Are you thinking of getting a Dachshund? Are you wondering what a purebred Dachshund looks like or how to tell if they are a crossbreed? Here’s everything you need to know about the physical appearance of Dachshunds!
What Does A Purebred Dachshund Look Like? Purebred Dachshunds have long elongated bodies, short stubby legs, broad feet, oval shaped eyes, wide foreheads, long pointy snouts, large nostrils, big floppy ears, a deep muscular chest, prominent breast bones and a tail that curves gently upwards.
Read on to find out more about a purebred Dachshund’s unique descriptive features and the variety of different coat types they can have. So, what does a purebred Dachshund look like?
Table of Contents
- How Do I know If My Dachshund Is Purebred?
- What Do A Dachshund’s Legs Look Like?
- Can Dachshunds Have Long Legs?
- What Do A Dachshund’s Paws Look Like?
- What Does A Dachshund’s Head Look Like?
- What Do A Dachshund’s Eyes Look Like?
- What Do A Dachshund’s Ears Look Like?
- What Does A Dachshund’s Nose Look Like?
- What Does A Dachshund’s Jaw Look Like?
- What Do A Dachshund’s Shoulders Look Like?
- What Does A Dachshund’s Chest Look Like?
- What Does A Dachshund’s Back Look like?
- What Does A Dachshund’s Tummy Look Like?
- What Does A Dachshund’s Tail Look Like?
- What Does A Dachshund’s Coat Look Like?
- Can Purebred Dachshunds Have Cross-Coats?
- What do I do next?
This article is based on research and personal experience as a Dachshund owner of 10+ years. I’m not a Vet, qualified dog trainer or dog behaviourist.
How Do I know If My Dachshund Is Purebred?
Purebred Dachshunds have very long bodies and short stubby legs. They have broader paws at the front, sweet oval shaped eyes, wide foreheads, long pointy noses, big nostrils, floppy ears, a deep chest, prominent breast bones and a tail that curves gently upwards.
Their short stature and extended spine make them unlike any other type of dog breed.
They’re given the nickname ‘wiener dogs’ or ‘sausage dogs’ because of their unique elongated appearance.
Dachshunds are classed as a small dog breed but, if they’re too small, they may have been crossed with a Chihuahua or other miniature dog breed.
Of course, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with owning a crossbreed, especially if you adopted them. This is just to explain some of the ways you can tell the difference and what a purebred Dachshund looks like.
What Do A Dachshund’s Legs Look Like?
Purebred Dachshunds have short, stubby legs, but they shouldn’t be underestimated, as these legs are also powerful and can run in short, sharp bursts!
The hindquarters of a Dachshund should be well-defined, and their hind legs have strong muscles driving forward their every movement.
To find out why a Dachshund’s legs are so short, click here!
Some Dachshunds have legs that turn outwards. They’re sometimes referred to as ‘Queen Anne Legs’ because they look like the cabriole legs you get on old Queen Anne style furniture.
Basically, the lower leg bows inwards while the foot turns outwards.
To find out why a Dachshunds legs turn outwards, click here!
Can Dachshunds Have Long Legs?
Some Dachshunds naturally have slightly longer legs which can be down to historical breeding. However, if your dog’s legs are really long, they’re more likely to be a crossbreed.
It’s basically down to proportion. If your dog doesn’t have the typical long body shape of a Dachshund, it can indicate a mixing of breeds. You don’t tend to get many super long-legged Dachshunds!
Again, there’s nothing wrong with owning a crossbreed. This is just to explain some of the ways you can tell the difference. If your dog has longer legs, it makes no difference to them as loving, family dogs!
What Do A Dachshund’s Paws Look Like?
A purebred Dachshund’s front paws are broader than the back. They look particularly big and paddy until the puppy is fully grown.
Dachshunds have soft paws with tough dark pads on the bottom of their feet, protecting them from rough surfaces – and perfect for digging with!
What Does A Dachshund’s Head Look Like?
Purebred Dachshunds have heads that start wide at the base, and get thinner as you get closer to their pointed noses.
They have muscly, strong necks, letting them hold their fearless heads up high.
What Do A Dachshund’s Eyes Look Like?
Purebred Dachshunds have gorgeous oval-shaped eyes, which can be a range of colours.
Most commonly, Dachshunds have warm dark brown eyes, but they can also have lighter brown or amber eyes.
The eyes can sometimes be two different colours, which is called Heterochromia. Double Dapple or dilute coloured Dachshunds may also have blue eyes.
What Do A Dachshund’s Ears Look Like?
Purebred Dachshunds have big, floppy ears, which move backwards when alert or listening. Their ears are usually long enough to reach about halfway down their necks.
