Dachshund

Overview

The Dachshund - known in German as "Dackel" or "Teckel," in English as "the sausage dog" - is one of the most instantly recognisable breeds in the world. Long body, short legs, bold attitude. Beneath the comic silhouette is a serious, courageous earth-dog originally bred to pursue badgers underground. The breed comes in two sizes (Standard and Miniature) and three coat types (smooth, longhaired, wirehaired), each with subtly different personalities, but all carrying the unmistakable Dachshund mix of stubbornness, intelligence, and devotion.

History & Origins

"Dachshund" translates literally as "badger dog" - and that was the job. Over several centuries (the AKC dates the breed to the 1400s, the Dachshund Club of America to the 1700s and 1800s), German foresters developed long-bodied, short-legged hounds that could follow badgers, foxes, and rabbits into their burrows, bay at them, and pull them out. The exaggerated proportions are not cosmetic: they evolved for going to ground in tight spaces.

The original Dachshund was a serious working dog of around 16 kg (35 lb). Miniaturisation began in the late 1800s when smaller dogs were wanted for rabbit hunting. Wirehaired coats were developed by crossing in terrier blood for tougher coat texture and gameness; longhaired coats by adding spaniel ancestry. By 1888 the Deutscher Teckelklub had been founded; the AKC recognised the breed in 1885.

Dachshunds were widely popular in Europe, fell out of favour during the World Wars due to their German associations, and rebounded strongly afterwards. Today they are one of the most popular small breeds globally.

Appearance

Long, low, muscular. Two size classes (with some regional variation):

• Standard: chest circumference >35 cm, typically 7-14 kg (16-32 lb).
• Miniature: chest circumference <35 cm, typically 4-5 kg (under 11 lb).
• (Some regions also recognise a "rabbit" or "kaninchen" size, even smaller.)

Three coat varieties:

• Smooth: short, shiny, close coat.
• Longhaired: soft, slightly wavy coat with feathering on ears, legs, tail.
• Wirehaired: dense harsh coat with bushy eyebrows and a beard.

Colours include red (most common), black-and-tan, chocolate-and-tan, cream, dapple (merle), brindle, piebald. Double dapples can be lethal genetically - responsible breeders avoid this combination.

The head is long and tapering; the chest is keel-shaped (deep and prominent); the back is long and straight; the tail is carried in line with the spine, never curled over the back.

Temperament & Character

Dachshunds are bold, lively, and famously stubborn. They were bred to think for themselves underground, beyond a hunter's voice or hand, and the breed has never forgotten this independence. A Dachshund decides whether your command is worth following.

They are deeply attached to family - often more bonded to one person - and reserved or watchful with strangers. As alarm dogs they are excellent; as quiet apartment dogs they require training. The breed barks readily and persistently.

Coat-type generalisations: smooths tend to be most one-person, longhaireds the softest and most companionable, wirehaireds the cheekiest and most terrier-like.

Care

Coat & Grooming

• Smooth: weekly rub-down; minimal work.
• Longhaired: brush 2-3 times weekly to prevent mats; trim feathering occasionally.
• Wirehaired: brush weekly; the coat is "stripped" (hand-plucked) twice yearly by a groomer or owner - clipping ruins texture and colour.

All coats: weekly ear cleaning, monthly nail trims, several teeth brushings per week. Dental disease is very common in this breed.

Exercise & Activity Needs

Modest but real: the AKC says two walks a day of moderate length should be enough, and regular exercise builds the muscles that support the back (AKC). Wirehaireds tend to be the most active.

The long spine is vulnerable, and the published advice is not unanimous. The Cornell Riney Canine Health Center advises keeping a disc-prone dog trim and fit and minimising time spent on stairs and jumping on and off a deck, bed or sofa. Dachshund Health UK notes that jumping down puts sudden extra stress on the spine, yet its 2015 survey of more than 2,000 Dachshunds found that dogs over three that were allowed stairs and furniture every day had lower odds of disc disease than dogs that were not, and it stresses that this is an association, not proof of cause. Its guidance: a mature, well-muscled dog in ideal body condition should tolerate normal daily life; puppies up to 12 months and dogs over seven are more at risk of hurting themselves, and a dog already diagnosed with disc trouble is at higher risk if it jumps off furniture. For exercise it advises a daily mix of on-lead walking and free running once the dog is over 12 months, built up gradually through puppyhood.

Swimming is excellent low-impact exercise. Many Dachshunds love water; supervise - short legs and long bodies are not natural swimmers.

Health & Lifespan

Average lifespan is 12-16 years on AKC figures; a 2024 UK study found 13.2 years, and 14 years for the Miniature Dachshund.

The defining health concern is intervertebral disc disease (IVDD): Dachshund Health UK says around 1 in 4 UK Dachshunds may be affected at some stage in their lives. Cases range from back pain to paralysis. Its lifestyle advice is to keep the dog fit, not fat: well exercised, on a balanced diet and at an ideal body condition score checked by a vet. X-ray screening that counts calcified discs in dogs aged two to four, long used in Scandinavia, helps breeders choose parents with fewer calcifications.

Other common issues:

• Obesity - Dachshunds gain weight easily. Royal Veterinary College research in 2013 found overweight dogs more likely to suffer IVDD; Dachshund Health UK could not repeat that finding in its 2015 survey but still advises keeping the dog at an ideal body condition.
• Patellar luxation.
• Progressive retinal atrophy and cataracts.
• Dental disease.
• Cushing's disease in older dogs.
• Double dapple syndrome - congenital deafness/blindness from merle × merle breeding.

Feeding & Nutrition

The AKC's advice is to give only the amount the food's maker recommends and to keep the dog lean, since extra weight strains the long back and can lead to slipped discs (AKC). Two meals daily. Measure portions precisely.

Aim for an ideal body condition - ribs easily felt but not visible, an obvious waist from above - rather than a number on the scale. Even one extra kilogram is significant on a 5 kg dog. Treats should be tiny and counted into daily calories.

Training & Socialisation

Smart and quick-witted but selectively cooperative. Reward-based training works; pressure and harshness do not - Dachshunds dig in heels under pressure.

Priorities: house training (notoriously slow with this breed; a calm crate routine and consistent timing help), early socialisation (the breed leans reserved; positive exposures to people and dogs prevent reactivity), polite leash walking, and "leave it" (their prey drive is strong).

Start training at 8 weeks. Short, fun sessions. Multiple short sessions per day beat one long one. Most Dachshunds know plenty of cues by 6 months - and choose which to obey at 8 months.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Distinctive, charming appearance.
• Bold, courageous personality in a small body.
• Long-lived.
• Good apartment size; adapts to many homes.
• Excellent alarm dog.

Cons

• Serious spinal disease risk.
• Stubborn; slow to house-train.
• Barks readily - not for noise-sensitive neighbours.
• Reserved with strangers; needs careful socialisation.
• Can be possessive about food, toys, owner.

Best Suited For

• Singles or couples wanting a devoted small companion.
• Patient owners who appreciate strong personality.
• Apartment dwellers who don't mind some barking.
• Families with older children who respect the dog's back.
• Owners willing to keep the dog fit, well-muscled and at a healthy weight for the sake of its back.

Not suited for households with toddlers (handling injuries the dog or the child), or owners wanting an easy obedience dog.