Types and Characteristics

Care

	The characteristics of a dachshund are quite unique, but first we need to talk about the two variations of these dogs. There are two sizes of dachshunds, miniature and standard. Miniature dachshunds are easily picked out from the standards. Miniature dachshunds are smaller versions of the standards. They don’t have any big differences, though the standard is usually fatter than the miniature.

Dachshunds come in three hair types; smooth haired, longhaired, and wirehaired. The smooth haired dachshund looks shiny and its hair stays matted down.

The longhaired dachshund has longer hair than the smooth haired dachshund, but some of the hair isn’t matted down.

The wirehaired dachshund has hair that isn’t matted down a lot, so it spreads wildly at the ends of their bodies. These three types come in many colors, so you will always be able to find a match. The colors that they come in are black, tan, red, chocolate, silverfish, and a grayish blue. They are also sometimes striped or spotted. Black and tan dachshunds are the most common along with the red dachshund.

Although these dogs are tiny they come with a huge personality. They are very courageous, for they won’t stand down to even a Great Dane. These dogs are also very clever. Dachshunds know a way to get what they want. They’ll even jump up onto a table to get a piece of ham! They are lively at any time. They could be sleeping soundly in the sun, and come charging at the sound of a squeaking toy. Dachshunds are also very aggressive. Sometimes they will growl while they are playing with you, but they only mean it as a joke. Another thing to add on would be their tremendous bark. It’s very loud for such a tiny creature. To give you an idea of how loud it is, it’s probably louder than a party with music playing. A big trait that these tiny dogs have is their loyalty. They will obey your every command. Dachshunds pack a big attitude.

If you look back at the top of this web page, you will see a chart of the dachshund’s body. The dachshund has a very unique body structure. What is the most noticeable thing is the fact that the dog’s body is so close to the ground. The dog is very long and slender which is perfect for crawling into small spaces. That is why the Germans used the dachshund for badger hunting. That is also why the pun “hot dog” was invented. Dachshunds are one of the tiniest dogs in the world. The miniature dachshunds weigh between 7 and 11 pounds at adult and the standards weigh between 16 and 32 pounds at adult.

	The dachshund is truly a unique and sophisticated dog. Its cleverness is only paralleled by its loyalty and passion for its owner. The “hot dogs” are always there to give you company and keep you happy. Their curious look to things will surely make you think as well. Dachshunds are truly a magnificent breed to look at.