Dog breed profile
Dachshund
A detailed profile covering characteristics, everyday care and linked health conditions.
Quick facts
Typical guide only; individual needs vary.
Profile description
The Dachshund is a low-set, long-bodied hunting breed developed in Germany to pursue badgers and other animals underground. It is produced in standard and miniature sizes and in smooth, long-haired and wire-haired coat varieties. Adult size varies, but standard Dachshunds generally weigh around 7 to 15 kilograms, while miniatures are usually considerably lighter.
The breed has short legs, a deep chest, long ears and a strong, muscular body. Dachshunds are typically lively, curious, courageous and strongly attached to their families. Their hunting background gives them determination, a strong sense of smell and a willingness to dig, bark and pursue small animals. They can be affectionate companions but may also be independent or stubborn during training.
Some are reserved with strangers and vocal when unfamiliar people or sounds approach. Dachshunds can live successfully with respectful children, although their long backs make rough handling or accidental falls particularly dangerous. They generally suit owners who can control their weight, protect their spine, provide moderate exercise and use patient, consistent training. The Dachshund's typical affectionate, curious, independent qualities are most constructive when household rules are predictable and desirable behaviour receives regular reinforcement. Because movement can trigger the Dachshund's chase response, calm exposure and physical management around wildlife and smaller pets remain important even after good training.
A successful match with a Dachshund depends on realistic expectations of the adult dog's behaviour and daily needs. Any interaction between a Dachshund and children should be actively supervised, with the dog given an undisturbed resting place and the children taught respectful handling. A prospective Dachshund owner should plan for a moderate activity commitment and long-coat maintenance, while allowing for the breed's affectionate and curious manner.
First-time dog owner tips
Practical preparation for welcoming this breed into your home.
Care requirements
Daily Dachshund care requires daily low-impact exercise, strict weight management and protection of its long spine. Several moderate walks and controlled play sessions help maintain muscle strength and prevent obesity. Repetitive jumping, frequent stair use and leaping on or off furniture should be limited.
Ramps or steps may help the dog access beds, sofas and vehicles more safely. Early Dachshund training should use positive reinforcement, suitable food rewards and short, varied sessions. Recall can be unreliable when the dog is following a scent, so off-leash exercise should occur only in secure areas. Socialisation should include people, children, dogs, household sounds and veterinary handling. Use each grooming session to examine the Dachshund's skin, feet, ears and body outline, making the process cooperative enough that subtle changes are noticed early. Introduce brushing, foot handling, mouth examination and quiet restraint to the Dachshund in brief rewarded steps before any of those procedures becomes urgent.
Grooming depends on coat type: smooth coats need weekly brushing, long-haired coats require brushing several times a week and wire-haired coats may need hand-stripping or professional trimming. Long ears should be checked for moisture or infection. Teeth require frequent brushing and nails should be kept short. Measure the Dachshund's food against actual workload and reassess portions after growth, desexing, illness or a change in activity rather than relying indefinitely on the packet guide. A monthly weight or body-condition record makes gradual change in a Dachshund easier to detect than appearance alone, particularly when day-to-day familiarity masks a slow trend.
Food must be measured carefully because excess weight greatly increases pressure on the spine. Owners should seek urgent veterinary attention for back pain, reluctance to move, weakness, wobbling, dragging of the feet or loss of bladder control. Owners should establish the Dachshund's normal appetite, breathing, movement, sleep and social behaviour so a persistent departure from that baseline can be investigated promptly.
Conditions linked to this breed
Cataract [Cloudiness of the Lens of the Eye]
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Ceroid Lipofuscinosis (Neuronal)
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Colour Dilution Alopecia
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Congenital Portosystemic Shunts
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Copper Hepatopathy
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Corneal Dystrophy
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Hyperadrenocorticism [Cushing's Disease]
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Cutaneous Asthenia [Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome]
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Demodectic Mange
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Dermoid
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Diabetes Mellitus
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Ectropion and Entropion
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Elbow Dysplasia
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Endocardiosis
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Epilepsy (Idiopathic, Primary or Inherited Seizures)
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Gastric Dilatation and Volvulus (GDV, or “Bloat”)
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Glaucoma (Primary, Inherited)
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Hemeralopia (Progressive Retinal Atrophy)
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Hypothyroidism
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Inherited Deafness
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Intervertebral Disc Disease IVDD
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Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca KCS, Dry Eye
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Lafora Body Disease Lafora’s Disease
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Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease Avascular Necrosis of the Femoral Head
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Merle Associated Diseases Merle Ocular Dysgenesis and Pigment Associated Deafness
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Pannus (Chronic Superficial Keratitis)
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Persistent Pupillary Membrane & Persistent Hyaloid Remnants
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Progressive Retinal Atrophy Generalised
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Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency (Non-spherocytic haemolytic anaemia)
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General dog health conditions
These conditions can affect dogs generally and are not presented as conditions specifically associated with this breed.