Dachshund breed guide

The Dachshund: a doe-eyed, unassuming pup known for their sleek coat and longer than average torso. While wiener dogs may look cute, these pooches were bred in Germany from around 600 years ago to prey on badgers. 

And even though most of them have left their viscous pasts behind, a few traits still remain. They’re energetic and playful, yet can be stubborn and by doxie, can they bark at a volume! Despite their loud bark and odd howling tendency, they make better therapy pooches than they do guard dogs… for obvious reasons.

So if you’re thinking about welcoming a doxie home or pet sitting, navigate the basics with this Dachshund breed guide and learn about ex-hunting wiener dogs before meeting your new, narrow buddy.

Dachshund Breed Characteristics

• Origin: Germany
• Size: Mini-Dachshunds weigh in at 11 pounds or under and grow up to nearly 6 inches. Standard Dachshunds grow to between 6 and nearly 8 inches tall, and weigh between 16 and 32 pounds.
• Character: They’re playful and affectionate but a little stubborn. While they can be great with kids and tolerate other pets, it’s important to ease this interaction until they’re fully acquainted.
• Health needs and grooming: Generally healthy pups but are likely to experience back problems due to their elongated spine. Wiry, short and longhaired pooches need different grooming styles - head to the sections on grooming and health below for more info.
• Training: Need regular training and socialisation from a young age.
• Energy levels: Not overly energetic - they’re happy indoors but can need encouragement on the exercise front.
• Intelligence: Clever pooches who have their own mind but you’ll need a little patience while they grasp your house rules.
• Lifespan: 12-16 years.
• Barking/howling: Despite their small size, Dachshunds have a big bark and are prone to howling.

Dachshund breed appearance

Along with their famous long body, the Dachshund breed can be found with quite a few coat varieties. From black and cream, black and tan, blue and cream, to solid black, wild boar, red, fawn, and chocolate, you won’t be short of choice when it comes to these glossy coats. 

And it’s a similar story when it comes to their markings, too - find these stout pooches with sable, brindle, dapple, double dapple and piebald patterns on a smooth and short, long or wiry coat. Wiry wiener dogs are known for their adorable yet prominent beards and eyebrows along with their soft undercoat and wiry top layer. And if, when you hear ‘Dachshund’, you think of a sassy-looking pooch who looks like they’ve just left the hair salon, you’re probably picturing a long-haired Dachshund. They’re known for their sleek mop of seriously soft and frankly enviable fur - it’s wavy sophistication that we can only dream of! Their short-haired cousins are just as cute with a smooth layer of soft fur with a lot of colour and pattern potential. Solid or bi-colour short-haired Dachshunds tend to have darker eyes, while those with a dapple coat are usually found with partially or fully blue eyes.

These cuties manage an almost always alert expression, with their warm, rounded eyes and rather upright posture. And while their snouts are no measure for the Borzoi, they are on the longer side. Their snouts and elongated torsos aren’t the only parts of these fluffy cuties that are slightly large for their size - just take a look at those adorable, flappy ears and their long, thin tails - now they're made for wagging.

Dachshund breed personality

Did you know that the coat texture of these cuties affects their temperament? While it’s not a direct correlation of course, the fur type does tell us a bit about the pooch’s lineage. Dachshunds from different lineages have varying temperaments and it’s been found that pooches with wirey hair tend to be less calm than their long-haired Dachshund cousins, who are the most chilled-out bunch. And those with a smooth coat? They tend to sit somewhere in the middle of their wiry and long-haired cousins. They’re less feisty than their wiry relatives but more spirited than their mellow long-haired family.

And another, somewhat surprising fact for you about these unassuming pooches? They were originally bred to be vicious hunters. Yep, these dainty sausage dogs were once known for their ability to burrow into dens and force prey out or fight to the death. So what does that mean for the Dachshund personality? Well despite looking cuter than cute AND being a friendly family pet, doxies have held onto the brave, plucky nature of their hunting expert ancestors. And it’s not just their braveheart vibes that have been inherited. Sausage dogs are also partial to the odd dig and burrow, so if you’re thinking about adopting a sausage dog, keep an eye on that precious flower bed!

