It must be the Shepard part that made her smart.:hihi:
Mine have multiple issues, but it's not their fault and it's understandable. They just wandered into our yard one day, they were skin a bones and my wife fed them. We put out adds and flyers, but no one claimed them. It looks like they were breed to be hunting dogs, but when they came out white, which can be associated with deafness and blindness in dogs (I know it can in boxers and I think it's the same in Catahoulas), somebody abandoned them. They also don't see when in day light.
So, the combination of sight issues and hearing issues makes them less valuable as hunting dogs. My guess is they couldn't be used as hunting dogs and they couldn't sell them so they abandoned them. The result is that they are very territorial, protective of the people who feed them and aggressive. They were also likely beaten at some point since they pretty much so cringe and cower any time your hand is lifted around them. (No, I don't hit them, but it's pretty clear they were hit when they were young.) That fear, combined with not seeing well and some deafness may make them seem dumber than they actually are.
By the way, SuperChuck, each of mind weigh near 100 lbs and they are a good 4 foot long. So, even combined with Dachsund, that puppy may get pretty big.