In hunting above ground the dachshund follows more the track than the general scent (witterung) of the game; therefore he follows rather slowly, but surely, and with the nose pretty close to the ground. His noise in barking is very loud, far sounding, and of surprising depth for a dog of so small a frame; but, in giving tongue while hunting, he pours forth from time to time short, shrill notes, which are quickened as the scent gets hotter, and, at sight of the game the notes are often resolved into an indescribable scream, as if the dog were being punished in a most cruel manner.

Though not a pack hound, the dachshund will soon learn to run in couples; and two or three of these couples, when acquainted with one another, or forming a little family, will hunt pretty well together. They do not frighten their game so much as the larger hounds, and, when frequently used, they will learn to stay when arrived at the line of the shooters, not by obedience to their master, but because they are intelligent enough as to see that it is quite useless to run longer after the game.

For tracking wounded deer or a roebuck a dachshund may be used when no bloodhound (schweisshund) is to be had; but they must be accustomed to collar and line for this purpose, and then they are rather troublesome to lead in rough ground or coverts. They retrieve better by running free or slipped, but must carry a bell, for they are apt to keep silence when they find their game dead; and beginning to lick at the wound where the ball has gone into the body, they will slowly advance to tearing and to eating their prey.

No dog is so sensitive to rain and wet ground as the dachshund. They will often steal away from the coverts on a wet day, and sneak homewards.

Dachshunds are very headstrong and difficult to keep under command; and, as they are at the same time very sensitive to chastisement, it is next to impossible to force them to do anything against their will. Many good badger dogs have been made cowards for their whole life by one severe whipping. They must be taken as they are - with all their faults, as well as their virtues. When treated always kindly, the dachshund is very faithful to his master, and not only a useful, but a most amusing dog - a very humourist among the canine family. In spite of his small frame, he has always an air of consequence and independence about him; but, at the same time, he is very inquisitive, and always ready to interfere with things with which he has no concern. He seems to have an antipathy to large dogs, and, if they object to be domineered over, the dachshund will certainly quarrel with them. When his blood is up he will care neither for blows or for wounds, and is often bitten dreadfully in such encounters. Therefore dachshunds should not be kept in kennels with larger dogs.

When kept in houses, and accustomed to children, they will make good pets, for they are clean, intelligent, and watchful, without being noisy, though often snappish with strangers.

The names which are given to dachshunds in Northern Germany are usually the 'same old-fashioned ones, indicating chiefly their employment or their quarrelsome disposition. For instance: Names for dogs - Bergmann (miner), Erdmann (earth-man), Judas, Krup-in (creep-in!),.Kuhlmann (pit-man, miner), Waldmann (forester), Zanker (quarreller); for bitches, Bergine, Erdine, Hertha, Valda Waldine, Zang (tongs, nippers).

In England the earth dog is already represented by the various terriers, and, with respect to the great difference between English field sports and German "Jagerei," I doubt if the dachshund will ever become so useful and favourite a sporting dog in England as he has for centuries been in Germany. Foxes and their cubs are sacred personages in most English districts, badgers are comparatively rare, and the destruction of vermin is generally left to the gamekeepers. Therefore I believe that dachshunds will be kept and bred in England chiefly for hunting coverts, or to serve as house pets and for show purposes, as an object of fashion or fancy. Both employments will inevitably alter the type and disposition of the dog as soon as his qualification for underground work is regarded to be only secondary. But I believe there are also many sportsmen and \fanciers of the dachshund in England who would like to preserve these dogs as they are bred originally, and who wish to know how we in Germany are going to fix the points of this breed - as we Germans are desirous of becoming acquainted with the English points of English breeds of dogs.

To describe the real old type of dachshund, and to prevent, if possible, the creation of a new cross breed, was my intention in sending these notes.