The Canadian Kennel Club Breed Standard describes the Dachshund as follows:

"Low to the ground, short-legged, long bodied, but with compact figure and robust muscular development, with bold and confident carriage of the head and intelligent facial expression; conformation pre-eminently fitted for following game into burrows. In spite of his shortness of leg, in comparison with his length of trunk, he should appear neither crippled, awkward, cramped in his capacity for movement nor slim and weasel-like. His hunting spirit, good nose, loud tongue and small size render him especially suited for beating the bush. His figure and his fine nose give him an especial advantage over most other breeds of sporting dogs for trailing. He should be clever, lively and courageous to the point of rashness, persevering in his work above and below ground, with all the senses being well developed. "

For the Official CKC Dachshund Breed Standard for Miniature Wirehaired dachshunds go to the CKC website.

See puppy pictures here.

The origins of the Dachshund can be traced back to working dogs that could go to ground after game such as badgers. Today, the breed is popular both as a show dog and pet.

Dachshunds come in two sizes - Standard and Miniature - and three coats – Smooth-haired, Long-haired, and Wire-haired.

Standard Dachshunds usually weigh between 20 - 28 pounds. Miniatures usually weigh 9 - 11 pounds, 10 is thought to be the ideal.

In Europe, Dachshunds are still used by some people for working; typically tracking fallen deer, hunting rabbits etc, and these are called Teckels. They tend to be slighter in body and longer in the leg than "our show, or conformation" Dachshunds, and they are highly regarded for their working ability and "good noses".

Read our FAQ on Dachshunds (opens in a separate window).