If you’re a dog lover and prefer to pet dogs of a small breed, then you must have given a thought to pet Dachshund, or most likely, you already own a Dachshund. You can easily pet dachshunds indoors or even in your tiny apartments with just a little love and care.
Is dachshund a small breed?
Yes. Dachshund is a small breed with a maximum height of 9 inches, weighing 8-32 lbs. They may be smooth, wire, or long-coated. These hound-type dog breeds have long back, face, hairs, and muzzle but tiny legs and floppy ears commonly known as Wiener dog, Badger dog, Sausage dog, or Hot dog.
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Is a Dachshund a small or medium dog?
If your dachshund is a miniature, then he is a small dog. Your mini dachshund is usually 5 to 7 inches tall and weighs from 8 to 11 pounds.
If you have a Dachshund of standard size, he is a medium dog because they are pretty more enormous from their miniature version weighing 16-32 pounds and can grow up to 9 inches tall.
What is the difference between a standard and a mini dachshund?
Though a standard and a mini dachshund belong to the same breed, they have quite the differences. 9 significant differences between a standard and a mini dachshund-
Size:
The essential difference between your mini and standard dachshund is their sizes. The standards are relatively more gigantic than miniatures. They can grow up to 9 inches tall whereas, your little minis are only 5-6 inches tall to their withers.
Weight:
Your mini Doxie can weigh up to 11 pounds, but they may weigh more than 11 pounds in some cases, but that is entirely okay. Because your standard dachshund will weigh from 16-32 pounds, this weight is applicable for your grown-up Dachshunds.
History:
Initially, in 15th century Germany, standard dachshunds were bred to help the hunters by flushing out badgers.
Breeders used to give them dwarfism genes, which made their body long-backed, short and stumpy legs. After some time, they started breeding mini dachshunds to attack small prey like rabbits, so they bred mini dachshunds.
Personality:
Your Dachshunds will have different personalities depending on their coat type. All of your dachshunds are funny, smart, stubborn and spirited. But your long-haired dachshunds are a bit relaxed. On the contrary, your wire-haired dachshunds are mischievous and tenacious and more friendly.
Training:
You will have a hard time while training because of their independence and stubbornness. So, familiarise the badgers with the habit of positive reward giving training. Your mini doxie is a bit harder to potty train than your standard-sized pups.
Exercise:
Both of your wieners need exercise or might develop health issues because of an unnaturally developed body. But your standard-sized badgers need more exercising, like they should go on a walk for 30-45 minutes every day when they are adults.
Diseases:
Your smooth-haired standard dachshunds are more likely to have back problems. Hence, they are prone to Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD).
They also suffer from inherited eye problems known as Progressive Retinal Atrophy which can eventually lead to blindness. Again, your wire-haired miniatures can also suffer from Lafora disease, a kind of epilepsy.
Activity Level:
The standard dachshunds are more playful and active outdoors than miniatures, given the proper training and care.
Life expectancy:
Miniatures with their less complex body structure
live longer than your standard doxies. Your miniatures’ life expectancy is 14-17 years, and that of standards is 12-13 years.
What kind of breed is a dachshund?
Dachshund breed dogs are vigilant, spunky, curious, and got more significant than life personalities. These hounds would make a good watchdog for you and your house.
They are very adorable to look at and make a great pet. Your family will love spending time with a dachshund because of their friendly and playful nature.
Initially, a dachshund was bred to dig underground burrows and hunt badgers. So they naturally have an attacking tendency. Sometimes, they might hunt small animals like rabbits or squirrels and get skirmish with kids or start digging up in your yard.
Dachshund breeds cannot keep up with distance running, leaping or strenuous swimming. And you would have to watch out for your hot dogs’ big-dog barks.
Sometimes, your dachshund can get stubborn. So scolding or punishment is not going to work on them. This breed has specific health issues because of the long back, face and nose. So you have to take special care of them.
Do dachshunds stay small?
Yes. Dachshunds are a breed of small dogs. So no matter how big of a dachshund you get, he will still be your tiny little pooch.
An adult standard dachshund can gain a maximum height of 9 inches and weigh up to 16-32 pounds, which is less than that of average big dogs.
Again, your miniature dachshunds are only 5-7 inches tall and weigh 11 pounds when adult, which makes them adorable small dogs. Hence, you would be able to keep and carry them at ease.
