La storia
One name. Three generations.
A family memory, Francesca’s first dachshunds and the work she shares with Gabriel today.
Favola
It began with a gift.
Francesca was ten when her father gave her a wirehaired dachshund puppy. With her beard and brows, she reminded Francesca of a little lion. She named her Favola — Italian for “fable”.
«La chiamai Favola e col tempo mi accorsi che non vi era nome più appropriato di quello. Rimasi incantata dalla sua intelligenza e dal suo carattere. Un cane elegantissimo, dolcissimo, coraggioso ma anche molto presuntuoso. Caratteristiche queste che ho potuto riscontrare nei molti bassotti a lei seguiti. Favola è stata un colpo di fulmine tale da farmi crescere, negli anni, questa passione, che ha poi portato alla nascita di questo allevamento.»
“I called her Favola, and in time I realised that no name could have suited her better. I was captivated by her intelligence and character. She was an exceptionally elegant dog: very affectionate, brave and also rather full of herself. I found those same qualities in the many dachshunds who followed her. Favola was love at first sight. Over the years, that feeling grew into the passion that eventually led me to establish this kennel.”
— Francesca · translated from her Italian account
1990 — the beginning of the kennel
1990
Francesca describes this turning point in her own words.
«Nel 1990 persi entrambi i genitori. Nel medesimo giorno mi lasciò anche la mia amata bassottina Joel, che si spense tra le mie braccia per una insufficienza cardiaca. […] Allora avevo sei bassotti, tre provenienti dalla Germania e tre dal Canada. Una mia cara amica mi fece dono di un minuscolo maschietto, KevinCostner del Gotha. Aveva due mesi ed era un concentrato di tenerezza: aveva bisogno di me e questo ridiede senso alla mia vita. Non avevo mai pensato di allevare prima di allora, ma quando Kevin divenne padre e vidi quali meraviglie nacquero, la mia casa fu inondata di gioia e io decisi che quella gioia l’avrei voluta rivivere e condividere.»
“In 1990 I lost both my parents. On the same day, my beloved dachshund Joel also left me, dying in my arms of heart failure. […] At the time I had six dachshunds, three from Germany and three from Canada. A dear friend gave me a tiny male puppy, KevinCostner del Gotha. He was two months old and utterly endearing: he needed me, and that gave my life meaning again. I had never thought of breeding before then. But when Kevin became a father and I saw the wonderful puppies that were born, my home filled with joy. I decided I wanted to experience that joy again, and to share it.”
— Francesca · translated from her Italian account
The stone path
Il nome
From Helsing to Wanhelsing.
«Il mio affisso nasce dal ricordo di mia madre, di nome Helsing, modificato poi in Wanhelsing dopo un’osservazione di mio figlio Gabriel…»
“My kennel affix began as a tribute to my mother, whose name was Helsing. It later became Wanhelsing after an observation by my son Gabriel…”
— Francesca · translated from her Italian account«Un piccolo giustiziere… le dimensioni non contano.»
“A little avenger… size doesn’t matter.”
— Gabriel, as a child · translated from the Italian excerpt
Helsing, Francesca and Gabriel: three generations of a family connected by the name. The kennel itself began with Francesca in 1990.
Francesca’s ideal
L’idea
Her description brings conformation and character together.
«Nei primi anni di esperienza mi formai la mia idea di bassotto, sulla quale ho impostato la selezione Wanhelsing.»
“In my first years of experience, I formed my own idea of the dachshund and made it the basis of Wanhelsing’s breeding.”
— Francesca · translated from her Italian account
A straight back and a short loin.
Not very tall on the legs — and above all, not in size.
Correct angulation.
A strong head in the male; a feminine expression in the female.
No exaggerated conformation that could compromise the dog’s health.
A balanced character is part of a dog’s quality.
Le generazioni
- DulceCream del WanhelsingBOB & Best in Show · Raduno Bassotti di Erba 2004 · Top Dog 2005Gabriel told Francesca that DulceCream would adore her all his life. She remembers an influential sire whose gentleness was especially apparent around puppies.
- GabrielGarko del WanhelsingWUT world title · Bratislava 2009DulceCream’s son, remembered for his natural movement and presence in the ring. In Francesca’s account, his affection and eagerness for contact are just as vivid.
WUT Weltsiegerschau, Bratislava 2009 · From the archive - LouisVuitton del WanhelsingGiovane Campionessa Europea 2010 · Campionessa Italiana 2011DulceCream’s daughter, with dark almond-shaped eyes and a gentle character. Francesca also recalls her Best in Show juniores at Celje.
Top Dog Giovani 2010 — Roma · From the archive - VanhelsingCampione Europeo · 2007Kevin’s son — «il vero mito», the true legend among dachshunds — entered his first ring at seventeen months and became Campione Italiano three months later. Between shows, he could fall asleep belly-up in someone’s arms.
Euro Dog Show, Zagreb 2007 · From the archive The family account also remembers Helsingvon, Briatore, PenelopeCruz and Vittakerdoolar — each with a character and a place in the breeding history.
PenelopeCruz — Campionessa Italiana · From the archive 
Giovane Campione Mondiale · WUT 2014, Helsinki · From the archive 
World Dog Show · Milano 2015 · Two world titles - Today — Prince & Sapore — the champions of todayPrince del Wanhelsing · World Winner, Madrid 2022
Sapore del Wanhelsing · World Winner, Genève 2023 · World Winner & Best of Breed, Bologna 2026Meet our champions
Due generazioni
A shared life with dachshunds.
Gabriel grew up among the dogs. Francesca remembers Jacqueline keeping close to him as a child, a familiar presence in the household. Today mother and son continue the work together.
«In questa bellissima avventura, la mia vita e quella dell’allevamento si sono fuse, diventando un’unica storia da raccontare, piena di passione e di amore. Non è sempre stato facile, ma è sempre stato avvincente e continua a regalarmi indicibili emozioni e grandi soddisfazioni che rendono leggero qualsiasi sacrificio. Al mio fianco da qualche anno c’è mio figlio Gabriel, e questo rende tutto ancora più speciale.»
“In this wonderful adventure, my life and the life of the kennel have become one story, full of passion and love. It has not always been easy, but it has always been absorbing. It continues to bring me feelings I cannot put into words and deep satisfaction that makes every sacrifice feel lighter. My son Gabriel has been at my side for some years now, and that makes everything even more special.”
— Francesca, 2017 · translated from the Italian
The passages on this page come from Francesca’s account, written for the original website in 2017. Her words remain part of how we tell the Wanhelsing story.
Gabriel has the kennel’s name tattooed on his forearm. The dogs remain part of their family life, from a new litter to the oldest companions at home.
A mother and her seven puppies
Oggi e domani
The story continues.
Since 1990 the house has kept its method: few dogs, known by name. The ring is one day in a hundred; the other ninety-nine are home. And the families who take a puppy from here are answered in year one — and in year ten.
«Un grazie di cuore a Joel e a GabrielGarko e a tutti gli altri bassotti che mi hanno lasciata, ma che sono sempre con me. A tutti i miei bassotti, di ieri e di oggi, un grande grazie! Grazie per avermi accompagnato in tante avventure, in tante esperienze e in tanti pensieri.»
“A heartfelt thank you to Joel, GabrielGarko and all the other dachshunds who have left me, but are always with me. To all my dachshunds, past and present, thank you. Thank you for sharing so many adventures, experiences and thoughts with me.”
— Francesca · translated from her Italian account