If you’re thinking about getting a sausage dog, there are a few personality traits to be aware of… These pooches can be stubborn, but if you can get past that, they’re energetic, alert and playful. AND they simply love cuddles with their favourite two-legged companions. As long as they’re socialised and trained consistently from a young age, Dachshunds can make for the perfect family pet. And if you love all pups feisty, small yet mighty, check out these facts about Jack Russells.

What's the ideal home for a Dachshund?

If you live the apartment life and are feeling worried about welcoming a four-legged friend into your family, think again! Dachshunds don’t necessarily need a garden to get the exercise they need - they’re small pooches who are quite satisfied with walkies outside and a cosy apartment to cuddle up in. With that said, there might be a few adjustments you’ll need to make to your home to accommodate a sausage dog. Their low stature can make climbing stairs, furniture and other obstacles a little challenging for these stout cuties. So, if you have a huge staircase to clear before arriving at your apartment, consider whether you’ll be able to carry your canine cutie (plus your groceries) all the way.

And of course, if you’re lucky enough to live in a space with a garden, your Dachshund won’t be opposed to a play outside! Just make sure your garden is well fenced off, as these cuties are prone to digging. Oh, and mind your perfectly pruned flower bed… it could be on its way up!

Got kids at home or young nieces and nephews who love to visit? Not to worry if you’re getting a Dachshund, they’re generally good family dogs. Just make sure your pooch knows who’s boss and introduce them to children slowly, giving both parties time to get to know each other with supervision. Dachshunds are loving and playful pooches, so given the right training and time to adjust, they should be okay around children.

And if you love a home full of four-legged buddies, there are a few things to consider if a sausage dog is next on your list. They generally rather living with other small dogs, but it’s worth considering the individual temperament of your potential pooch, and that of your existing fluffy family before adopting. If your home is welcome to fluffy pals of the feline persuasion, training Dachshunds to get along with cats can be done (with a big emphasis on ‘can’!). It might be useful to bring a Dachshund into a home with a cat, rather than vice versa - these pooches can be a little territorial. And as always, make your decision about whether to adopt a Dachshund on a case-by-case basis, considering each pet’s personality, temperament, energy levels, age and background.

What's the ideal human for a Dachshund?

Dachshunds are known for being popular with older generations as they don’t need huge amounts of exercise to stay happy and healthy. In fact, they’re pretty happy inside, and sometimes a little too much so. That’s why it’s super important to consider these pooch’s slightly lazy approach to life. Just make sure you encourage your sausage dog to come out for walkies around twice a day.

With that said though, you certainly don’t need to be of the older generation to enjoy these dogs as your new family member. They do well in larger families and love to be around their two-legged friends. But that *can* sometimes be their downfall. These poor pooches can suffer from separation anxiety. And when they’re suffering, they’re prone to chewing! So, if you work remotely, these long-bodied pooches could be perfect for you.

Tips for training Dachshunds

Like with any of our four-legged friends, it takes consistency when it comes to training and socialisation. These pooches do have a bit of a reputation for being notoriously hard to train, but it simply takes patience. You don’t necessarily have to take them to puppy training classes to see success, but it can help if you’re a new pet parent. Training classes can also be a great way to socialise your pup to expose them to new dog breeds and other pet parents.

One way to encourage positive behaviour from your new sausage dog (and dodge that sometimes stubborn nature) is to incentivise them with lots of praise and a few tasty dog treats. Their hunting history means they’ve got a seriously sharp sense of smell, so treats can be a fab way to get your new pooch pal to follow yours or their pet parent’s house rules. And make sure you consider their history when thinking about the sorts of fun and stimulation these pooches need. As they were built to sniff out prey, retrieve it or hunt, they love to chase and find treats. So, hide treats, their favourite toy or challenge them with treat-based puzzles.

