I am nearing 20 years of friendship with Tom Hazlerigg-Greeves. We met at school, bonded over an interest in fashion and later travelled together. Over the summer, I had the honour of being his best man at his wedding on Noirmoutier, a quaint, off-grid island in western France that you’ve almost certainly never heard of (though I suggest researching).

It was a weekend to remember for both good and bad reasons, which is not the most ideal duality for such an event. Locally caught oysters, lobsters and hazardously drinkable cider had everyone merry for three days. But a nasty case of norovirus nearly KO’d the groom and me on the big day, and the rest of the party the following week. You couldn’t write it.

For me, though, the real highlight was that I had claimed number one best-friend spot in Tom’s life – albeit for a weekend – dethroning his beloved wire-haired dapple dachshund Disco (or “Disco Bubb” as he calls him), who wasn’t invited due to excessive sound levels. “My only concern with the breed was with their barking, not their backs (dachshunds are prone to back problems),” Hazlerigg-Greeves says. “You will never meet a dog who likes the sound of their voice as much as Disco.”

A northwest London native, Hazlerigg-Greeves divides his time working for an award-winning digital agency as a senior strategist, hanging out at the Queens Park Farmers’ Market and reluctantly disciplining Disco on a daily basis. He’s not the only one, though, as in the last few years the capital has seemingly gone totally dachshund mad. You always hear them before you see them, and I can easily think of a dozen friends who’ve been totally enamoured by these short-legged, hilarious things that never fail to make the most ardent cat person smile.

“I’ve loved dogs since I can remember,” Hazlerigg-Greeves says. “I grew up with Yorkshire terriers – my mum loves them. But I’ve always loved sausage dogs. They’ve got so much character. My wife is a labrador lover and it took a lot of sway to bring her round. We both fell in love with the wire-haired version, as they look like a dog and a 90-year-old man at the same time. So much so a man stopped me in the park to tell me that Disco looked like his late father.”

Sausage dogs, as they’re more affectionately known, are perhaps the greatest contradictions in the canine world. Hailing from Germany, they were bred as hunting dogs – their long, low bodies were perfect for burrowing into badger dens. Such activities are a far cry from their dormant, adorable tendencies today. Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol can be counted as dachshund dads, and they were no doubt drawn to their genteel nature.

“I’m so surprised by how kind he is,” Hazlerigg-Greeves says. “I’ve never met a dog so loving and caring. He and my wife are inseparable. He never fails to make us laugh – he’s become incredibly important for my mental health. Whenever life feels overwhelming or anxiety creeps in, he’s the perfect buddy to escape with to either the countryside, the park or even the sofa, where he can usually be found lying on his back, airing his bits without a care in the world.”