Last Updated on December 29, 2020 by Dogs Vets
The Dapple Dachshund is a long hair dog whose coat has a distinct spotted pattern. The Dapple Dachshund, is also known as the Sausage Dog, is available in two sizes (standard or miniature), three coat types (smooth coated, long-haired, or wire-haired), and a variety of coat colors, including black and brown, black and cream, chocolate, chocolate and tan, and more. The pattern of spotting is also known as apple or merle.
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Whatever we humans love about spots, one thing is certain. We love them. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why Dapple Dachshund dogs are gaining popularity so quickly.
Dachshunds alone are a thing of truly spectacular uniqueness. After all, there is nothing more beautiful than a “sausage dog”. You know a Dachshund when you see one, with its squat little legs, long body, pointed muzzle and long ears.
These lovable cuties with big personalities have a fascinating history and ancestry in terms of coat color, type or pattern. Add, however, that the Dapple Dachshund is rare according to many breeders, and you have a unique gem of your own.
Of course, there are pros and Cons to having a Dapple Dachshund, and there are a number of things a prospective owner should know about this dog with a unique coat pattern before committing to raising a dog.
Dapple Dachshund Temperament
Dachshunds are very playful, but hunting dogs can be quite tenacious and are known for their tendency to chase small animals, birds, and tennis balls with great determination and fierceness. Dachshunds are often stubborn, which makes training them a challenge.
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Are you thinking about perhaps introducing a Dapple Dachshund into your life? Before you do, here are 7 things you should know about the Dapple Dachshund dog.
1. Dapple dachshund only comes in two sizes and three coat types.
Dapple Dachshunds can come in different colors, coat types and sizes!
The Dachshund is a dog with many names. Some call him the Doxie, others know him as the Weiner Dog. Sausage Dog is also a very popular and  moniker for the Dachshund breed.
Did you know that in addition to different names and colors, Dachshund dogs also come in three different hair types as well as two different sizes?
Crazy, right? But it’s true. These distinctive dogs could be chameleons of the dog kingdom if it weren’t for that unique body that gives them away.
One of the great things about the versatility of a Dachshund is that families and potential owners of a Dachshund breed have the luxury of choosing the dog of their dreams by having the ability to choose the size, color and coat type of their desired dog!
So, what are your choices? As mentioned above, Dapple Dachshunds come in two different sizes:
Standard Dapple Dachshund Size
Height: 8 – 9 inches high
Weight: 16 – 32 pounds
A Miniature Dapple Dachshund body Size.
Height: 5 – 7 inches high
Weight: 8 – 11 pounds
Regardless of their size, weight, or color, Dapple Dachshunds can come in three different coat types, including:
- Smooth coat
- Longhaired
- Wirehaired
Smooth-coated Dapple Dachshunds have short, smooth coats that shed moderately.
Long-coated Dapple Dachshunds have silky, wavy hair with coats that feather at the ears and legs. Their coats also shed moderately.
Wirehaired Dapple Dachshunds are double coated with a soft undercoat and a hard outer coat. Their hair is longer, giving them a unique appearance. Wirehaired Dachshunds also shed moderately.
2. Dachshunds can get along well with little children and pets
When they are properly trained and socialized, dapple Dachshunds can get along well with little children and pets.
Dapple Dachshunds make great companions for the right home or owner.
But is this the right dog to have with families with children and other pets?
While Dachshunds get along well with other dogs and especially other doxie dogs, they may not do well with smaller pets such as rodents, birds and reptiles. This is mainly due to the Dachshund’s high prey drive and history as a hunting dog.
Dapple Dachshunds can get along well with cats and they may even make good companions for families with children, although they need to be properly trained and socialized at an earlier age.
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Because of their hunting history and tendency to be territorial, experts suggest making sure Dachshunds are properly socialized in a variety of situations so they can grow up happy and healthy.
And of course, don’t leave small children unsupervised with your Dapple Dachshund, as any dog can be prone to biting or nipping when frightened or in pain.
We also recommend that parents work with kids should appropriate time and ways to interact with dogs to ensure that playtime is always safe and fun for all participants.
3.Dachshunds dog originated from Germany
Dachshunds generally originated from Germany and were bred for badger hunting. Dachshunds are bred of dogs that are designed to be bold and become aggressive hunters.
Dapple Dachshunds have great personalities despite their small size, and it’s no wonder considering where they originally came from and what they were once bred for.
The Dachshund breed was bred in Germany mainly for hunting and is considered a very fearless, tenacious hunting and trapping dog. One of the most fearsome enemies of the Dachshund was the ferocious and aggressive badger.
In fact, the name Dachshund means “badger dog” in German language.
The Dachshund is a fairly old breed, with historians tracing its origins back to the 15th century. However, most experts agree that this wild but devoted “Dachshund” was perfected in the 17th century.
Unlike many breeds that were bred for their size for vanity purposes, the Dachshund was specifically bred from the beginning to come in two different sizes.
