One of a breed of small dogs with short crooked legs, and long body; -- called also badger dog. There are two kinds, the rough-haired and the smooth-haired.

small long-bodied short-legged German breed of dog having a short sleek coat and long drooping ears; suited for following game into burrows

a good dog for someone looking for a love bug that likes to play and

a half-dog high and a dog-and-a-half

A small dog of a breed developed in Germany for hunting badgers and having a long body, a usually shorthaired brown or black and brown coat, drooping ears, and very short legs.

The dachshund is a short-legged, elongated dog breed of the hound family. The breed's name is German and literally means "badger dog," from (der) Dachs "badger" and (der) Hund "dog". The breed was developed to scent, chase, and hunt badgers and other hole-dwelling animals.