With their cute little paws and affectionate temperament, it’s no wonder dachshunds are such popular house companions.
But in their native Germany, they could soon be banned over concerns that the dogs will live a life of pain and suffering.
For hundreds of years, dachshunds, also known as dachshunds, have been bred to accentuate harmful characteristics, such as a long sausage-shaped torso, to make them appear “cute.”
Unfortunately, they suffer from severe back problems due to their long spine and stumpy, bowed legs, potentially preventing them from walking.
PETA senior campaigner Jana Hoger claims that buying a dachshund supports so-called ‘torture breeding’ – the deliberate breeding of unhealthy traits in a dog, causing it a lifetime of pain.
Dachshunds are prone to health problems such as damaged discs and back problems, ear infections, and PRA, an inherited eye condition.
Dachshunds have been found drawn on the walls of ancient Egypt and in records from South America and China, but the one we recognize was developed in Germany about 400 years ago.
Initially used for hunting, hunters needed a more robust creature that could follow animals underground and in thick vegetation, which explains the lower abdomen.
The Dachshund once had more functional legs and a neck more proportional to its size, but thanks to human breeding these characteristics have been largely lost.
Their backs and necks have stretched and their legs have shrunk to a point that makes it difficult for them to maneuver over obstacles just inches off the ground, but the breed remains a favorite of celebrities like Adele.
“Dachshunds often suffer from various breed-specific diseases throughout their lives, such as herniated discs, malformations of the intervertebral vertebrae or pain in sprained legs,” Mrs Hoger told MailOnline.
“This means that at some point, dachshunds no longer want to walk or can only do so when they are in pain.
“For this reason, only adopting a dachshund from an animal shelter is acceptable from an animal welfare point of view.”
The Kennel Club described the dachshund as the “breed of choice” for celebrities including singer Adele (pictured, left, with Louie) and Emilia Clarke (pictured, right with Ted).
Dachshunds could soon be banned in Germany thanks to a new law banning breeds with “skeletal abnormalities”
PETA welcomes the planned tightening of rules in Germany’s new draft Animal Welfare Law, although Hoger said it could take up to 15 years for it to be implemented.
“This is too long and would mean that many dogs and many other animals would continue to be affected by reproduction for a very long period of time, causing a lifetime of suffering or, in the worst case, leading to death,” he added.
Dr Dan O’Neill, professor of animal epidemiology at the Royal Veterinary College, said the short legs and sausage-like body “might be cute for us, but they’re not cute for the dog.”
Due to centuries of breeding by humans, dogs suffer from “extreme conformation,” where exaggerated body shape, structure or appearance can negatively impact their health and well-being.
Dr. Dan O’Neill advises against purchasing any type of dog (dachshund or not) with any type of extreme conformation.
“We may like to have these dogs with extreme conformation, but those dogs may not like living in that body where they have much greater health and well-being problems,” he said.
According to the expert, “banning the breed does not solve the problem”, partly because some dachshunds are more affected than others.
“If we banned dachshunds, if someone bred a healthy dachshund that didn’t have extremely short legs and long backs, that dachshund would be banned too,” he said. “That’s one of the complications of banning the breed.”
This image shows a dachshund from about 100 years ago. Dachshunds’ bodies have lengthened over time and have stubbier, more arched legs.
Dachshunds have been bred to accentuate harmful characteristics, such as a long sausage-shaped torso, to make them appear “cute.”
Dachshunds are known to have the highest risk of intervertebral disc disease, where the discs that separate the bones of the spine degenerate.
The condition is a common cause of back pain in dogs and can cause paralysis, resulting in expensive treatment for owners.
Philippa Johnson, an associate professor at Cornell’s College of Veterinary Medicine, said the dachshund’s anatomy makes it prone to slipped discs.
“This condition is where the discs rise into the spinal canal and cause compression of the spinal cord,” he told MailOnline.
“In many cases, this requires expensive surgery and rehabilitation to treat, and many dogs will suffer more herniated discs in the future.
‘In my clinical experience, the Miniature Dachshund is the breed most likely to suffer from a displaced intervertebral disc and in my clinical practice I see several patients presenting for surgery each week.
“That said, there are types of dachshunds that do not have the same probability of displacement.”
Bill Lambert, health, welfare and breeder services executive at The Kennel Club, said: “Dachshunds have seen a surge in popularity in recent years, largely due to them being the breed of choice for advertisers, celebrities and on social networks.
‘Unfortunately, this has meant that more people are breeding these dogs without prioritizing their health simply to meet the high demand.
‘Potential owners look for certain exaggerated specimens of the breed that look “cute”, when in reality this could mean that they are more predisposed to back pain and illness.
“It is vital that potential owners do their research and find a good breeder who absolutely prioritizes health and uses the relevant tools to breed the healthiest puppies.”
Lambert continues: “While breeders and potential owners should avoid exaggerated physical characteristics that are detrimental to health, we are concerned about any potential laws banning certain breeds.”
‘In addition to being difficult to enforce and implement, an outright ban is not a solution to preventing poor breeding practices or any of the complex health problems that can affect certain breeds.
“In fact, it could further fuel the current crisis of irresponsible breeders, illegal puppy smuggling and uninformed puppy buyers and, by fueling clandestine breeding, could worsen the problems it seeks to address.”