Dachshund
Dachshund
- Sizesmall
- Lives12–14 years
- Popularity in Mexico★★★★★
Character
Dachshund temperament
A small dog from the hound group, in twelve traits from 1 to 5:
- Energymiddle of the road
- Affection with familyglued to you
- With kidsmiddle of the road
- With other dogslife of the dog park
- With strangersparty with everyone
- Playfulnessplayful for life
- Guarding instinctborn guardian
- Adaptabilitysettles anywhere
- Trainabilitylearns on the fly
- Barkingreports everything
- Mental stimulation it needsmiddle of the road
- Prey drivechases anything that moves
Distinguishing features
Dachshund characteristics
- Ears
- drop
- Height
- 13–23 cm
- Life expectancy
- 12–14 years
- Muzzle
- long
- Coat
- smooth, wiry, long
- Coat length
- short, short, long
- Colors
- red, cream, black, chocolate, wild boar, gray, isabella
- Sheddingbarely sheds
- Coat carea brush a month
Life expectancy
How long does a Dachshund live?
12–14 years
The breed sets the range; how long each dog lives depends on its weight, its exercise, its teeth and its check-ups with the vet.
The long profile
Long profile, in Spanish for now
The long version of this breed — character, care and origins, in Lord Chucho's voice — exists in Spanish and hasn't been translated yet. The hard data on this page (traits, features, lifespan) is the same in both languages.
Buying guides
What to buy for a Dachshund
What to buy, by what it needs:
What we'd give Choco
For a dog like this one
Affiliate links: it costs you the same. How they work (in Spanish)
AI image: the real product may vary Rubber brush for short coats
Short coats don't need an arsenal: a rubber brush in the tub and done — massage and de-shedding in one.
AI image: the real product may vary Flat 2-meter leash
Two meters: enough to sniff with dignity, enough to keep it close when it matters. Neither retractable nor 50 cm.
AI image: the real product may vary Small donut bed
Small dogs sleep curled up with a wall around them: the donut is their castle. Washable, because it will smell like dog. It's the law.
AI image: the real product may vary Hard-sided carrier
The hard carrier works for the car, the vet and moving house. Buy it for the ADULT dog's size, not the puppy you have today.
What people ask
Frequently asked questions about the Dachshund
How big does a Dachshund get?
An adult Dachshund stands 13–23 cm at the withers.
Does the Dachshund need a lot of exercise?
The Dachshund scores 3 out of 5 on “Energy”: right in the middle of the scale. On that scale, 1 is “couch potato” and 5 is “marathoner”.
Is the Dachshund good with kids?
The Dachshund scores 3 out of 5 on “With kids”: right in the middle of the scale. On that scale, 1 is “better without kids” and 5 is “excellent”. Even with a 5, no dog should be left alone with small children: supervising them is the adult's job.
Does the Dachshund get along with other dogs?
The Dachshund scores 4 out of 5 on “With other dogs”: life of the dog park. On that scale, 1 is “lone wolf” and 5 is “life of the dog park”.
Is the Dachshund easy to train?
The Dachshund scores 4 out of 5 on “Trainability”: learns on the fly. On that scale, 1 is “negotiates every command” and 5 is “learns on the fly”.
Does the Dachshund bark a lot?
The Dachshund scores 5 out of 5 on “Barking”: reports everything. On that scale, 1 is “nearly silent” and 5 is “reports everything”.
Is the Dachshund a good guard dog?
The Dachshund scores 4 out of 5 on “Guarding instinct”: born guardian. On that scale, 1 is “not a guardian” and 5 is “born guardian”.
Does the Dachshund shed a lot?
The Dachshund scores 2 out of 5 on “Shedding”: barely sheds. On that scale, 1 is “barely sheds” and 5 is “hair everywhere”.
Can a Dachshund live in an apartment?
The Dachshund scores 4 out of 5 on “Adaptability”: settles anywhere. On that scale, 1 is “needs its space and routine” and 5 is “settles anywhere”. An apartment is fine, being shut in is not: every dog needs to get out every day.
Health
We only publish each breed's health topics after reviewing them carefully. We guide you, but we're not your vet: if something about your dog worries you, the internet doesn't replace a visit to the vet.