The dachshund, also called the badger dog in German, is a lively dog with a long body, short legs, a deep chest and a tapering muzzle. Dachshunds can be fearless, relentless, and even reckless, but given sufficient exercise, they can be quiet house dogs. Dachshunds come in two sizes, standard and miniature, and in three coat types: smooth, longhaired, and wirehaired. Coat care varies, but all dachshunds need daily opportunities to run and investigate. The breed is prone to intervertebral disk disease (IVDD) and should avoid activities that stress the back.

What does a Dachshund look like?

The Dachshund, also called Doxie, Wiener dog, or Sausage dog, originated in Germany and was bred to hunt badgers. The name "Dachshund" means "badger dog" in German. Dachshunds are characteristically lively dogs with long bodies, deep chests, short legs, tapering muzzles, and long ears. They come in two sizes: standard (8–9 inches, 16–32 pounds) and miniature (5–6 inches, up to 11 pounds), and three coat types: smooth, longhaired, and wirehaired. Usually reddish brown or black-and-tan, they can be fearless, relentless, and energetic. Dachshunds can be quiet house dogs if sufficiently exercised.

Where did the Dachshund breed come from?

The Dachshund breed originated in Germany, where it was developed from hounds and terriers to hunt badgers in their burrows. The name "Dachshund" means "badger dog" in German. These lively dogs have long bodies, short legs, deep chests, tapering muzzles, and long ears. They come in standard and miniature sizes, with smooth, longhaired, and wirehaired coats, typically reddish-brown or black-and-tan. Dachshunds can be fearless and relentless, with a mix of hound and terrier traits.

What were Dachshunds originally bred to do?

Dachshunds were originally bred in Germany to hunt badgers in their burrows, hence their name "badger dog" in German. Their fearlessness, tenacity, and even recklessness made them well-suited for confronting badgers in enclosed underground spaces. Dachshunds have a hound heritage that compels them to follow animal scents, sometimes ignoring calls to return. Dachshunds come in miniature and standard sizes, with three coat types: smooth, longhaired, and wirehaired. Although they can be stubborn and difficult to train, they respond well to rewards.

What types of Dachshund coats and sizes exist?

The Dachshund, or badger dog, originated in Germany and comes in two sizes: standard (16–32 pounds, 8–9 inches) and miniature (up to 11 pounds, 5–6 inches). Dachshunds also come in three coat types: * Smooth: requires occasional brushing * Longhaired: needs to be combed once or twice a week and is considered more docile * Wirehaired: requires weekly combing and occasional stripping (pulling dead hair out by hand); tends to be more brash and feisty

What are some common personality traits or health concerns of Dachshunds?

Dachshunds are independent, energetic dogs who can be fearless and stubborn. Bred to hunt badgers, they enjoy challenges and scent trails, sometimes ignoring commands. They can be difficult to train but respond well to rewards. Dachshunds are prone to intervertebral disk disease (IVDD), where disks bulge or burst, causing pain and paralysis. Almost all Dachshunds are homozygous for genes that put them at risk for IVDD, so they should avoid stress on their backs, such as jumping or running up stairs. Maintaining a healthy weight and active lifestyle is important for this breed.

Dachshund

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Wirehaired dachshund dog sitting on grass, facing forward, with a coarse, dark brown and tan coat and alert expression.

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German:: “badger dog”

Related Topics:: hound

On the Web:: World Animal Rescue Network - Dachshund (Oct. 16, 2026)

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The “badger dog” A smooth-coated Dachshund.

Dachshund

breed of dog

Also known as: Doxie, sausage dog, wiener dog

Written by

Caroline Coile

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

Last updated

Oct. 16, 2026 •History

Top Questions

What is a Dachshund?
The dachshund, also called the badger dog in German, is a lively dog with a long body, short legs, a deep chest and a tapering muzzle. Dachshunds can be fearless, relentless, and even reckless, but given sufficient exercise, they can be quiet house dogs.

Dachshunds come in two sizes, standard and miniature, and in three coat types: smooth, longhaired, and wirehaired. Coat care varies, but all dachshunds need daily opportunities to run and investigate. The breed is prone to intervertebral disk disease (IVDD) and should avoid activities that stress the back.
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What does a Dachshund look like?
The Dachshund, also called Doxie, Wiener dog, or Sausage dog, originated in Germany and was bred to hunt badgers. The name "Dachshund" means "badger dog" in German. Dachshunds are characteristically lively dogs with long bodies, deep chests, short legs, tapering muzzles, and long ears.

They come in two sizes: standard (8–9 inches, 16–32 pounds) and miniature (5–6 inches, up to 11 pounds), and three coat types: smooth, longhaired, and wirehaired. Usually reddish brown or black-and-tan, they can be fearless, relentless, and energetic. Dachshunds can be quiet house dogs if sufficiently exercised.
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1. Dachshund
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Where did the Dachshund breed come from?
The Dachshund breed originated in Germany, where it was developed from hounds and terriers to hunt badgers in their burrows. The name "Dachshund" means "badger dog" in German. These lively dogs have long bodies, short legs, deep chests, tapering muzzles, and long ears. They come in standard and miniature sizes, with smooth, longhaired, and wirehaired coats, typically reddish-brown or black-and-tan. Dachshunds can be fearless and relentless, with a mix of hound and terrier traits.
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Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What were Dachshunds originally bred to do?
Dachshunds were originally bred in Germany to hunt badgers in their burrows, hence their name "badger dog" in German. Their fearlessness, tenacity, and even recklessness made them well-suited for confronting badgers in enclosed underground spaces. Dachshunds have a hound heritage that compels them to follow animal scents, sometimes ignoring calls to return. Dachshunds come in miniature and standard sizes, with three coat types: smooth, longhaired, and wirehaired. Although they can be stubborn and difficult to train, they respond well to rewards.
1 Britannica Source
1. Dachshund
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What types of Dachshund coats and sizes exist?
The Dachshund, or badger dog, originated in Germany and comes in two sizes: standard (16–32 pounds, 8–9 inches) and miniature (up to 11 pounds, 5–6 inches).

