A law in Germany aiming to ban the breeding of dogs with certain characteristics could potentially put the beloved dachshund at risk.

Lawmakers in the country are reportedly mulling a bill that would strengthen existing laws regarding torture breeding, by banning breeds that have traits that can harm them.

The draft bill could ban the breeding of dogs prone to problems like spinal issues, which are prevalent in dogs that have short legs and a long back, CNN reported.

Dachshunds in particular are very popular in Australia.

In 2023, data from Budget Direct suggested the miniature dachshund was the fourth-most-popular dog breed in Australia.

Last year in Melbourne, 1300 sausage dogs and their owners set a world record by embarking on the largest dog walk by a single breed.

The German Kennel Club (VDH) is against the bill for the most part.

VDH noted that some of the proposed changes, like regulating the online trade of animals and taking action against the illegal puppy trade made sense, and it does support the fight against cruel breeding.

But in a petition, VDH noted that requirements of the proposed animal protection law could be the “end of many healthy dog breeds in Germany”.

“The draft lists various disease characteristics that lead to a ban on breeding dogs,” the petition says.

“Unfortunately, many of the characteristics mentioned are vague and ambiguous. This leaves a lot of room for interpretation, which carries the risk of incorrect or exaggerated interpretations and will lead to great legal uncertainty among law enforcement authorities, veterinarians, breeders and dog owners.”

Lawmakers say they are not trying to ban certain breeds of dogs. Photo: Getty

The law would prevent dogs that have “anomalies of the skeletal system” from being bred, and this term could be applied to the likes of dachshunds, beagles, Jack Russell terriers and other small dog breeds, VDH said.

“This would therefore apply to dogs that do not have any health restrictions due to their size. The consequence would be that, for example, you would no longer be allowed to breed dachshunds in Germany,” it said on the petition.

A spokesperson for Germany’s agricultural ministry told CNN lawmakers were not trying to “ban the dachshund”, but rather they are aiming to enforce a ban on torture breeding.

The world’s love for dachshunds

Marion Michelet is the chairwoman from the Deutscher Teckelklub Berlin-Brandenburg kennel club and she happens to own a dachshund called Pepper.

She told CNN the proposed law was “against breeding as a whole” and noted that dachshunds are significant to Germany.

“The sausage dog is part of Germany’s cultural heritage,” she said, adding that the breed is not inbred simply due to its short legs.

In 1972 when the Summer Olympics were held in Munich, a dachshund called Waldi was the official mascot and the breed is from Germany.