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By the time you have finished reading this Miniature Dachshund owner's guide, you should have a good understanding of the Miniature Dachshund breed. We look at what to expect from a Miniature Dachshund, answers common questions about the breed, the best nutrition for them and give you some tips about their behaviour.
The Miniature Dachshund is a loyal, playful and loving dog, making them a popular family pet. Whether you already have a Miniature Dachshund, or are thinking about bringing one into your home, this handy guide will teach you everything that you need to know about this intelligent breed of dog.
By the time you have finished reading, you should have a great understanding of the breed, as this guide explains what to expect from a Miniature Dachshund, common questions about the breed and the best ways to overcome common Dachshund health problems.
The origin of the Miniature Dachshund can be traced back as early as the 15th century in Germany where they were bred to sniff out and hunt for animals such as rabbits. The name Dachshund translates to ‘badger dog’ as the larger Standard Dachshund was used to flush badgers out from their burrows.
The paddle-shaped front paws that the Miniature Dachshund has means they are known for being excellent at digging, with their deep chest giving them an impressive lung capacity, which made them well-suited to hunting underground.
The Miniature Dachshund has since become a popular breed due to their loving, dependable nature, often being referred to as a ‘Doxie’ or ‘Sausage Dog’.
One of the most commonly asked questions about this breed is “How long do Miniature Dachshunds live?” The average Miniature Dachshund lifespan is between 12 to 15 years. They are considered to be puppies up until they reach maturity around the age of 12 months and become a senior dog around the age of 11 or 12.
The Miniature Dachshund is known for its playfulness and devotion to their owners, making them wonderful family pets. Their playful nature means they can turn almost anything into a game, whether it’s as simple as chasing an item that has been dropped, or hunting down the broom as you sweep the floor.
They can also be strong-willed, meaning training and bonding with this breed is important in making sure you can live in harmony. Remember, healthy dog treats can be a wonderful addition to any training routine, but building a close and understanding relationship between dog and human is key to great behaviour.
This breed of dog has a tendency to dig holes or burrow into things like blankets, or other items when they are tired or restless. Barking at strangers is another habit that some develop, with these behaviours being most common in puppies. Mental stimulation and enrichment activities play a key role in keeping this clever breed of dog occupied. If you don’t believe us, put them to the test and see how great they are at solving puzzles!
Throughout their lives, they may display different types of behaviour. As they reach adulthood, they will have grown out of most of their puppy-like tendencies and as they reach their senior years, they are likely to become more calm.
Miniature Dachshunds are small dogs with short, muscular legs. Their height and weight can vary based on a number of factors. But when are Miniature Dachshunds fully grown and how big do they get?
By the age of between 8 and 12 months, the Miniature Dachshund should have reached its adult height. The average height of males is between 6 and 8 inches at the shoulder, while females measure between 5 and 7 inches.
A typical healthy adult Miniature Dachshund weight range is around 7kg, however this can vary depending on individual factors, including age, size and activity levels. While they reach their fully grown height by the age of around 12 months, they continue to bulk up until they turn around 18 months of age.
Click here to find out whether your Miniature Dachshund is of a healthy weight.
| Age | Average weight |
| 3 months | 3.2kg |
| 4 months | 4.3kg |
| 5 months | 5.2kg |
| 6 months | 5.8kg |
| 9 months | 6.8kg |
| 12 months+ | 7.2kg |
A fully grown Miniature Dachshund will need around 50 minutes of exercise per day. Due to their short legs, it can be best to split this into two or more walks, spread throughout the day, as well as encouraging mental enrichment exercises.
As puppies, this breed requires significantly less exercise, with as little as five minutes of proper exercise being plenty for young pups, building it up as they get older and regularly assessing how much exercise is the right for their stage of development. This should be accompanied by plenty of mental stimulation to help them develop their minds and learn about the world.
From the age of around seven onwards, dogs can begin to show tendencies of a ‘senior’ dog, meaning they may begin to show less interest in more energetic activities, or slow down on walks. Exercise should be tailored to each individual dog’s requirements.
It’s important to keep an eye on your dog’s abilities throughout its life and adjust exercise accordingly. For example, dogs are often eager to please which can result in them exercising more than they comfortably would. Watch for any signs of discomfort and remember that having breaks to use their senses on walks and mental enrichment activities if their mobility is reduced, are great ways to keep them in the best possible health.
Spinal issues that Miniature Dachshunds are predisposed to can be worsened by excessive exercise or jumping, so it is important to be aware of this throughout their lives and make sure their exercise does not put unnecessary force on these areas.
