The Nightmare Before Christmas, Tim Burton’s 1993 stop-motion Disney production, features Zero as a supporting character. With floppy ears like a basset hound, he is Jack Skellington’s ghost dog. So what kind of dog is Zero?
The ghost-like Zero has an elongated body and a slender, pointy face with long, floppy ears. Several fans have pointed out that Zero’s physical characteristics could be inspired by a dachshund breed.
The dachshund is also called a sausage dog, badger dog, wiener dog. Dachshunds are typically long-bodied, muscular dogs with short legs and long snouts. Its front paws, which are paddle-shaped and ideal for digging, are disproportionately large. It has very loose skin although it won’t tear if it needs to tunnel in tight burrows to catch prey. There is plenty of space in the chest of the dachshund for the development of the heart and lungs. Dachshunds can be classified as smooth-coated (short hair), long-haired, or wire-haired, according to their coat type.
A dachshund is a breed of dog developed by German breeders combining traits of German, English and French hounds and terriers. The breed has been kept by royals all over Europe. A well known royal is Queen Victoria who was known to be especially fond of the breed.
Original German dachshunds were considerably larger than today’s full-size varieties, and were originally either straight-legged or crook-legged in appearance. Modern dachshunds are descendants of the latter.
They are 3 sizes for Dachshunds. They can be standard, miniature, or kaninchen which is a German word for rabbit. The smaller dachshund was bred for hunting rabbits or other small animals, while the standard dachshund was developed to chase and flush out badgers who lived in burrows.
In spite of their playful nature, Dachshunds are known for being quite stubborn, but particularly for their propensity to chase small animals including birds as well as tennis balls with a fierce determination.
A Dachshund can be aggressive towards strangers and other dogs. Their bark is loud. There are some dogs that bark a lot and might require training to control their barking, while others don’t bark very much at all. In some cases, dachshunds may suffer separation anxiety if left alone too often and chew on household items to relieve their stress.
Due to its behavior, this dog may not be for everyone. Untrained, bored dachshunds tend to exhibit destructive behavior. It is very important that their owner provide them with adequate exercise and entertainment.
Small children should not have Dachshunds as pets. Dachshunds, like any other breed, need a proper introduction when they are young. In general, well-behaved children and trained dachshunds get along just fine. They may also attack an unfamiliar child, particularly if they move quickly around them or tease them. However, this breed is tolerant as well as loyal to family members.
Zeros loyalty to his master is unwavering. Despite his ghostly appearance, he behaves just like any other dog. His favorite activity is retrieving bones from Jack.
Jack’s happiness is Zero’s primary concern. Despite his reservations, Zero helped Jack make the most of Christmas, hoping to help him realize his dream.
In terms of appearance, Zero has the elongated body and long floppy ears of a Dachshund. Zero also exhibited a playful side as he loves to fetch bones. Indeed, this seems to be the right type of dog for Zero.