What Is A Dapple Dachshund?

Are you thinking of getting a Dachshund? Are you curious about all the different coat patterns? Have you heard about the health problems associated with double dapple Dachshunds? Here’s everything you need to know about dapple dachshunds.

What Is A Dapple Dachshund? A dapple Dachshund is a Dachshund with a dapple pattern on its coat. Dapple puppies are created when a solid colour Dachshund is bred with a dapple Dachshund. The markings look unusual and distinctive, which is why the dapple coat is so popular.

But, before you set your heart on a dapple Dachshund, there’s more you need to know! Read on to find out what a dapple Dachshund looks like, what double dapple Dachshunds are, and what health risks are associated with them.

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.

What Does A Dapple Dachshund Look Like?

A dapple Dachshund has a swirling or spotting pattern on top of a solid base coat colour or two base coat colours.

It really depends on the Dachshund’s base coat colour as to how obvious the dappling is. Sometimes it’s really bold and striking, while on other Dachshunds it can be very subtle.

This is also to do with how much of the pattern the Dachshund has, as some may only have a few spots here and there, while others look like they’ve been covered in splatters of paint!

Thankfully, the single dapple marking is fine ethically and doesn’t come with any associated health issues. That’s as long as your Dachshund puppy comes from a reputable breeder of course.

You can get dapple Dachshunds in all coat colours, including red, cream, black, chocolate, chocolate and tan, chocolate and cream, black and cream, black and tan, blue, and Isabella.

But please remember that the dilute colours like blue and Isabella come with all sorts of health issues for Dachshunds and, although they may look pretty, it’s actually very cruel to breed them!

The nose and nails on dapple Dachshunds are usually black, although they might be brown if the Dachshund has a chocolate or dilute colouring in his coat.

The eyes of a dapple Dachshund should be dark, although with dilute colourings the eyes are usually blue (but again, this isn’t necessarily a good thing!).

Can You Breed Two Dapple Dachshunds?

No, you should not breed a dapple Dachshund with another dapple Dachshund. Rather than producing a Dachshund with even more dappling, you risk producing a double dapple Dachshund that is sickly and has serious health problems. 

What Is A Double Dapple Dachshund?

What Is A Double Dapple Dachshund? A double dapple Dachshund is created when two dapple Dachshunds are bred. Double dapple Dachshunds have very unusual blends of markings on their coats with big patches of white. Sadly, double dapples can be sickly dogs and have all sorts of health issues.

This is because breeding two dapple Dachshunds actually passes on the recessive gene for white markings, which creates conformation, vision and hearing issues in the Dachshund.

That’s why you can’t register double dapples with the UK Kennel Club, and the American Kennel Club doesn’t list them as an acceptable pattern in its breed standard.

What Does A Double Dapple Dachshund Look Like?

Double dapple Dachshunds usually have big patches of white fur with splotches of the dapple pattern over it. Some will have more white in their coat than others, but most have it on their neck, paws, nose and tail.

While this might look pretty, white fur is associated with severe health defects in Dachshunds and may cause major health problems for them.

The dapple pattern itself is usually more intricate than with single dapple Dachshunds, almost like two different patterns intertwining with each other with a multicoloured effect. 

Because of the recessive gene, double dapple Dachshunds may have blue eyes. They might have one eye blue and one dark, or both eyes might be blue.

If the Dachshund has white markings on his face, he’s more likely to have blue eyes. This isn’t always the case though. Some double dapples will have two dark eyes, just like Dachshunds with regular colours or patterns.

Dachshunds usually have deep tan or cream markings over their eyes, but with double dapples you might see a lack of pigmentation around the eyes.

Just like with the single dapple Dachshunds, double dapples can either be very striking or quite subtle.

The dapple markings are particularly hard to spot on cream or red coloured Dachshunds.

This is quite problematic for inexperienced breeders as, if they don’t notice the Dachshund is dapple or double dapple, they might breed them, which could create more double dapple puppies.

What Are The Health Risks Of Double Dapple Dachshunds?

Sadly, 1 in 4 double dapple Dachshund puppies has health problems related to the recessive gene. So it really is a huge issue that these poor dogs are still being bred irresponsibly for their rare or beautiful coats.

Here are some of the health issues double dapple Dachshunds suffer with:

Wall eyes

Wall eyes is when the double dapple Dachshund’s eyes point in different directions, almost like a lazy eye.

Deformed eyes

Sadly, one or both of the double dapple Dachshund’s eyes may be deformed from birth.

Abnormally small eyes or micro eyes

Some double dapple Dachshunds can suffer from a rare condition called microphthalmia, which is when one or both eyes are small and sunken in the socket and the third eyelid (the membrane at the corner of the Dachshund’s eye) may be bigger than usual.

Missing eyes

In some instances, the double dapple Dachshund puppies are born with an eye missing or no eyes at all.

Blindness or partial blindness

Double dapple Dachshunds often have sight problems related to their eye deformities or another congenital eye defect, which can lead to varying degrees of blindness and even total blindness.

Deformed ears

The double dapple Dachshunds may have deformed ears, which can lead to hearing problems and ongoing issues.

Missing ears

Some poor double dapple Dachshund puppies are born with one or both ears missing.

Deafness or partial deafness

It’s common for double dapple Dachshunds to suffer from hearing problems or even total deafness.

Sometimes this is from birth but it’s often the case that owners don’t realise their dogs have these health problems until later.

Not only is this heartbreaking, but there are also the ongoing vet bills to manage the condition.

As you can see, the main issues for double dapple Dachshunds are with their hearing and eyesight.

Some definitely have it worse than others, and some double dapple Dachshunds may be born with no health defects at all.

But with a statistic like 1 in 4 double dapples getting these sorts of health problems, it’s just not fair to chance it by continuing to breed dapple Dachshunds.

Avoid breeders selling ‘rare’ Dachshunds in ‘rare’ colours. No responsible breeder would ever do this.

I LOVE DACHSHUNDS

Should I Buy A Double Dapple Dachshund?

It’s not advisable to buy a double dapple Dachshund. Not only do you risk the heartbreak and high vet bills associated with any health issues they may develop, but you’ll also be giving the breeder funds to keep producing unhealthy puppies.

Double dapples are normally marketed as ‘rare’ or ‘unusual’. But any breeder offering rare or unusual puppies should be avoided. Yes they may look lovely, but a single dapple or any other Dachshund is just as beautiful!

Just to be clear, it’s totally fine to buy a single dapple Dachshund. They don’t have the same health issues that double dapple Dachshunds do and, as long as you get them from a reputable breeder, they should be happy, healthy dogs.

It’s only when two dapples are bred together that there’s a problem. It’s the double dapple Dachshunds that can have the serious health issues listed above.

If you’re worried about finding a reputable breeder, check they’re part of a Kennel Club assured breeder scheme.

Avoid any adverts claiming to have Dachshunds in rare or unusual colours or patterns – reputable breeders would NEVER say this!

So, there you have it! Dachshunds with dapple patterned coats are both healthy and adorable. However, double dapple Dachshunds should be avoided as they can come with all sorts of health issues. Steer clear of rare or unusual coloured Dachshunds with big patches of white, and always use a responsible dog breeder.

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