A Myriad of Choices
There are few things in life cuter than a Dachshund puppy. If one of those tiny faces has made you consider the possibility of bringing a Dachshund into your family, you will need to decide what type of Dachshund is right for you. The Dachshund breed is divided into three categories: the long hair variety, the wire-haired variety, and the popular short-haired variety that is also known as the smooth-coat Dachshund. These different types are determined by the type and length of the coat.
Within each of the three categories, there is also a choice of sizes. The standard Dachshund generally weighs anywhere from 16-30 pounds when full grown, and the smaller Miniature Dachshunds usually weigh in at 11 pounds or less at the end of his first year.
Along with sizes, there are also many colors and patterns to choose from.
Keep in mind that temperament and personality are equally important factors to consider when selecting that special pup for your family.
Coat Varieties
This is by far the most popular and common type of Dachshund, with a smooth, sleek coat and long floppy ears. This type has a reputation for being the most loyal to his owner, although he can also be more standoffish with strangers than the other two. The short coat of this dog might deceive you into thinking that grooming is unnecessary. The truth is that this dog will need to be brushed just like the other two Dachshund types.
With his scruffy little face and his outgoing temperament that borders on clownish at times, the little guy will quickly worm his way into anyone’s heart. While grooming of this type of Dachshund requires less maintenance than his long-haired counterpart, a trip to the groomers will probably be necessary a couple of times each year to keep his beard and eyebrows looking their doggy finest.
Beautiful and elegant in appearance, this Dachshund type also has a reputation for being the calmest of the breed. Because of the long, silky hair on this dog, she will require a significant amount of grooming between brushing and bathing to keep her lovely coat looking its best.
Colors
Dachshunds come in more colors than any other breed! Sometimes it can be difficult to decide on the dachshund’s correct color classification.
Creams are the hardest to decipher. "American Cream's" are not true creams. These often look to have a "strawberry blonde" color. If there is ANY red tint or hue, no matter how slight, it is still a red.
Natural sunlight is the best way to tell a dachshunds true color.
Ranges from a light "strawberry blonde" to a deep mahogany
Ranges from a light buff to a rich butter color.
This color is a cream wirehair. The name variance is due to the wirehairs double coat which makes it appear to be a wheat color.
These will be black all with no other color.
This is a dilute black. They range from a light to a dark grey with no other color.
These will be brown all over with no other color.
This is a dilute chocolate. They range from a light to a dark silvery tan all over with no other color.
Mostly black with tan points. The points are tan color on all or some of these areas: muzzle, over eyes, feet, part way up the legs and base of tail. Sometimes they are called Black & Reds. This is because the red color is diluted to a tan by the black hairs.
Mostly black with cream points. The points are cream in color on all or some of these areas: muzzle, over eyes, feet, part way up the legs and base of tail.
This is a dilute black. They range from a light to a dark grey. The points are tan color on all or some of these areas: muzzle, over eyes, feet, part way up the legs and base of tail. Sometimes they are called Blue & Reds. This is because the red color is diluted to a tan by the black hairs.
This is a dilute black. They range from a light to a dark grey. The points are a cream color on all or some of these areas: muzzle, over eyes, feet, part way up the legs and base of tail.
Ranges from a light to a very dark in brown. The points are tan color on all or some of these areas: muzzle, over eyes, feet, part way up the legs and base of tail. Sometimes they are called Chocolate & Reds. This is because the red color is diluted to a tan by the black hairs.
Ranges from a light to a very dark in brown.These points are cream in color on all or some of these areas: muzzle, over eyes, feet, part way up the legs and base of tail.
This is a dilute chocolate. They range from a light to a dark silvery tan. The points are tan color on all or some of these areas: muzzle, over eyes, feet, part way up the legs and base of tail. Sometimes they are called Isabella & Reds. This is because the red color is diluted to a tan by the black hairs.
This is a dilute chocolate. They range from a light to a dark silvery tan. These points are cream in color on all or some of these areas: muzzle, over eyes, feet, part way up the legs and base of tail.
Patterns
Dachshunds come in more patterns than any other breed! Many of the following patterns can be combined with each other.
This appears in the longhair variety only. Sable is commonly misused to describe a longhair with a heavy black overlay or an interspersion of black hairs on the body. Each strand of hair is banded with two colors: Usually Red at the bottom with black at the top. From a distance, they appear to be a Black & Tan. Another distinguishing mark in true Sables is the "widow's peak" which is a distinct point in the hairline in the center of the forehead.
This appears in the Wirehair and Smooth coats only. Wildboar is commonly misused to describe a wire or smooth with a heavy black overlay or an interspersion of dark hairs on the body. Each strand is banded with three colors: cream, red, gray and/or black. Another distinguishing mark in true Wildboars is the dark "saddle" on their backs.
Spots where some of the color is lighter than the base color. This pattern can occur in all colors. In Blacks and Black & Tans, the dappling turns to a Silver color. Sometimes they are referred to a Silver Dachshund but genetically they are a Black & Tan Dapple. If the dappling occurs in the eyes, the eyes color turns blue. The blue eye(s) range from a tiny speck to all blue. Dapples can be "hidden" in the Reds and Creams. At birth, thier dappling can show as one tiny spot to alot of spots which can fade and blend into the coat as they age.
This pattern only occurs when both parents are dapples but does not mean the entire litter is dapple or double dapple, there can be solid colors produced. This is a semi - lethal combination. Many Double Dapples are born deaf, blind and can be missing limbs.
This is a type of Dapple where the dappling appears in patches like a patchwork quilt.
Black or Chocolate Stripes. The stripes can vary in width and length. They appear all over the body in the solid colors or limited to the points in the pointed colors. Even one single, thin, short stripe this dachshund will be a brindle.
This pattern shows splashes of color over a white base coat, most have a white tipped tail and white feet. Sometimes they have small spots of colour on the white this is called ticking. Sometimes the color falls over most of the body showing white only on the feet and chest. When the color falls in this fashion, they are referred to as "tuxedo" piebalds because they appear to be wearing a tuxedo.
This pattern hides all dark hairs on the coat. The dark hairs are replaced with a white to a "strawberry blonde" color with white or blonde whiskers and nails. A dachshund with this pattern can genetically be any of the above colors and patterns or a combination of them but will never show which ones. This pattern only appears when both parents have either a single "e" gene and/or the "ee" gene but does not mean the entire litter is "ee", there can be solid colors produced.
This pattern has one or more patches of two colors that are not normally combined: Black with a Blue spot, Blue with a Chocolate spot etc . This pattern is considered to be a genetic "fluke" that causes some genetic information to be lost allowing the "carried" color to show through as well as the normal base color. It is speculated that either one of the genes mutates or two different germ cells merged before conception producing a Chimera. A Chimera is one individual with two sets of DNA.