Standard Dachshunds wore the badge of honor (pun intended) to sniff out badgers and flush them out of their holes. The Miniature Dachshund, on the other hand, was bred primarily for rabbit hunting.
Dachshunds of both sizes are still used for hunting in the United States today, and their prey includes rabbits, prairie dogs, and even some deer tracking.
4.Dapple Dachshunds is a short dwarf dog
Dapple Dachshunds all have a form of dwarfism caused by chondrodysplasia, responsible for their unique build.
Dachshunds were built specifically to dig and catch small animals, and the gene responsible for their short legs and distinctive body type is the same gene responsible for dwarfism. This gene is called chondrodysplasia, but is also known as canine dwarfism.
There is some controversy among breeders and experts regarding the continued selective breeding of dogs with chondrodysplasia, as it can lead to serious health concerns, spinal problems and chronic pain in dogs with the gene.
Still, the Dachshund is not the only breed that has been purposefully bred with this genetic mutation. Some of the other dog breeds that carry the chondrodysplasia gene include:
- Beagles
- Basset Hounds
- Pembroke Welsh Corgis
- The Australian Terrier
- The Dandle Dinmont Terrier
- The Highland White Terrier
- The Norfolk Terrier
- The Sealyham Terrier
- And the Cesky Terrier
Canine dwarfism, however, is not the only cause for concern when it comes to the overall health of the Dapple Dachshund. The fact that the Apple Dachshund has an dapple coat could also put it at great risk.
5. Dapple Dachshund health problems
Dapple Dachshund Dogs may be more prone to more health problems than their other Dachshund counterparts.
The merle gene that makes the Dapple Doxie’s coat a fur Dapple is also responsible for higher cases of deafness, blindness, sensitivity to sunlight, and higher rates of skin cancer in the dog breeds that carry it.
A Dapple Dachshund is even more at risk if he is a Double Dapple, meaning that both parents carry the merle gene and have passed it on to him. Double Dapple Dachshund dogs (say three times as fast) can be born deaf, blind or even without eyes.
The good news is that single Dapple Dachshunds are, for the most part, less likely to have these serious health concerns and are often born as healthy as other Dachshund puppies.
Like all dogs, Dapple Dachshunds can be prone to a number of the same genetic problems that any type of Dachshund dog is prone to.
Some of the most common genetic health problems in Dachshunds are:
- Back and spinal problems and pain.
- Intervertebral disc disease
- Mast cell tumors
- Squamous cell carcinoma
- Seizures and epilepsy
- Obesity
- Patellar luxation
- Osteogenesis imperfecta
- Granulomatous meningoencephalitis
- Dental problems
- Thyroid gland
- Cushing’s syndrome
- Allergies
- Autoimmune problems
- Cataracts
- Prgressive retinal atrophy, corneal ulcers
- Cherry eye
Patent ductus arteriosus (congenital heart defects) and skin diseases that cause hair loss.
It’s a long list we know, but the good news is that with proper care, diet and exercise, most Dapple Dachshunds live long and healthy lives. Dapple Dachshunds even have a nice, long life expectancy of 12 – 16 years!
6. Dapple Dachshunds have big personalities
Although small, Dapple Dachshunds have big personalities and will make you laugh! Dapple Dachshunds are known as tiny dogs and are known as the sausage-shaped comedians.
Dapple Dachshunds, and Dachshunds in general, are known for their over-the-top Personalities just like their wild, crazy nicknames. They are larger than life and nothing but tiny, sausage-shaped comedians.
Dachshunds love each other some, and they watch each others’ backs, too. They don’t have to be the same species to let us know how great they think they are.
In this sense, Dachshunds are also very insistent on what they want and need.
But unfortunately, it’s not just all fun and games with a Dapple Dachshund. Besides being cute, fun and funny, doxies can also be somewhat problematic.
7. Dapple Dachshunds is a Social Dog
When they are properly trained and socialized, dapple Dachshunds can get along well with little children and pets.
Dapple Dachshunds make great companions for the right home or owner.
But is this the right dog to have with families with children and other pets?
While Dachshunds get along well with other dogs and especially other doxie dogs, they may not do well with smaller pets such as rodents, birds and reptiles. This is mainly due to the Dachshund’s high prey drive and history as a hunting dog.
Dapple Dachshunds can get along well with cats and they may even make good companions for families with children, although they need to be properly trained and socialized at an early age.
Because of their hunting history and tendency to be territorial, experts suggest making sure Dachshunds are properly socialized in a variety of situations so they can grow up happy and healthy.
And of course, don’t leave small children unsupervised with your Dapple Dachshund, as any dog can be prone to biting or nipping when frightened or in pain.
We also recommend that parents work with children on proper and appropriate ways to interact with dogs to ensure that playtime is safe and fun for all involved.
See also:Â The Rottweiler Dog History, Breed, Diet, Cost, Size, Training
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Reference: Yourdogadvisor