Dachshunds also come in three coat types:
* Smooth: requires occasional brushing
* Longhaired: needs to be combed once or twice a week and is considered more docile
* Wirehaired: requires weekly combing and occasional stripping (pulling dead hair out by hand); tends to be more brash and feisty
1 Britannica Source
1. Dachshund
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What are some common personality traits or health concerns of Dachshunds?
Dachshunds are independent, energetic dogs who can be fearless and stubborn. Bred to hunt badgers, they enjoy challenges and scent trails, sometimes ignoring commands. They can be difficult to train but respond well to rewards.

Dachshunds are prone to intervertebral disk disease (IVDD), where disks bulge or burst, causing pain and paralysis. Almost all Dachshunds are homozygous for genes that put them at risk for IVDD, so they should avoid stress on their backs, such as jumping or running up stairs. Maintaining a healthy weight and active lifestyle is important for this breed.
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1. Dachshund: Care and upkeep
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Affectionate but independentA longhaired Dachshund.

Dachshund, dog breed of hound and terrier ancestry developed in Germany to pursue badgers into their burrows. The Dachshund (whose name means “badger dog” in German) is a long-bodied, characteristically lively dog with a deep chest, short legs, tapering muzzle, and long ears. Usually reddish brown or black-and-tan, it is bred in two sizes—standard and miniature—and in three coat types—smooth, longhaired, and wirehaired.

Care and upkeep

The Dachshund requires a chance to run, sniff, and investigate daily, preferably in a fenced yard supplemented with leash walks. A miniature longhair variety is perhaps better suited for apartment living—as long as daily walks are included—but other miniature varieties might also do well in that environment. Because of its independent nature and tendency to follow scent trails, a Dachshund should not be let off leash in unfenced areas. Dachshunds enjoy a variety of games, including chasing (but not necessarily returning) balls. They especially love sports that test a dog’s hunting abilities, such as the barn hunt. In addition, many enjoy racing events such as “wiener dog” competitions.

Breed data

Also called: Doxie, Wiener dog, Sausage dog
Area of origin: Germany
Breed group: Hound
Height at withers: Miniature: 5–6 inches (13–15 cm); standard: 8–9 inches (20–23 cm)
Weight: Miniature: up to 11 pounds (5 kg); standard: 16–32 pounds (7–15 kg)
Life span: 12-16 years
Did you know?: The word Dachshund means “badger dog” in German; the dog was originally bred to hunt that animal. According to some accounts, one of the original names for the sausage known as a hot dog was “Dachshund sausage.” Dachshunds have been the prized pets of Andy Warhol, Queen Victoria, and Joan Crawford. Pablo Picasso was particularly fond of a Dachshund named Lump, who appears in his reinterpretations of Diego Velázquez’s Las meninas.

Coat care for the smooth variety requires only occasional brushing to remove dead hair. The longhair variety should be combed once or twice weekly. The wirehaired coat needs the most care, with weekly combing and occasional stripping (pulling dead hair out by hand).

Sea otter (Enhydra lutris), also called great sea otter, rare, completely marine otter of the northern Pacific, usually found in kelp beds. Floats on back. Looks like sea otter laughing. saltwater otters

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The Dachshund is prone to intervertebral disk disease (IVDD), a condition in which the cushioning disks between the vertebrae bulge or burst, resulting in pain and even paralysis. In the early 21st century, researchers found a genetic component to IVDD. A mutation in short-legged dogs causes the disks to harden, which can eventually result in herniated disks. Almost all Dachshunds are homozygous for the responsible genes, rendering them at risk for IVDD. It is as yet unknown why some develop it and others do not. However, as a precaution, Dachshunds should avoid movements that place stress on the back. In particular, they should not jump on or off furniture or run up or down stairs. Sideways or twisting torque of the spinal column should also be limited. Furthermore, preventing obesity is important, and Dachshunds should have active lives.

Temperament

The Dachshund was bred to confront badgers in an enclosed space underground. As such, it can be fearless, relentless, and even reckless—more terrier-like in disposition than hound-like. However, its hound heritage entices it to follow animal scent trails when it comes across them, and it may ignore pleas to return. This is an independent breed that enjoys challenges. It is energetic and fairly playful. Given sufficient exercise, Dachshunds can be quiet house dogs and sofa companions.

At times stubborn, the breed can be difficult to train, but it responds well to rewards. It is generally not trustworthy around small rodent pets. While affectionate toward its family, a Dachshund tends to be aloof with strangers. It is an excellent watchdog and often attempts to be a protection dog, but its size makes the latter only partially successful. Some may bark a great deal. The Dachshund is an excellent companion for people of all ages but may not be welcoming to visitors and unfamiliar children.

There are exceptions to this general description. The wirehaired variety tends to be even more terrier-like—that is, more brash and feisty. The longhaired variety is generally less terrier-like and is considered more docile and affectionate. Miniatures are more likely to be timid, although that is still uncommon.

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These are well established and widely accepted generalizations about the breed. Individual dogs may differ in behavior and temperament.

Caroline Coile The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Dachshund

Care and upkeep

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Temperament