Dachshund

Single-colored smooth and longhaired dachshunds tend to be red or cream, sometimes with black hair. Two-colored smooth dachshunds are black, brown, wild boar (grizzled), gray (blue), or Isabella (fawn) with tan or cream markings. There are many color patterns that can be found in this breed.

While all the colors found in the smooth dachshund are acceptable for the wirehair, the most common color is wild boar. Light-colored dachshunds typically have light gray, light hazel, green, or blue eyes instead of brown or black. They can also have eyes of two different colors. In rare cases, doxies can have a blue and a brown eye.

Germany is the birthplace of the dachshund, which has remained a popular breed since the 1950s, though its ranking among the most popular dogs has varied over the years. Also known as a wiener dog, dashie, and dachels (in German), you can’t help but love this confident, yet cute and lovable dog.

3 Pros And Cons of Owning a Doxie

Evolution and Origins

The name of this breed is a clear indication of its original purpose: “Dachs” is the German word for badger, while “Hund” is the word for dog in the same language. In other words, this little canine with a large personality was bred with the sole purpose of hunting down badgers for sport and for their pelts. 

This breeding exercise, which began in the 1400s, gained traction in the 1600s. The resulting hunting dog was a rather stout-hearted, short-legged, diminutive canine with a fondness for digging and a sense of smell which is believed to be a result of basset, bloodhound, or pointer ancestry.

In the 19th century, smaller dachshunds were bred to take on rabbits; rough-coated terriers were also added to the breeding pool, giving rise to wirehaired dachshunds.

Unsurprisingly, that fondness for digging, loud barking, and that strong prey drive remain, and yet, their hilarious, affectionate nature makes these pets a firm favorite in homes all over the globe.

Size and Weight

Standard doxies usually weigh between 16 and 32 pounds, while their miniature counterparts may weigh under 11 pounds at full maturity. The standard height for doxies is 8 to 9 inches tall at the shoulders.

Common Health Issues

The most common health issue in doxies is intervertebral disc disease. This is also the most common spinal disease in dogs. This can lead to dehydration, bladder issues, and paralysis in certain cases. Epilepsy in dogs can be genetic or brought about by a hard fall or blow to the head. In many cases, this condition can be controlled by medication, which can be provided by a veterinarian.

Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) is a degenerative eye disorder and is detectable years before the dog shows any signs of blindness, though that is the eventual result. Gastric dilation-volvulus (GDV) is more commonly known as bloat or torsion and shows up the most in larger dogs. Due to the dachshund’s deep chest, it can also affect this breed. GDV can be fatal if not treated immediately. Suspect torsion if your dog has a distended abdomen, is salivating excessively, and retching without throwing up. Other possible indicators are restlessness, depression, lethargy, and weakness with a rapid heart rate.

Temperament and Behavior

The Doxie is known to be a stubborn but playful and devoted dog who is often wary of strangers but loyal to his owners, including children. These personality traits ensure that your doxie will be an independent creature who may take to one member of the family more than the rest.

They will love to play but can also be quite mischievous; their instinct to hunt may also manifest as digging in the backyard, so watch out for your newly planted flowers! Breeders should be able to provide family information to give context for individual temperaments.

How To Take Care of a Doxie

New pet owners looking for how to care for doxies, specifically dachshund puppies, must consider a range of unique factors. Whether you are looking to rescue or buy this breed, you must consider all of its needs. It is best to begin training from socialization to obedience and crating very early if it is possible. This will make it easier for your doxie to trust strangers and other animals more readily.

The Best Dog Food

Doxie puppy dog food: Puppy food tends to be higher in protein and enriched with minerals, essential fats, vitamins, and more. Since dachshunds are small dogs that mature more quickly, check with your vet to determine how long you should consider your dog to be a puppy.

Doxie adult dog food: As this breed is quite susceptible to obesity, be sure to choose the best quality dog food. The recommended overall daily amount of food for an adult doxie is ½ to 1 ½ cups of high-quality dog food per day, depending on the size and activity level of the individual dog.

