When reading this story, I imagined this is probably because of the nature of how many dog breeds were created. The process is brutal, which is why we don’t have any new breeds today. Here’s how the breeds were created.

Find two or more dogs that have the traits you want in a breed. Get a batch of puppies then kill all the puppies except for the ones that have your goal traits. Then breed those puppies. Again, kill off all the ones you don’t want, and potentially their parents as well since they are no longer of use.

When you get some strong traits that you really like, breed father-daughter, mother-son, or brother-sister. This will “lock in” the traits.

The fact that these traits are “locked in” is why purebred dogs have such little genetic variance. Even today, the breed standard for some breeds, such as Rhodesian ridgebacks, recommends “culling” pups with certain undesirable traits. From Wikipedia:

Traditionally, many ridgeback puppies were culled at birth for numerous reasons, including ridgelessness. Contemporary breeders are increasingly opting for surgical sterilization of these offspring to ensure they will not be bred but can live into maturity as non-showing, non-breeding pets. Some breed parent clubs and canine registries have even made the culling of ridgeless whelps a requirement.

And you thought shelters were sad. Think about people purposely breeding dogs and then killing most of the puppies. That takes real… um… well… it takes a special person.

Few Genetic Variations Separate Great Danes and Dachsunds

Featured Story

Could elderly Otto hold world record?

Where

Reabrook in Shewsbury, Shropshire, England

Who

Otto, dachshund

Excerpt

Is this the world’s oldest dog? Dachshund cross terrier Otto will be 21 in February and owner Peter Jones, from Reabrook in Shrewsbury, thinks he could be the oldest in the county – and possibly even the world.

He was inspired to contact the Shropshire Star after reading an article about the death of the oldest dog in the world. US dachshund Chanel died last month aged 21 – or the grand old age 147 calculated in dog years.

Mr Jones, 68, said his wife Lynn, 55, had owned Otto, who has no offspring, since he was a puppy and he is still going strong, although he is battling a few problems including arthritis.

Comment

Another dog may take over for Chanel as the current oldest dog. Now with a picture. Oh, and try to say the name of the location, it’s quite a tongue twister.

Featured Story

Adopt-a-Pet: Betsy the Chihuahua-dachshund mix

Where

Baldwin Park Animal Shelter

Los Angeles, California

Excerpt

We can’t imagine how anyone could give up sweet-faced little Betsy (ID# A4020041), a Chihuahua-dachshund mix now looking for a home at the Baldwin Park animal shelter. (That’s right, the mixed-breed with, we think, the most fun made-up name to say: Chiweenie!) But give her up they did, and the shelter’s head volunteer, Ric Browde, describes Betsy as “heartbroken to have been abandoned.”

Making matters worse for this poor little dog is the fact that she recently gave birth to a litter of puppies, and “missing them is undoubtedly adding to her depression,” Browde says.

Since being dropped off unceremoniously at the shelter Aug. 13, Betsy has been spayed and is ready to go home immediately with her new owner. She’s two years old, weighs about 15 pounds and is described as gentle, calm and ideally suited for apartment dwellers or older owners in the market for an easygoing companion.

Meet Betsy in person at the Baldwin Park shelter, located at 4275 N. Elton in Baldwin Park, or call (626) 962-3577 with her ID number for more information.

Comment

I like to show how cute these dachshund mixed breed dogs are. While dachshunds are fairly healthy generally, you can often take comfort in the fact that these mixed breed dogs are much less likely to have back issues.

What

Max the terrier becomes ‘world’s oldest dog’ as he celebrates 26th birthday

Where

New Iberia, Louisiana

When

August 9th 2009, 26th birthday

Who

Janelle Derouen, owner

Excerpt

Until recently it was believed that a New York-based dog called Chanel was the oldest dog alive after turning 21 in May – but the Dachshund-cross, who is riddled with health problems, is a full five years junior to Max.

Max, in turn, is still in fine health and only suffers from mild arthritis and some cataracts. He has been visiting the same vet since birth at the local Robichaux Veterinary Clinic.

Comment

Sounds like they got a little trash talking goin’ on. But if you look at the pictures in this article, it’s pretty clear that max is terrier mixed with dachshund.

I always like to show images of dachshund mixes when I find them. I little bit of dachshund makes any dog cuter!

“I happen to have a soft spot for dachshunds considering my beloved pooch is mixed with one. So it’s with great pleasure that I introduce you to Austen Harrop.”

This long-haired Dachshund belongs to Sheila Radcliff and he is almost two years old. Just look at that big smile and those chocolatey brown eyes! He looks pretty content in his mama’s arms.

You can submit pictures of your own pets to be published at the email address in the original story.

The Queen of England has decided to stop breeding dogs, because she’s getting to that age where they might outlive her. The Queen’s dogs really are The Queen’s. They are very much a part of her everyday life, and even sleep on her bed at times. Apparently scones are served at tea every day, but The Queen never eats them, the dogs get them. The staff merely tolerates them and she won’t give any to her family because they don’t want them. I think, for a queen, it’s very responsible.

The reason I’m writing about this is that it’s commonly published that The Queen loves corgis, which she does. What is less commonly known is that half of The Queen’s eight dogs are dorgis, a mix between dachshunds and corgis. The Queen goes well out of her way to breed these dogs, it’s not like the dachshunds just got loose one day. She’s not a purebred snob at all. The Queen probably knows that mixed breed dogs are generally healthier that purebred dogs. It’s a huge statement she’s making, that one of the most important people in the world can be happy with a mixed breed dog.

These days, dachshunds in wheel chairs are common. Far more common are dachshunds that are put down because of back issues. Ask yourself this: if you could have a dog that looked mostly like a dachshund, acted mostly like a dachshund (maybe even better behaved), and you could be much more assured that you would not have to go through the heartbreak of a dog with painful health issues, would you choose that dog over a dachshund?

The Queen has showed us that we have that choice. If mixed breed dogs are good enough for The Queen, are they good enough for you? I love dachshunds, but I care enough about dogs to want healthy dogs to be bred, not dogs that are destined for pain. It’s time for all of us to start thinking about what our own priorities are. Getting a mixed breed dog is definitely a choice we can make, and we know we can love the dog just as much. And while I would prefer dogs not to be bred while other dogs die in shelters, it’s definitely the lesser of two evils to breed dogs of different breeds.

I’m trying my best not to be preachy, because I don’t think that is necessary. Just ask yourself, is a healthy dog more important to you than a dog that looks exactly a certain way. My dog is mixed, and most people can’t tell. But, honestly, I wish they could. I hope every day that I don’t have to see him in pain or make that horrible decision. It shouldn’t be like that, for me or him.

So when you get your next dog, think about and make the right decision for you. If you get a dachshund mix you are still very much welcome on this site, a half dachshund owner is just as much a dachshund owner as a purebred dachshund owner in my book.