Up until they are fully grown, a Dachshund puppy’s ears can look huge compared to the rest of their short, elongated frame.
If the ears stick upright, then this would be a clear sign your dog is a crossbreed. Possibly a Chiweenie, for example, which is a cross between a Dachshund and a Chihuahua.
Again, there’s nothing wrong with owning a crossbreed. This is just to explain some of the differences in appearance between them.
What Does A Dachshund’s Nose Look Like?
Purebred Dachshunds have long, pointy snouts with sweet black button noses and large nostrils. A Dachshund’s prominent nose is a big part of their unique appearance.
Their long noses are strong and they use them to burrow, nudge their owners, open doors or move things around.
What Does A Dachshund’s Jaw Look Like?
Despite their short stature, Dachshunds have big, incredibly strong jaws and a ‘scissor’ bite.
This means that their top and bottom teeth fit closely and properly overlap in line together.
When relaxed and happy, some Dachshunds smile! They turn up the corners of their mouth, curl their lips back and upwards on one or both sides and either grin or let their tongue hang out.
To read more about why Dachshunds smile, click here!
What Do A Dachshund’s Shoulders Look Like?
Purebred Dachshunds have strong, sloping shoulder blades set close to one another right at their withers.
A Dachshund’s withers are the top point where their neck meets their back.
What Does A Dachshund’s Chest Look Like?
A purebred Dachshund has a deep and wide chest that looks strong and muscular. They have very prominent breast bones with indents on either side.
This broad chest is responsible for the loud bark commonly associated with Dachshunds!
What Does A Dachshund’s Back Look like?
Purebred Dachshunds have long backs. When looked at from the side, a Dachshund’s back should be fairly straight and level, starting at the end of their shoulders and ending at their tail.
It’s important to remember that a Dachshund’s long spine is a part of their body which needs to be carefully looked after.
Their fragile back is prone to Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD), which is found in around a quarter of Dachshunds.
To find out how to care for your Dachshund’s back, click here!
What Does A Dachshund’s Tummy Look Like?
Purebred Dachshunds have adorable tummies that are small and round. Healthy Dachshunds will have the classic ‘tuck up’ around their abdominal.
This means that if you’re looking at them sideways, you could draw a diagonal line straight from the front of their ribs upwards to the top of their back legs.
A defined tuck by your Dachshund’s waistline is one of the ways you can quickly tell if your Dachshund is the right weight.
To find out what the ideal weight is for your Dachshund, click here!
What Does A Dachshund’s Tail Look Like?
A purebred Dachshund’s tail follows along the same line from their spine. They don’t tend to have kinks in their tail, but will have a noticeable curve upwards.
What Does A Dachshund’s Coat Look Like?
Purebred Dachshunds can have one of three different types of coat. The three categories are smooth-haired, long-haired, and wirehaired.
Smooth-haired Dachshund Coat
Smooth-haired Dachshunds are the most common type of Dachshund. Their coat is very short, glossy, and smooth to touch.
Wirehaired Dachshund Coat
Wirehaired Dachshunds have much rougher hair than smooth-haired Dachshunds. Their outer coat is very thick and coarse, and their undercoat is a lot more soft and silky.
Long-haired Dachshund Coat
Long-haired Dachshunds have long, fluffy coats that are likely to be more wavy than the coat of a wirehaired or smooth-haired Dachshund. The hair is very fine and silky.
One noticeable feature of a long-haired Dachshund is the long, feathered hair on their ears, which you won’t find on smooth-haired or wirehaired Dachshunds.
To find out how to groom all the different Dachshund coats, click here.
Can Purebred Dachshunds Have Cross-Coats?
Yes, in theory, purebred Dachshunds can have cross-coats. If both parents are ‘miniature Dachshunds’, then the puppy would still be a ‘miniature Dachshund’.
However, the UK Kennel Club do not allow cross-coat matings so they could never be KC registered. This was allowed up until 1977 so there are still Dachshunds that carry the different coat type genes.
Some countries do still allow cross-coat and cross-size matings, but not here in the UK. Although, Dachshunds can still be imported into the country with cross-coat genes.
Interestingly, there are also dominant genes. So if, for example, you mated a wire-haired Dachshund with a smooth-haired Dachshund, the puppy would be ‘wire-haired’ as that is the dominant gene.
If you want to know what too look out for when buying a Dachshund, click here!
So, there you have it! Purebred Dachshunds have a unique, extended, wiener-like appearance with a long body, short stubby legs, oval eyes, broad paws, wide foreheads, long noses, floppy ears, a muscular chest and a tail that curves slightly upwards.
They’re instantly recognisable and unlike any other type of dog breed, which makes them VERY special indeed!
What do I do next?
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