If you’re here, we’re guessing that you understand just how easy it is to be completely won over by a dachshund. And you’re not alone. Not only are dachshunds beloved in the US (they’re ranked 12th in popularity by the AKC), but they’ve played central roles in the lives of prominent figures throughout history, too. From royals to creatives, the lives of these seven figures revolved around their dachshunds.
Queen Elizabeth II
The reigning Queen of England is often known for her love of corgis, but she’s also a proud dorgi owner, too. To bring the corgi-dachshund crossbreed to the palace, she paired one of her corgis with one of her sister Margaret’s dachshunds, and the rest is history. While one of her dorgis, Vulcan, sadly recently passed, she still lives with her other dorgi, Candy. 
Photo credit
Pablo Picasso
Renowned painter Pablo Picasso adored his dachshund, Lump (German for “rascal”). Lump originally belonged to a photographer friend of Picasso’s, but Picasso quickly fell in love with the doxie and took care of Lump at his mansion in Cannes for about six years. You can see dachshunds depicted in both sketches and larger works by the artist.
Photo credit
Queen Margarethe II
The Queen of Denmark is a friend of Queen Elizabeth’s, and one of the commonalities that the two share seems to be a love of dachshunds. Queen Margarethe and her late husband, Prince Henrik, were both fond of the breed, and they often had several dachshunds at once.
Photo credit
Andy Warhol
American artist Andy Warhol became a dachshund parent in the 1970s, and his first dox Archie was a centerpiece of Warhol’s world nearly immediately. Archie came to interviews and events with Warhol, and when a potential trip to the UK would’ve required Warhol to leave Archie behind, he passed it up. Later adding a second mini dachshund, Amos, to the mix, Warhold was clearly devoted to the breed.
Photo credit
Kaiser Wilhelm II
The last German Emperor and King of Prussia, Wilhelm II was a devoted dachshund owner. While he is said to have owned at least five dachshunds throughout his life, his best-known pups are Wadl, Hexl, and Senta. Senta accompanied the Emperor during World War II, and Wadl and Hexl famously ate one of the golden pheasants of Archduke Franz Ferdinand during a trip to Austria.
Queen Victoria
Long before Queen Elizabeth II, Queen Victoria celebrated her adoration for doxies. After marrying Prince Albert, the two discovered the German breed, and got their first dachshund in 1845. One dachshund in particular stole the Queen’s heart, and Waldman VI has gone down in history as her favorite. The Queen also famously said, “Nothing will turn a man's home into a castle more quickly and effectively than a Dachshund."
John Wayne
20th-century American actor John Wayne had a dachshund who made a name for himself beyond his owner’s fame. In the late 50s, Wayne was out of town filming, and in the middle of the night, his dachshund Blackie started making a ruckus — alerting Wayne’s wife Pilar that there was a fire in the house and giving her time to escape the fire with their baby. Blackie earned a hero’s medal from his family.
