Dachshund Rescue of North America July 2014 A Summer Read for the Beach (or Pool!) Are Dachshunds Really Velociraptors? By Shannon L. Eckert I have shared 15 plus years of my life with dachshunds and I have come to realize they are very different from other breeds of dogs. I have watched my dachshunds interact with other dogs, cats, and even a few horses. There is no breed like the dachshund! I started to analyze the behavior of the breed and I noticed they have many velociraptor-like qualities. In the summer of 1993, the American population was introduced to the velociraptor in the block buster film, Jurassic Park. Many fans of the film remember Dr. Grant’s detailed description of how the velociraptor hunts its prey and dachshunds are very similar. Dr. Grant describes them as pack hunters, the prey focuses in on the one standing in front, while a hidden raptor blitz-attacks from the side. The prey is blindsided and the pack goes in for the kill. Now, I have witnessed with my own eyes dachshunds doing the same type of pack hunting with my cats (of course they do it in a playful manner). Dachshund owners can all agree that they are clever dogs, which reminds me of how the velociraptors in Jurassic Park systematically checked the electrical fences for weaknesses. Dachshunds will systematically circle under the dining room table for scraps to fall; they will go to each member of the family one by one until that precious morsel has been relinquished. Dachshunds will systematically check a fenced yard for weaknesses as well. We have all seen the appetite of a dachshund and they are fierce eaters, never a speck left and bowls licked clean. It is a symbolic disembowelment (just like velociraptors)! Velociraptors are also fast, cheetah-like speed if fact. Dachshunds are deceptively fast as well, for an animal with such short legs they can cover vast distances in the blink of an eye, they almost appear to fly when they are running. One of the most memorable scenes in the movie is when the velociraptors figure out how to use the handle of a door and enter into the kitchen where the children are hiding. Does you dachshund know how to open doors? Piece of cake for velociraptors and dachshunds! Once in the kitchen the velociraptors use their intelligence and powerful olfactory sense (like dachshunds) to hunt out their prey. However, dachshunds in a kitchen would be distracted by any food that was left out over the children! I sense I have stumbled upon an evolutionary adaptation. Dinosaurs may not have evolved into birds, but dachshunds. I am not a paleontologist or anthropologist, but a graduate student of the field of psychology. I study behavior and with natural observation I have observed the behavior of the dachshund and how eerily close they resemble velociraptors. Think about what the dachshund was bred to do, they were to go to ground and battle badgers. Badgers are tough critters and the dachshund not only had to be tough, but clever enough to outsmart the badger. Dachshunds hunted as a pack and blitz-attacked the badger and that takes skill, velociraptor skills. Has your dachshund ever out-witted you? Or shall I say how many times has your dachshund out-witted you? Have you ever watched you dachshund try to figure out something? They get their “thinking wrinkles” going on top of their head and you can see they are processing information, just like velociraptors. Maybe dachshunds really are the missing link to dinosaurs, and if that is the case we humans need to tread carefully (usually because they are underfoot) since we all know what dachshunds are capable of! As stated, I am not a paleontologist, I am not a Darwinist who has studied evolutionary adaptation, I simply observe behavior. I have not run any statistical data to prove if my hypothesis has significant similarities between dachshunds and dinosaurs. This is just my personal opinion based on my experience living with this breed. However, if I am on to something the next Jurassic Park movie should end with a pack of dachshunds running rather than a flock of birds. Missy #10558 Missy came to rescue from a shelter, she had Pyometra. This little girl fought for her life almost 7 days after the surgery, she was full of infection & her blood work was off the charts. Each day we all was so thankful she made it another day. Missy is now in foster care and doing well. She cant have a dental for about 6 weeks,would like to see Missy be adopted in Illinois. This way she can be taken to a clinic that works with DRNA to have her dental. Missy is getting stronger everyday, she is running in the yard now. Missy walks well on a leash & her house-training is excellent. This little girl loves human contact & will bring joy into any home. She rides well in a car, does well in a crate and xpen. Missy gets along with all the other fosters. Once Missy gets her dental done she will be healthy & happy. If you are interested in this sweet little girl? please fill out an application drna.org North East Ohio Dachshund Picnic July 12, 2014 12pm - 5pm Plum Creek Park Kent, Ohio Stop by and visit DRNA. We will be there with our famous Doxie Store! neodpicnic.org/ Whizzers 6th Annual Bark & Wine July 27, 2014 11am - 4pm Jacks Auto Sales 282 Mudd Pike Road Markleysburg, PA Fun, food, wine, raffles and dogs! Check out our quilt raffle below! Bark & Wine Dachshund Quilt Raffle Winner will be drawn at the 6th Annual Whizzers Bark & Wine event in Markleysburg, PA on July 27. All proceeds go to DRNA to help with vetting cost of senior dachshunds. Need not be present to win. Tickets will be mailed to buyers. Quilt measures 80 x 56 and is fleece lined on back. Dachshund Rescue of North America, Website: drna.org Adoption Process & Application: drna.org/Adoption_Process Donations: drna.org/donate.php Facebook: https://facebook/DRNArescue
Posted on: Sat, 05 Jul 2014 14:13:39 +0000