Independent dog care guides · Sourced from veterinary references · Written for owners everywhereHow we workPet insurance
Straight answers for dog people, everywhere.
Hound Handbook
Insurance guide
Breed profile

Dachshund

Big personality in a long, low body. Bold, funny and fond of digging.

Head of a red smooth-haired Dachshund with long soft ears in warm sunlight
Long ears, long nose, longer back.Photo: Raven Underwood / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Weight
4–15 kg9–33 lb
Height
20–27 cm8–11 in
Lifespan
12–16 yrs
Group
Hound
Origin
Germany
Popularity
#5 US#4 UK · 2025

Known for: Flat-friendlyLow grooming

Energy
Shedding
Trainability
Barking
Good with kids
Flat-friendly

Temperament

Bold, Curious, Stubborn, Loyal.

Health problems to know about

  • Intervertebral disc disease (very common)
  • Obesity, which raises back risk
  • Patellar luxation
  • Progressive retinal atrophy (some lines)

Ask breeders for the parents' health test results, and check what your national breed club recommends screening for.

Daily care

Keep them lean. Use ramps instead of jumping on and off furniture. Moderate walks.

A good fit for

Apartments, people who want a small dog with character.

Probably not ideal for

Homes with lots of stairs and no plan, owners wanting a quiet dog.

Sources

  1. Royal Kennel Club: Dachshund (Miniature Smooth Haired)
  2. Wikipedia: Dachshund

Popularity: AKC 2025 registration rankings (US); Royal Kennel Club 2025 registrations (UK, ranked by us). Breed traits are tendencies, not guarantees. Individual dogs vary, and mixed breeds and rescues can be wonderful fits too.

Similar breeds

All breeds
A smooth-coated fawn and white Portuguese Podengo Pequeno stands side-on against a plain white background

Portuguese Podengo Pequeno

The smallest Portuguese warren hound: a lively, hardy rabbit hunter in smooth or wire coat. Alert, playful and keen-nosed.

White and grey pied French Bulldog sitting upright in a sunlit doorway in Paris

French Bulldog

Charming and compact, but a flat face brings real health trade-offs.

Tricolour Beagle in a red harness lying on grass and panting happily

Beagle

Merry, sociable scent hound. The nose leads, and the ears stop working when it does.

A black-and-white Boston Terrier lies on a grey carpet, looking at the camera with upright ears

Boston Terrier

Compact, tuxedo-marked companion with a big personality. Easy to live with, but the short face brings real breathing and overheating risks.

Related guides

Fluffy white Bichon Frise on a rock beside a lake, with the Manhattan skyline behind
Breeds

Best Dog Breeds for Apartments: 12 Honest Picks (and What Matters)

The best apartment dogs are calm and quiet, not just small. Twelve breeds with honest pros and cons, why mixed breeds are worth a look, and building pet rules.

9 min read · 8 sources