairing between Pipkin and Tiny, one of the Queen’s pals with paws, for many years the sovereign enjoyed the companionship of several Dorgis.

Pablo Picasso — A Dachshund called Lumpy acted as a muse for 45 of the artist’s works!

Queen Victoria — A proud pet parent to several Dachshunds (including one pup dubbed Waldman VI), the sovereign once said of the breed; “nothing will turn a man’s home into a castle more quickly and more effectively than a Dachshund.”

Gloria Swanson —  She shared the silver screen with such stars as Rudolph Valentino, Laurence Olivier and William Holden, while a Dachshund named Max was one of the dogs who had a starring role in the actress’ life.   

Dita Von Teese –  Two Dachshunds named Greta and Eva were treated royally by the queen of Burlesque.

Andy Warhol — The true definition of the term ‘party animal,”  Archie the Dachshund would sometimes accompany his pop art icon Poppa to Studio 54!

John Wayne — In many of his movies he was cast as an all-American hero, but one fateful night in 1958 it was The Duke’s Dachshund who came to the rescue. While the star was on location in Japan filming his next flick, fire tore through the second floor of his home. The actor’s wife Pilar and their young daughter might have perished in the blaze if not for the family’s Dachshund Blackie, whose barks alerted Pilar of danger.     

E.B. White — The writer who brought the characters in Charlotte’s Web and Stuart Little to life once wrote a lively letter to the New York ASPCA about his Dachshund, Minnie.

Dachshunds in movies and TV

Toy Story — Did you know that there’s a Slinky dog dash roller coaster in Toy Story Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios?

Grand Hotel — Adolphus the Dachshund was the canine companion of John Barrymore’s character the Baron in this all-star 1932 production. 

Mrs. Henderson Presents — Pampered by Dame Judi Dench’s character, a doxie dubbed Polly portrayed Gilpin the dog in this 2005 flick.

All Dogs Go To Heaven — Dom DeLuis provided the voice of Itchy Itchiford in the 1989 animated dramedy. 

The Secret Life of Pets — Actor Hannibal Buress provided the voice of the docile Dachshund in the 2016 animated comedy and its 2019 sequel.

Lady and The Tramp —  His role in the animated 1955 Disney classic may have been small, but the character of Dachsie — a Dachshund who helped Lady escape the dog pound– no doubt has made a big impression in the hearts of dog lovers. 

Manhattan — Look for Waffles the Dachshund when watching this Woody Allen classic.

The Nightmare Before Christmas — His body maybe the shape of a sheet, but Dachshund lovers can easily distinguish the features of their favorite breed in the face of a phantom Fido named Zero in the 1993 Tom Burton fantasy flick.

The Lady from Shanghai — Errol Flynn’s Dachshund makes an appearance in this 1947 classic!

The Ugly Dachshund —  A Great Dane thinks he’s one of a pint-sized pack of dachshunds in the 1966 Disney romp, which starred Suzanne Pleshette and Dean Jones.

The Bonfire of The Vanities —  Marshall the Dachshund was a scene stealer in this 1990 Brian De Palma movie.

Hugo — Director Martin Scorsese cast a couple of Dachshunds in his 2011 adventure movie.  

Marmaduke — Raisin the Dachshund was the Great Dane’s British barking buddy.

Wiener Dog Nationals — There are a plethora of pooches to cheer for in this 2013 family-friendly flick (which was followed by Wiener Dog Internationals.

Clifford the Big Red Dog — Jorge the Dachshund is Clifford’s best barking buddy.

Curious George — Hundley is the Lobby dog in the apartment where George and The Man with The Yellow Hat live.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer — Did you know that a Doxie was among the pack of pooches who pulled Yukon Cornelius’ dog sled in the classic animated Christmas tale?

That 70s Show — A name meaning “little treasure,” Schatzi was the Formans’ family’s dog for three seasons.

Adopting a Dachshund

Are you a potential pet parent who is pondering the prospect of welcoming a dachshund into your heart and home? Look for a Dachshund rescue in your area, as well as other area animal rescues and shelters  You can search for adoptable Dachshunds online at:

• AdoptAPet.com, https://www.adoptapet.com/
• Petango.com,  Petango.com
• PetFinder.com, https://www.petfinder.com/
• PetHarhor.com, https://24petconnect.com/

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