Morphology of the Dachshund
The Dachshund is a dog that definitively does not go by unnoticed! Whether you like it or hate it, its long body, short legs and happy expression draw the eye wherever it goes. And with 3 different sizes, each with 3 different coat types – short, long or wire -, each with a wide range of colors, there is a choice for all tastes! And names for everyone – the breed is called Teckel, Dachshund or Dackel alike, depending on the region of the world; in Portugal, it is also called Baixote (“shorty”, probably a derivation from the French word Basset).
Black and Tan Smooth-coated Standard Dachshund
Fawn Long-coated Standard Dachshund
Wild boar Wire-haired Standard Dachshund
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But the Dachshund’s originality is not just in the body shape. It is also the only breed where the size is not measured by the height at the withers, but by the circumference of the chest, measured behind the elbows. Therefore, the Standard Dachshund has a circumference of over 35 cm, the Miniature measures between 30 and 35 cm and the Kaninchen measures up to 30 cm. This is measured from 15 months of age on, after growth is complete. The weight should not be over 9 kg in the Standard variety.
Besides the long body and short legs, it also worth noticing the long head (but not pointed), the expressive eyes, hanging ears and long tail reaching the ground.
Color-wise, there is a wide range to choose from – apart from the “common” black and tan and fawn, they can also be, for example, cream, brown and tan, brindle or merle (in the breed, called dapple in English); in the wire-haired variety, wild boar is the most common color.
Wild boar Wire-haired Standard Dachshund (in the back)
Fawn Wire-haired Miniature Dachshund (in the front)
Black and tan Long-haired Kaninchen Dachshund
Fawn Long-haired Miniature Dachshund
Cream Long-haired Miniature Dachshund
Blue Merle Long-haired Miniature Dachshund
Brown Merle Long-haired Miniature Dachshund
Brindle Smooth-coated Kaninchen Dachshund