What is the smallest size dachshund?
Toy Dachshunds are the smallest size of the dachshund family. Your cute little toy dachshund is under 8 lbs (3.6 kg) in weight and 13 cm in height.
Toy Dachshunds are even smaller than the miniature version of this breed. Females are smaller and weigh less than males. However, the smallest size also has three types of coats available in different colours.
Lookout while going to buy these absolute cuties. They are more expensive than puppies due to their popularity and demand.
Is a dachshund a toy breed?
There is no registered breed as ‘toy’ or ‘teacup’ dachshund in the US, Canada or clubs in the United Kingdom.
Dachshunds may be referred to as a toy or teacup in the Toy Group of breed industries. But no major or reputable dog club or registry recognizes ‘toy’ dachshunds as a breed or anything smaller than the standard size.
However, the United Canine Association (UCA) is the only registry in the world that recognizes your toy dachshund as a breed. They say your toy dachshund can be 3 lbs.
Nowadays, ‘toy’ or ‘teacup’ breeds are considered a newer and newly popular dog classification. They are called the “designer breed”.
How small is a dachshund puppy?
Since the standard dachshund weighs 16-32 pounds and can gain a maximum height of 9 inches, side by side, their miniature versions are up to 11 pounds in weight and 5-7 inches in size; you can guess that a dachshund puppy will be comparatively a lot smaller.
Your dachshund pup will mature at 12 months old and acquire the desired height and weight. Until then, your adorable little puppy will remain of the same size as a hand-bag.
Is my dachshund a mini or standard?
It is effortless to figure out if your dachshund is a mini or standard. You can tell if a dachshund is a mini or standard by looking at their sizes.
Simple steps to find out if your dachshund is a mini or standard-
- Step 1- Look for the size of your doxie. If your pup is a mini then, he will be 5-7 inches tall. But if he is a standard dachshund, he can be up to 9 inches tall.
- Step 2- Find out their weight by a weighing machine. If he weighs less than 11 pounds, then he is a mini. And if he weighs 16 pounds or more than that, then you have a standard dachshund.
- Step 3- You can figure it out by his food habit. Your standard dachshund will require more food than the mini.
- Step 4- Consult with a vet or the dog club from where you’ve adopted him if you’re still in confusion.
At what age are mini dachshunds fully grown?
Mini dachshunds are considered to be fully grown once they turn 12 months old. But their bodies will continue to fill in and put on more weight until they are 18 months old or two years. So look out for their food habit during this time.
Since dachshunds are bred with the chondrodysplasia gene, their legs take more time to develop than usual. But their growth plates close up when they’re 10-12 months old. Generally, the bones of mini dachshunds proliferate for the first 8 months after they’re born.
According to the American Kennel club’s breed standard, dachshunds’ bones are meant to be fully developed when they become 12 months old. That means they won’t get any taller or bigger after that.
However, dachshunds age like us humans and have different phases of lives from being puppies to teenagers to adults. Your mischievous dachshunds may still behave like a puppy even if he is fully grown. Be careful of any weight problems in that case.
How long do mini dachshunds live?
The average life expectancy of a mini dachshund is 16-18 years, but it can vary. Your mini doxie will live longer if you take good care of him.
Badger dogs have a longer lifespan than other breeds. Standard dachshunds can live up to 15 or 16 years of age. But your little miniatures are expected to live even longer.
Some mini wieners may even live into their 20s, while some less than 16 years of age. This range may vary depending on genetic factors or breeding issues such as stomach or spine issues and overall lifestyle like food habit or exercise.
Are dachshunds good indoor dogs?
Yes. Dachshunds make great indoor dogs because of their small sizes. These small dogs breed are a perfect fit for you if you’re living in an apartment or indoors in general.
Generally, badger dogs are not built to live in dens or outdoors, so you might have to convince your little doxie for a while before going out.
Your sausage dogs will be perfectly healthy and happy living indoors with daily exercise and 30-45 minutes of walks.
Their adorable small size makes them more compatible with families living in apartments or urban communities or owners who don’t have sufficient space for a dog to live in their houses.
Despite being a small breed, Dachshunds are intelligent, playful, energetic, and easy-going. You and your family will love having this adorable little doxie as a pet.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What Fruits and Vegetables can Dachshunds Eat?