There are different types of Dachshunds and all of them are adorable. You may have wondered why do dachshunds have long ears?
Dachshunds are often referred to as wiener dogs, hot dogs, or sausage dogs. They were bred in Germany in the 15th century and were originally bred to hunt badgers.
This meant that they had to be quite strong and courageous to hunt badgers. Even though Dachshunds are small, they are still incredibly sturdy and can be very strong and agile.
Dachshund Long Ears
The long and floppy ears of Dachshunds are actually beneficial to the breed.
These dogs have a powerful sense of smell, so they can trace their prey’s scent even when it’s a long way off.
A dachshund’s long ears help them to capture and retain scent, which means they can hunt more efficiently. Their long ears help whip up the fresh scent of prey.
The dachshund’s long ears don’t hear quite as long a distance as dogs with upright ears. But this gives them the ability to focus more on the hunt and not get distracted by the noise in the distance.
Thus, the dachshund’s long ears help them hunt burrowing animals like badgers.
Why Does A Dachshund Have Long Ears?
All dogs have incredible hearing as some breeds can hear up to sixty thousand hertz, where a human hears only around twenty thousand hertz.
According to a study, dogs’ ears are more sensitive than humans. You dachshund can hear sounds between -5 dB and -15 dB. Thus, dogs can hear sounds that we cannot.
Dachshunds are also wired for prey, so they can hear the tiniest animal squeaks.
Because of the high prey drive of the breed, Dachshunds need a lot of exercise and mental stimulation to be happy.
These dogs enjoy playing and make good pets. A Dachshund is a loyal and affectionate dog and bonds to the members in the household. However, they can be a bit guarded with strangers and other dogs.
With their instinctive drive to hunt burrowing animals, you need to watch them in your hard as they may dig up potted plants and holes in your yard.
The other reason why dachshunds have long ears.
Dachshunds have an ability to detect tiny differences between frequencies.
Why Dachshunds Make Excellent Guard Dogs
One reason that Dachshunds make excellent guard dogs is their large ears and amazing nose. The breed is known for its intelligence, so they may snap at children if they feel threatened.
The dachshund can easily get into trouble if they are left unsupervised.
Dachshunds have a high prey drive and are often loyal. They are courageous and protective, and their large bark and aggressiveness may scare off intruders.
Although they are small, they have a loud, powerful bark that may make intruders believe that they are a larger dog than they are.
While there are many different types of dachshunds, there are three main varieties. There are smooth-haired dachshunds, wire-haired dachshund, and miniature dachshunds.
Standard-sized dachshunds are about 25 pounds and miniature dachshunds are under 11 pounds.
Regardless of the size, Dachshunds are known for their eagerness to please their owners.
Like humans, dachshunds have an incredibly keen sense of smell. In fact, their olfactory bulb is 40 times larger than ours, which makes them excellent hunters.
In fact, a Dachshund’s heightened sense of smell allows it to detect the slightest movement, even when its surroundings are dim.
Because of their stubbornness, Dachshunds are notoriously difficult to potty-train. Owners report that they cannot train their dachshunds unless they spend a lot of time outside.
This is due to the fact that Dachshunds catch scents so intensely that they often forget to go potty.
My dachshund is potty-trained, but it sometimes takes a while for him to go as he likes to sniff and walk around quite a while.
The dachshund long ears are prone to getting dirty. So it is recommended to get some dog wipes to clean their ears at least weekly.