When you think of a dachshund, you immediately picture its distinctive silhouette: a long back, short legs, and, of course, those big floppy ears that give it its charm. But have you ever noticed just how long they are, especially compared to the size of its head?
You might think it’s just to make him even more adorable, and yet there’s a real reason behind this peculiarity.
A physique inherited from its hunting heritage
The dachshund hasn’t always been the lap dog we know today. It was originally a hunting dog, and its name says it all: ‘Dachshund’ literally means ‘badger dog’ in German. Its job? To chase game right into its burrow, particularly badgers, foxes and sometimes even rabbits.
To carry out this work, every detail of its body has been carefully designed and shaped over generations: its short, powerful legs enable it to dig and move through narrow tunnels; its long, muscular body gives it the flexibility needed to make its way through a burrow; and, finally, its large, drooping ears also serve a very specific purpose.
When a dachshund is tracking a scent on the ground, its long ears sweep the air and the ground around its muzzle. As they hang down on either side of its head, they help to ‘channel’ and concentrate the scents towards its nose, much like two small natural funnels. This is a characteristic found in many scent hounds, such as the Basset Hound or the Bloodhound: the longer and more drooping the ears, the more effectively they help to capture scents.
And that’s not all: when the dachshund burrows into a dark, narrow burrow, its supple ears naturally fold back against its head, protecting them from rubbing against the earth and roots, and from any minor injuries it might sustain whilst making its way through such a confined space.
So nothing has been left to chance! The dachshund’s physique, including its ears, is the result of generations of selective breeding aimed at a single goal: to make it an unrivalled burrow hunter. And even though today’s dachshunds spend far more time on the sofa than in a burrow, they have retained all of this heritage in their very being!
Ears, but also a means of communication
What is less well known is that dachshunds’ ears are also a genuine means of expression. Just like the tail, they are one of the main ways a dog has of letting us know how it is feeling. To draw a simple comparison, a dog’s ears are a bit like a human’s eyebrows.
Of course, with dachshunds, as with all dogs with drooping ears, these movements are sometimes more subtle than in dogs with pricked ears. The trick is to watch the base of the ear rather than the tip, as that is where the real movements take place.
Here are a few examples of positions that you may notice in your dachshund, and what they might mean:
The ears are slightly raised and pointing forwards usually indicate that your dachshund is alert, curious or interested in something: a noise, a smell, or your latest trip to the fridge!
Ears pressed back against the head can have several meanings depending on the context. When combined with a relaxed posture and a gently wagging tail, they often indicate a soothing behaviour or a cheerful greeting; your dachshund is simply trying to show that it is friendly and not threatening. On the other hand, if they are accompanied by a tense body, an averted gaze or a crouched posture, they may signal fear, stress or discomfort.
An ear one raised and the other relaxed (“half and half”) often indicates a state of curiosity or indecision: your dachshund is analysing a new situation
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Ears basses When combined with a low tail and a crouched posture, these are usually signs of anxiety or submission; your pet needs to be reassured, never forced.
The key point to remember is that the position of the ears should never be interpreted in isolation! It must always be considered within the overall context, taking into account the dog’s body posture, the position of its tail and the expression in its eyes. A dachshund that lowers its ears whilst wagging its tail happily is probably just happy, whereas a dachshund with its ears laid back and its body stiff is no doubt feeling uncomfortable.
Why we avoid accessories that keep the ears upright
It is precisely for all these reasons that, at Lucienne la Parisienne, we are not in favour of accessories that fasten or hold the ears upright solely for aesthetic purposes.
A dachshund’s ears are meant to hang down freely and naturally.
We do stock snoods, but only when they are necessary or recommended for veterinary reasons: for example, to protect ears that are injured, irritated or healing. In these specific cases, the snood becomes a real asset to the dog’s wellbeing.
Ears that make them truly unique
Ultimately, those long ears are part of what makes our dachshunds so endearing and unique. At Lucienne la Parisienne, we love dachshunds just the way they are: with their long backs, their little legs and their magnificent ears, which sometimes dangle into their food bowl.
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