Learn more about how much exercise dogs need
There are three different coat types for Miniature Dachshunds; smooth-haired, wire-haired and long-haired. Depending on their type of coat, they will need a slightly different approach to grooming, however the same basic principles apply.
Smooth-haired Dachshunds need brushing once or twice per week, using a soft-bristled brush or rubber mitt. Brushing in the direction of the hair growth, you can remove any dead or loose hair with ease. Despite the fact that their hair is short, it is still just as important to care for their coat, as they shed little and often.
Long-haired Miniature Dachshunds require regular brushing to prevent their hair from knotting. It can be useful to section off their hair to stop you catching the brush as you comb. The shedding of long-haired Dachshunds is more visible due to the longer hairs, with them shedding more seasonally, making it more noticeable at certain times of year.
The shedding habits of wire-haired Dachshunds can vary from dog to dog, with coarse hair often shedding less than softer hair.
By keeping on top of grooming, you can keep shedding to a minimum, as well as keeping dogs’ coats and skin healthy all year round. Getting dogs in this routine from a young age also helps to make the process a stress-free bonding exercise, rather than something you both dread!
Making sure you feed your Miniature Dachshund a good diet plays an essential part in helping them live long and healthy lives.
The healthiest diet for Miniature Dachshunds is one that is both nutritious and balanced. Their diet should also be adjusted to the changing nutritional needs as they grow and age throughout their life.
A raw diet can support the maintenance of a healthy weight, as well as providing dogs with plenty of nutrients to help them thrive. This can be beneficial for this breed, as they suffer from spinal issues and patellar luxation. Maintaining a healthy weight can be important in reducing the impact on the joints and spine. A Miniature Dachshund’s diet can also be enriched by botanical anti-inflammatories, such as curcumin, black pepper or pure filtered fish oils.
Raw feeding can come in many forms, from raw meals to natural and nutritious dog treats.
The best dog food for a Miniature Dachshund is one that is free from any unneeded fillers and contains beneficial ingredients only. Fillers such as grains or other additives often contain very few nutrients and will therefore be classed as non-beneficial.
When a dog can absorb the optimum amount of nutrients from their daily meals, it not only supports their growth but also their health at every stage of their life as they grow.
The best food for a Miniature Dachshund puppy is one that is full of plenty of high quality nutrition to support their growth and development, such as Bella & Duke’s range of puppy foods.
High-quality nutrition is not just vital for growing puppies. Nutrition remains key as your Miniature Dachshund reaches adulthood. Bella & Duke has a range of adult dog food, including various meal choices as well as single protein meals.
As dogs hit their senior years, their nutritional requirements change again. Bella & Duke’s senior dog food has been enriched to support an active lifestyle in their golden years.
This means Miniature Dachshunds can maintain healthy hearts, brain function, joint health and digestion.
Due to their body shape and stature, Miniature Dachshunds are prone to developing spinal issues, such as IVDD.
IVDD stands for Intervertebral Disc Disease and affects their discs, which can be ruptured, bulging, slipped or herniated. An estimated 25% off all Dachshunds will develop this condition to such an extent that surgical interference will be required.
They are also predisposed to developing patellar luxation, osteogenesis imperfecta (brittle bone disease) and eye problems. They are also prone to obesity and can be heavily affected by carrying around extra weight as their small legs cannot support a lot of extra weight. On top of this, the extra weight can also put additional stress on their backs, thereby exacerbating issues they are already prone to as a breed.
While Miniature Dachshunds are known to bark in unfamiliar situations at times, this is often their method of communicating their discomfort in a situation. Building a great bond with your dog where you understand each other is essential, with training playing a key role in stopping them barking unnecessarily.
Body odour is not typically an issue in Miniature Dachshunds, particularly if you keep on top of their grooming routine. If you smell an unusually strong smell, it can be worth investigating to ensure there is nothing wrong.
Miniature Dachshunds are not considered to be hypoallergenic, as they are classed as moderate shedders.
The best diet for a Miniature Dachshund is one that caters to its nutritional requirements, making sure all ingredients are easily digestible, filler-free and tailored to their needs. Read more about the ways that a raw diet can support canine health in this guide.
We hope you enjoyed our Miniature Dachshund owner's guide and now feel confident to give your Miniature Dachshund the long, happy and healthy life they deserve. We would love to meet you and your Miniature Dachshund in our friendly online community "The pack", we can't wait to meet you.
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