Dachshund owners should review the breed’s individual health needs and potential conditions when comparing dog food.

Maintenance and Grooming

Doxies have three different types of coats: smooth, wirehaired, and longhaired.

The Smooth dachshund’s coat is short and shiny. Wirehaired dachshunds have a very different coat, with short, thick, hard hair on the topcoat with a softer undercoat. Longhaired dachshunds have glistening, slightly wavy long hair, which gives them an elegant appearance.

This low-maintenance breed only sheds a small amount and generally only needs bathing every three months. Smooths can be wiped with a damp cloth between baths to keep them clean.

Wirehaired dachshunds require regular brushing, and they’ll need to have their coats “stripped” two to three times a year to look their best. Ask a groomer or breeder how to do this.

Longhaired dachshunds must be brushed regularly and should be bathed more often than the Smooth dachshund. For their hair to look its best, opt to blow-dry it.

Be sure to wipe your doxie’s droopy ears to avoid fungus, bacteria, and mites. Do this weekly by moistening a cotton ball with an ear cleaner recommended by your veterinarian. Other grooming needs include nail care and dental hygiene.

Training

Doxies are intelligent dogs that can learn quickly if motivated properly (hint: this often involves food or treats as rewards, but toys work too!) When it comes down to it, positive reinforcement is key. Begin with short training sessions to keep their attention.

When housetraining, patience and consistency are vital. Doxies do not do well living outdoors, and this sometimes translates to the feeling that they can relieve themselves indoors, as well. Crate training can be a good supplement to this, but be sure not to crate train for more than a few hours at a time so that your dog does not feel like they are being punished. Rescues may react differently or require more patience.

Exercise

Doxies love to play outdoors with other dogs and take walks. They are also known to hunt and dig, which can mean toys or small game, so be aware of this. This breed is also active inside the house and will do well in small living quarters as long as they get a moderate amount of daily exercise. Two half-mile walks a day (about 10 minutes each) is the recommended average amount. Occasionally, when time is short, a game of fetch will meet their need for activity. Other times, they can go for a little longer if you are hoping to spend the day exploring with them.

Puppies

Doxie puppies’ mischievous side can come out and cause them to be quite destructive, and patience is key for these dogs when they are young. Easily trained, it just takes a little time to get them to remain confident but obedient.

Children

Doxies are a wonderful dog for families with children of any age, so long as they are introduced early on. A great watchdog, they might be warier of other children and strangers, so be mindful of playtime and introducing them to guests. Dachshunds’ backs are quite fragile due to the shape of this dog, so remind children that they should only ever hold the dog if they are seated on the floor. Otherwise, playing gently and being mindful of how dogs should be interacted with is important.

Dogs Similar to Doxie

Other similar dog breeds to the doxie include the Pembroke Welsh corgi, the Scottish terrier, and the Beagle.

• Pembroke Welsh Corgi: This breed can be identified by its short but powerful legs, big black eyes, compact body, and long ears relative to body size.
• Scottish Terrier: The Scottish Terrier is a miniature, short-legged breed with a big personality and self-confident style.
• Beagle: A beagle is a small to medium-sized dog with short hair. They are popular dogs for families who can give them lots of exercise and space to run.

Famous Doxies

Doxies are one of the most well-known breeds of dog out there, to animal lovers and even those less accustomed to pets. This means that, throughout history, there have been a few “famous” doxies.

Former United States President John F. Kennedy (JFK) purchased Dunker as a puppy for his girlfriend at the time. Unfortunately, Dunker never made it out of Europe because JFK was allergic to him.

Pablo Picasso, the famed painter, once had a friend, and that friend had a dog named Lump. When Picasso and Lump met, they couldn’t be separated, and Lump ended up staying with the painter. There is even a book on their relationship floating around out there somewhere!