Most earth dogs created to control vermin are terriers, but not all. Some pinschers, griffons, schnauzers, and the Dachshund are pest controllers that have been used for many hundreds of years to rid home, farm, and castle of animals considered to be destructive nuisances. Though they are all grim reapers in the eyes of their prey, a degree of specialization has been bred into different breeds. Dachshunds, for example, dig out badgers (their name means “badger hound”), a task for which they are eminently suited: Sharp teeth are situated at the very front of a long muzzle to help keep badger claws away from the eyes. Powerful jaws, a wicked-strong neck, and, for a dog its size, capacious lung capacity that gives the dog stamina. The lungs themselves can expand front to back with little risk of being trapped or impeded by chest expansion in a tight tunnel – and those short legs? They’re attached to paws that virtually expand under pressure into a shape like a spade, all the better to move soil.  Dachshunds, like all hounds, have “spoor” (the ability to follow a scent), reverberatory sense that picks up on vibrations in the air and on the ground.   All this so that the Dashchie can locate, then drag the critter from its burrow (its job isn’t to dispatch the badger, but to get him out of the burrow).  Back in the day, we’re read, it was common for several Dachshund to work in conjunction. Once the animal was out, it was left to the hunter to deal with it, and often, the badger was skinned and feed it to the dogs to increase their zeal for the next hunt.

We came across this video (it’s safe to watch for the tender hearted among us) that we think illustrates how form follows function (watch the dog’s hind legs “fold up” to give him getter traction).  For the fun of it, watch the video below that one to see sheer tenacity!