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Google Doodle gives a nod to history of the beloved dachshund bobblehead

Feel free to play with the iconic nodder during a ride through the German countryside.

Steven Musil Night Editor / News
Steven Musil is the night news editor at CNET News. He's been hooked on tech since learning BASIC in the late '70s. When not cleaning up after his daughter and son, Steven can be found pedaling around the San Francisco Bay Area. Before joining CNET in 2000, Steven spent 10 years at various Bay Area newspapers.
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google-doodle-dacshund-bobble-2020

Click on the image above to get the bobblehead nodding.

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The dachshund, also known as the wiener dog, is a short-legged scent hound bred in Germany more than 300 years ago. Its size makes it perfect for hunting badgers and other tunneling animals.

It's also a good size for a driving companion. But if you don't have the privilege of owning one of these cute canines, you can always get a dachshund bobblehead for your car. To honor our love for the bobblehead, Google posted an interactive Doodle on Wednesday that shows the iconic nodder enjoying a car ride through what appears to be the German countryside.

Google notes that the first dachshund bobbleheads were manufactured in Germany in the 1970s as a car accessory. The oversize, spring-mounted head of the popular "Wackeldackel" (wobbling dachshund) nods with every bump in the road.

The toy's global popularity got a new boost in the late 1990s when a German gas station chain used the bobble in an advertising campaign. Within eight months of the ad's launch, more than 500,000 of the bobbles were sold.

On Google's search page, you can get the bobblehead to stick out its tongue by hovering your cursor over the dog's head. A click on its head will get you a happier smile and a little love from the little friend. Keep an eye on the Doodle's background for other things might typically see from a car window in Germany, such as a castle or hot air balloon.

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