Dachshund owner's guide

Dachshunds are sausage-shaped, with long bodies and short legs. The breed comes with three hair types: rough, long and short haired. Their most common colours are black with brown markings, maroon or game coloured.

With a normal-sized Dachshund:

• Males have a chest circumference of 37-47cm and weigh approximately 9kg
• Females have a chest circumference of 35-45cm and weigh approximately 9kg

Dachshunds need at least an hour’s exercise a day, or half an hour if you have a miniature Dachshund. This is best broken into a couple of walks, with plenty of time allowed for sniffing. Their favourite place to be walked is in the woods.

In short, yes. Dachshunds have a surprisingly loud bark considering their size, and they’re not afraid to let you know they’re there. Couple this with the fact that they’re protective, and you have the recipe for lots of barking. For this reason, they’re perhaps better suited to older children, who are likely to be less alarmed.

The longest time you should leave a healthy adult Dachshund alone is 4 hours. But with all dogs, this will depend on your dog’s needs, temperament and health.

As loyal dogs, Dachshunds can be prone to separation anxiety. This means they can get stressed or even frightened if left alone. You can work on this, but it requires small steps and patience.

If you leave your Dachshund alone for any length of time, be sure that they have:

• Access to clean, fresh water
• Mentally stimulating toys
• Comforts, such as a favourite you or blanket
• Somewhere comfortable to sleep

Dachshunds are loyal and protective, but also playful. While this is a good combination for families with children, they can be vocal and snappy if play becomes too rowdy, or children are too hands-on. For this reason, Dachshunds are generally better suited to older children who understand respect for boundaries.

Generally speaking, yes. You don’t necessarily need a huge amount of room for them, which is ideal if you don’t have lots of space or a big garden. And provided you’re patient with them, they’ll be patient with you.

Bear in mind that Dachshunds can be stubborn, which means those not used to living with dogs may find it frustrating at times. Plus you’ll have to get used to them being barky and territorial.

If you’re welcoming a new puppy to the home, we have a comprehensive checklist of what you need for a new puppy.

There are a few things you can get which are specific to Dachshunds:

• Dog ramp. As mentioned above, Dachshunds are prone to IVDD, so it’s best that they avoid activities which can cause impact to their spine - such as jumping. Plus it’s difficult for them on account of their short legs. To help your sausage dog get up and down steps or furniture (such as your sofa or bed), you could invest in a couple of dog ramps.
• Body harness. The best walking gear depends on breed, but a body harness is more suitable for a Dachshund than a neck collar.

With their long body and short legs, Dachshunds are not natural swimmers - but they can be trained to do so. If your Dachshund loves water, it’s best to confine them to small pools or ponds so that they don’t exhaust themselves. A paddling pool is probably your best bet.

Dachshunds are a healthy breed, so you can expect yours to live to 12-13 years old. Some may even get to the grand old age of 15.

Dachshunds do shed, but not as much as most other breeds. As you might expect, long-haired Dachshunds will leave more hair than short-haired ones. But regular brushing will help keep this in check.