The Dachshund is a Hound, Right? Maybe Not

Like most of you, I believed that the Dachshund is a scent hound. After all, the American Kennel Club (AKC) classifies them as one, it sounds like there is “hound” in the name, and they love to follow scents with their nose like a hound. Then my my mind was blown! I learned that some people claim the kennel club is wrong, and that the Dachshund is actually a terrier. At first, I entertained the idea, but was still convinced that they are, in fact, scent hounds. I was sure of it! But the more I learned, the more I started to lean towards believing the Dachshund is, in fact, a terrier. Why is that? Hounds vs Terriers Dog breeds are placed into categories by the AKC according to the original purpose they were bred for. So let’s take a closer look at the difference between a scent hound and terrier in that context. Note: Great Britain also classifies them as scent hounds, while the the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI or World Canine Federation), which is responsible for the breed classification outside of the US and Great Britain, puts them in their own, unique category, group 4. They are neither terriers (group 3) or scent hounds (group 6) According to the AKC, scent hounds...