What is a ‘Dachshund’?
Dachshunds, also known as ‘sausage dogs’, ‘weiner dogs’ and ‘Daxies’, are a small breed of dog renowned for their long bodies and short legs. Translated from the German for ‘badger dog’, Dachshunds are fast becoming a desirable breed for dog owners worldwide.
Things to Know about the Dachshund
Sizes
Dachshunds are ‘officially’ recognised in two different sizes in the United States and United Kingdom: Standard and Miniature. Though their size can vary against their official breeding, standard Dachshunds usually stand at around 20-23 cm tall, from the floor to the tallest part of their back, with miniatures standing anywhere between 13-15 cm tall.
Sausages falling between these measurements are commonly known as ‘tweenie’, though this is not an official classification. There is also a third, unofficial size known as ‘kaninchen’ (German for “rabbit”) which is recognised by the World Canine Federation with kennel clubs registered in 83 different countries, but nowhere else.
Coats
Dachshund coats come in three different varieties. The first coat type is smooth, which is essentially short fur which lays smoothly against the body. The second type is long-hair, which is (as the name suggests) long fur across the majority of the body. The third and final type of coat is wirehair, becoming the most recent coat to appear in breeding standards.
All three types of coat require different levels of care and maintenance, taking into consideration a pup’s lifestyle and surroundings. This includes grooming, washing, and brushing.
Colouring
Where to begin with the amount of colour combinations that Dachshunds can own. Below is a list of some of the most common ones:
- Red
- Cream
- Black and Tan
- Chocolate and Tan
- Blue and Tan
- Isabella and Tan
Dachshunds can also be bred with a ‘dapple’ coat, which look like spots of different colours all over the body. There are also ‘piebald’ coats and ‘double dapple’ however this coat colouring is discouraged due to it’s tendency to cause deaf and blindness.
Temperament
The first thing to note about Dachshunds is their unbelievable stubbornness. These pups will do (or not do) whatever they want, whenever they want. Due to this stubbornness, they can often be incredibly difficult to train, more so than other breeds; however, their intelligence shouldn’t be underestimated.
They have a natural instinct to hunt, as per their ancestry, and love to chase small animals. As well as hunting, they love a good bark at anything and everything. Some won’t bark much, but others will have a high sensitivity to everything and bark to compensate.
One of the biggest characteristics to be wary of when owning a Dachshund is their tendency to suffer from separation anxiety and so follows the difficulty of leaving them for any period of time however, over time, this can be adjusted with repetitive training and praise.
Conclusion
Though they sound like extremely hard work, Dachsunds are an incredibly friendly and loving breed that will always leave you wanting more than one. Their loveable nature and characteristics make for the ideal family pet.
If you’re interested in learning more about Dachshunds, why not stick around? We will be covering all there is to know about Dachshunds in our following blogs.