| EARLY HISTORY OF THE DACHSHUND IN SOUTH AFRICA |
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| The Dachshund currently on record as the first of the breed known to have been in South Africa, was a dog named "Fritz". He was exhibited in Cape Town in 1889 by the wife of the Acting Governor General of the Cape Colony, Lt-Gen. H.M. Smyth CMG. He was presumably a Smooth-haired, but no further information is available. In 1908 the South African Kennel Club (as it was known at the time) adopted the Breed Standards of the British Kennel Club. Dachshunds were then still shown as one breed and it was not until 1937 that the varieties were classified separately for the purpose of keeping a "Breed Register". Only the three Standard varieties were classified in this way with only the Smooth-haired and the Long-haired being accorded official recognition. The Wire-haireds had to wait till 1949 to get the official nod from the South African Kennel Union. It was not until the mid-1950’s that the first Miniature was recognised, but alas without specification of coat variety. It took a few years for this ridiculous situation to be remedied, and eventually be 1964 all three Miniature varieties were cited in the SAKU Constitution as being recognised. We can assume with a fair amount of certainty that the first Dachshund to have been registered in South Africa was a Smooth-haired. This bitch was registered in October 1891 under Reg. No. 62 in the ownership of R.G. Dexter. Her Sire, Dam, Breeder and Date of Birth were, however, all unknown! The records of the Kennel Union of Southern Africa reflect the following first registrations for the specific six varieties:- |
| Smooth-haired: |
| Reg. No. 45732, Sex: Dog, Name: Fergus Peter, Sire: Ch. Glycerine Honey, Dam: Witlodge Liebesfreund, Breeder: Mrs Robinson, Date of Birth, 8 June 1939, Date of Original Registration: 2 May 1938, Name of Owner, Mrs P.M. Joel. | Miniature Smooth-haired: |
| Reg. No. 93250, Sex: Bitch, Name: Stregetta D’Opacina, Sire: Sillwood Prince Regent, Dam: Strega D’Opacina, Breeder: Mrs D Clements, Date of Birth: 28 December 1949, Date of Original Registration: 21 May 1950, Name of Owner: Mrs D Clements. | Long-haired |
| Reg. No. 45567, Sex: Dog. Name: Gold Brocade of Primrosepatch. Sire: Roderick of Primrosepatch, Dam: Alma von der Glonn, Breeder: Mrs O Smith Rewse, Date of Birth: 24 October 1936, Date of Original Registration: 14 April 1938, Name of Owner: Mrs E.G. Ashley. | Miniature Long-haired: |
| Reg. No. 102177, Sex: Bitch, Name: Ch.(Eng.) Parkberry Primula, Sire, Marcus of Mornyvarna, Dam: Katinka of Paddenswick, Breeder: Mrs N Parker, Date of Birth: 24 January 1950, Date of Original Registration: December 1952, Name of Owner: Mr D MacDonald-Lucas. | Wire-haired: |
| Reg. No. 88115, Sex: Bitch, Name: Rieta of Roblina, Sire: Grunwald Rebel of Roblina, Dam: Roblina’s Wanda of Brenervel, Breeder: Mrs R F Altschul, Date of Birth: 16 March 1949, Name of Owner: Mrs R.F. Altschul. | Miniature Wire-haired: |
| Reg. No. 12569, Sex Dog, Name: Isinglass Jabez of Faldon, Sire: Rigol Phantom Phillip, Dam: Jalina of Jaldon, Breeder: Mrs J Durant, Date of Birth: 8 March 1961, Date of Original Registration: 29 September 1961, Name of Owners: Mr & Mrs A G Palmer. | A great debt |
| is owned to those early pioneers who established the Dachshund in South Africa and, in historical perspective, no star shines brighter than that of the Club’s founder member and first Chairman, Mrs M A Humphreys. Her Ashurst Smooth-haireds graced the South African show ring well into the seventies and Mrs Humphreys became the mentor of so many who subsequently made their mark as breeders and exhibitors. Mrs E G Ashley was largely responsible for getting the Long-haired established in South Africa when she imported a beautiful red dog, GOLD BROCADE OF PRIMROSE PATCH, from England. She bred a few quality litters under her Wimborne affix and helped others, notably Mrs F M Deintje (Granville), to set up her kennel of Long-haireds. The recognition of Miniatures some twenty years after the Standards was largely due to the tireless efforts of Mrs H M Curtis. As Mrs H M Prior, she became the first person to breed Miniature Smooth-haireds in South Africa under the affix Argus. After her marriage to Cmdr. C A Curtis, she founded the now famous Miniland kennel and imported Miniature Long-haireds from England in partnership with Mrs D Harris. Mrs Curtis was to become the Club’s fourth Chairman in 1978, an office she held until her death in 1989. |
| Acknowledgements: |
KENNEL UNION GAZETTE, vol. 55, No. 9, September 1991
Lowson, J., |