Grooming and caring for Dachshunds

While grooming your Dachshund should be pretty manageable, you’ll need to consider their fur type. If you’ve got a wire-haired sausage dog, they have a soft undercoat which is covered by a short, thick upper coat that’s hard and wiry (these cuties are also known for their eyebrows and beard!). They’ll need regular brushing - once a week should do it. And if you prefer a ‘neater’ look, you can get their famous eyebrows and beard trimmed every now and then.

If you’re looking for a low maintenance pooch, the short-haired sausage dog will be your Dachshund of choice. They need the least amount of grooming - a quick brush once a week and a wipe down should do the trick. 

But if you simply can’t resist the flowing locks of the long-haired doxie (we get it), these are the pooches that take the most maintenance on the fur front. They’ll need more frequent brushing than their wiry and short-haired Dachshund cousins, and make sure you pay close attention to any possible matting!

Brushing your doxie regularly is also a great time to check in with their general physical health. Check the sheen on their coat - if you’ve got a long-haired or short-haired sausage dog, be sure to ensure their coat is kept shiny. If it seems to be getting dull, it could be due to a lack of nutrients. While you’re grooming, also take a look at their ears, nails and teeth to check they’re in tip-top health.

Dachshund breed history

These sleek-haired cuties haven’t always been found curled up on the sofa with their two-legged best buddies. According to the American Kennel Club, Dachshunds were bred from around 600 years ago in Germany to hunt for badgers and wild boar. 

You might be wondering why these short-legged cuties have such an elongated spine… and why it’s so close to the ground. Well they were working dogs, and their purpose was to hunt badgers. They were conditioned to dig their way into underground dens and drag their residents out. And that’s where their long, low body once came in handy - it was perfect for squeezing into small spaces and tracking down prey through narrow tunnels- it’s no wonder ‘Dachshund’ translates to ‘badger dog’ in German.

And their low stature isn’t the only inherited trait from their hunting past in Germany. As working dogs, they were trained to bark pretty loudly so that their two-legged hunting partner could hear them from their underground badger hunting den.

Dachshund breed health

The Dachshund dog breed is generally a healthy one. With a good diet, mental and physical stimulation, you can expect your Dachshund puppy to grow into a healthy adult and live to between 12 and 16 years old.

While the long torso of these cuties makes them look, well… cute, it can pose a few health problems that you’ll need to keep on top of if you’re welcoming a doxie home. Sadly, it’s highly likely that your Dachshund will experience intervertebral disc disease (IVDD), which is the breakdown of one or more of the discs that sit between the vertebrae. Getting a dog wheelchair for your doxie could help reduce the pain they may experience in the back or neck as a result of this disease and greatly improve their quality of life. They can also experience slipped or herniated discs, so it’s super important to keep their weight stable to avoid any unnecessary pressure on that elongated spine. It’s also vital that pet parents and sitters don’t let these cuties jump down from high-up spots, as this could cause an unwanted back injury.

Other health issues you might come across with your doxie include epilepsy,  thyroid and autoimmune issues, ear infections, various eye defects and granulomatous meningoencephalitis. And remember the double dapple doxies? They’re more likely to have hearing and vision problems than their siblings or cousins with different coat markings.

Getting a Dachshund dog

While there are many reputable breeders out there, we’d always recommend asking your local shelter first. With lots of pooches on the lookout for a forever home, you could adopt a doxie who needs a long term family. Along with welcoming a pup in need of a loving home, rescue dogs have usually had all of the necessary health checks and inoculations that you’d otherwise have to pay for if bringing a pooch home from a breeder.

Recently welcomed a doxie home?

As these pooches thrive off regular training and socialisation, get them into good habits by finding a training class near you.