Regensburg, Bavaria is a UNESCO World Heritage city rooted along the Danube River. It is known for its well-preserved medieval core, 12th- century stone bridge, Gothic, 13th-century Regensburg Cathedral and in more recent years, the world’s first and only Dachshund Museum.

Wooden, porcelain and mechanical sausage dog figurines; soft dogs, miniature dogs, large dogs, paintings, sculptures and royalty, the Dackel Museum is every dachshund lover’s dream.

It was first opened in Passau in 2015 (which is said to be the origin place of the breed) and has since moved locations to the town of Regensburg where the collection that has been lovingly curated for over 25 years by two Passau master florists, Seppl Küblbeck and Oliver Storz is on display. The exhibits are staged with over 30,000 delightful and charming dachshund objects. There are many showcases ranging from fun themes like “Hot Dog,” “The WackelDackel” and the “Dachshund Parade” to more historical and cultural themes such as “The Dachshund as a Muse,” “Royal Family” and “The Dachshund and the Nobility”.

The Museum is open daily from 10 a.m.– 5 p.m. Admission is €6.00 for adults and free for children up to 12 years. Dogs are allowed in the exhibition and what fun it would be to watch your dog admiring other dogs! If you can’t make it to the museum, Moni, Blümen and Little Seppi, three nearly identical dachshund figureheads of the museum, invite you to walk through the virtual museum shop for all your doxie-themed needs. For more information, visit dackelmuseum.de.

In the 17th century, dachshunds were bred in the Bavarian city of Passau for hunting. Their long cylindrical torsos, narrow snouts and paddle-shaped paws were perfect for flushing out badgers and foxes from their burrows, so hunters could stop them from attacking ducks and hens. The breed’s deep and wide chest adapted to increase their lung capacity while underground. Recent discoveries of engravings depicting short-legged hunting dogs along with mummified dachshund-like dogs in Cairo, suggests the beloved breed had early roots in ancient Egypt.

Dachshunds, translating to “badger hounds,” make wonderful companions, so much so that they have been part of many royal courts. Napoléon Bonaparte had his dachshunds painted alongside him in portraits and, upon his death, even requested they be entombed with him.

“Queen Victoria also adored dachshunds famously saying, “Nothing will turn a man’s home into a castle more quickly and effectively than a Dachshund.” ”

Many other royal and famous people have loved dachshunds. Kaiser Wilhelm II, The Last Emperor of Germany and Queen Margrethe of Demark loved the breed. Andy Warhol and Pablo Picasso were both doxie owners and made their companions subjects of their artwork. Albert Einstein was a big fan of dackels and so was Leonard Nimoy. John Wayne’s dachshund, Blackie, won a hero’s medal for alerting her family to a fire that would have been fatal if they didn’t get out in time.

However you refer to them, the dachshund, doxen, dackel, hot dog or sausage dog, has a playful and sometimes stubborn personality. They love multiple long walks and long naps per day. Because of their hunting origin they often display burrowing behavior, meaning they love to snuggle into blankets, wedge themselves between couch cushions or tunnel through their human’s shirt. Their average lifespan is 12-17 years.

Sizes

• Standard – The most common and original sized dachshund bred for chasing badgers and foxes.

• Miniature – These dachshunds were bred when the rabbit population in Germany expanded in the 1800s.

• Kaninchen (Rabbit) – These pint-sized pups were also bred to fit into smaller burrow holes of animals like rabbits.

Coat Types

• Smooth-haired

• Wire-haired

• Long-haired

Main Colors

• Boar (grey, black and brownish)

• Black and tan

• Red

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