And of course, they had to be bold and tenacious. Although the original German Dachshunds were larger than the Dachshunds we know today, you can still see the fearlessness for which the breed was developed in even the smallest varieties. Give your Dachshund a squeaky toy and he'll likely "kill" it by destroying the squeaker as quickly as possible. Remember, these dogs were bred not only to hunt prey, but kill it as well.