When sausage dogs fought bears

Sausage dogs may have been pitted against ferocious bears in bloody battles while ancient Roman spectators watched on, according to a new discovery at the Colosseum in Rome.

Archaeologists recently found the remains of small dogs, similar to the modern-day dachshund, after excavating the drains below the 2,000-year-old amphitheatre.

Known for its historic, bloodthirsty battles, the Colosseum claimed the lives of thousands of gladiators, slaves and other entertainers while spectators cheered them on.

But experts now believe the miniature dogs could have been forced into battle, taken part in staged hunts or been trained to perform acrobatic tricks similar to modern-day circus animals. Alfonsina Russo, director of the Colosseum, said: “We found many bones from dogs which were similar to the modern sausage dog.

“They were less than 30 centimetres in height.”