Good afternoon All,

Sat at "home" at the in-laws in the very wet, grey and overcast Belgian Ardennes. Had to postpone my trip to the Noyers-Pont-Maugis French (including some CWGC) and German cemeteries until tomorrow or Monday, hoping for better weather.

Ludwig, our wire-haired standard daschund (a "reject" from hunting stock) is sat at my feet. This has reminded me that when we got him the breeder mentioned that because of the breeds German ancestry and popularity with the Kaiser, their popularity suffered during and just after the war. I have seen them caricatured in a USMC poster of the time, do any other Forum members know of similar depictions, or have any other canine stories relating to WW1 ?

Steve - a thread here that you should find of interest

Alan

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/i...howtopic=113396

One interesting item is that the original Rin Tin Tin was once part of the German WW1 army. US Army corporal Corporal Lee Duncan 'captured' the German Shepherd puppy at a German war-dog station. Rinty made some 22 films for Warner Brothers

The German for badger is Dach. and the dachshund is a badger dog. Brave little beggars if they took on Brock.

Glad someone knows how to spell it! Even if the owner doesn't!!

Very almost, Tom - Dach means 'roof', Dachs means 'badger' ...

Not entirely on-topic, but I've often wondered this: why did the dogs get the name "Alsatian", while the girls in white sling-backs and dodgy perms become "Lorraine"?

Egbert needs to get a dachshund to eliminate the badgers in his yard. Chester the famous airdale has let fame go to his head, and like a rock and roll star he thinks he doesn't have to work anymore.

Ah ha! I thought it was a genitive s and was too lazy to get the dictionary down. I'll do a hundred lines

D'ach is what the German Homer Simpson says in the dubbed version.

In which guise they perform the butt-wiggling walk known as the McPherson strut after the eponymous catwalk model. And there's the connection - Elle's ass ...

While someone collects Mr Gunner's coat, I'll point out that I have never, ever, coveted Ms McPherson's ass.

The connection is perhaps more opaque even than some of those made by James Burke, of blessed memory, but Elsass is German for Alsace ...

Yes Dachshund is the correct formal spelling from the German for badger hound ! Although certain anglicised references do use daschund/dashchund, here in the Ardennes they are "teckel" and aren't used for hunting badgers but wildboar !!!

They also make an excellent Grillwurst

Any thoughts on Schnauzers and the Great War?

No but Dalmatians were the American dog of choice for guarding army camps even though Dalmatia was then part of the Austro Hungarian Empire

That quintessential French dog the Poodle originated in Germany (poodle is a corruption of a German word) first introduced to the French court by Prince Rupert of the Rhine when in exile during the Cromwellian interregnum.

'Pudel', from the verb 'puddeln' meaning 'to paddle' (same etymology as English 'puddle').

I had understood that, rather like the German Shepherd/Alsatian posts, that due to the war the German "Dachs" was softened to a "Dash" sound by Anglophones, to make the dog sound less German. Hence, although Dachshund is the "correct" name the other names are still in use.

Mick, with your linguistic background, do you know the etymology of the name "Teckel" ?

Centurion, thank you for all the canine info !

The modern German name for the Dachshund is Dackel, with Teckel sometimes used as an alternative for dogs kept as pets (sorry, companion animals) and almost invariably for working dogs.