There are two recognised Dachshund sizes and three coat types, which makes six combinations. Layer the colours and patterns on top and you get the enormous variety people find confusing.
This page sorts all of it out: the sizes with real full-grown weights, the three coats, the six combinations, the colours and patterns, and the “types” that get advertised but are not types at all.
The two sizes
In the United States there are exactly two, judged by weight at twelve months rather than by appearance.
| Size | Full grown weight | Height at shoulder |
|---|---|---|
| Miniature | 11 lb and under | 5–6 in |
| Tweenie (informal) | 12–15 lb | 6–8 in |
| Standard | 16–32 lb | 8–9 in |
Tweenie is not an official class. It is a descriptive word breeders use for a dog that finishes between the two recognised sizes, which happens often. A tweenie is not a fault and not a separate type — it is simply where that individual landed.
Our guide to miniature versus standard covers which size suits which household.
How big does a Dachshund get?
A full grown miniature Dachshund is 11 pounds or under and stands about 5 to 6 inches at the shoulder. A full size standard runs 16 to 32 pounds and stands 8 to 9 inches. Both are long out of proportion to their height — body length is roughly twice the height.
Most Dachshunds reach full height by around eight months and fill out to final weight between twelve and eighteen months. Standards take longer than miniatures.
The honest caveat, and it matters if you are buying a puppy: nobody can promise an exact adult weight at eight or ten weeks. Parent weights are the only meaningful predictor available. Ask for both. A seller who guarantees a precise finished size is guessing — see what to ask a breeder.
The three coat types
Smooth (short-haired) — the original coat. Short, dense and glossy, lying flat with no feathering. Genetically dominant, which is why it is the most common. Almost no grooming; sheds moderately year round; feels the cold most.
Long-haired — soft and slightly wavy with feathering on the ears, chest, legs and tail. The gene is recessive, so fewer appear per litter, which is why long coats are the most requested and least available.
Wire-haired — a harsh outer coat over a soft undercoat, with a beard and eyebrows. Lowest shedding but the highest grooming commitment, since the dead coat must be stripped or clipped out. Much less common in the United States.
The six combinations
| Smooth | Long-haired | Wire-haired | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miniature | Most common | Very popular, less available | Rarest in the US |
| Standard | Common | Less common | Uncommon |
Every combination is the same breed with the same temperament and the same back risk. Coat and size change grooming and handling, not character.
Colours and patterns
These sit on top of size and coat rather than forming separate types.
Base colours: red, cream, black and tan, chocolate and tan, blue and tan, isabella (fawn), wild boar, and solid black or chocolate.
Patterns: dapple, piebald, brindle and sable.
Our full guide to Dachshund colours and patterns explains each one, including what “spotted”, “silver” and “grey” actually mean in a listing, and which two carry real health implications. You can see what is currently available in blue, cream, piebald and chocolate, or the dapple puppies specifically.
The two most asked-about colours have their own page: black and brown Dachshunds covers what “black” and “brown” actually mean genetically, why a black and white dog might be piebald or dapple, and why these are the only two colours in the breed with no coat-linked health condition attached.
Types that are not actually types
These get advertised as varieties. None of them is one.
Teacup, micro, pocket, toy. Not a recognised size. Sales language for dogs bred deliberately undersize, or simply for the runt of a litter. Breeding for extreme smallness selects for fragility.
English cream. A pedigree claim about European show lines, not a colour or a type. An American cream can look identical. Ask to see the pedigree that supports the label.
Rabbit Dachshund (Kaninchen). A genuine third size in Europe, measured by chest circumference rather than weight. It is not recognised in the United States, so an American listing using it is borrowing a European term.
“Double dapple” as a selling point. Not a type to seek out — it is the result of breeding two dapples together and carries substantially raised rates of deafness and blindness. See the dapple genetics guide.
Which type should you choose?
- Lowest grooming: smooth coat.
- Lowest shedding: wire coat, though it needs stripping.
- Apartment living: either size works. The real constraint is barking, not space.
- Young children: a standard is more robust than a miniature.
- Cold climates: long or wire over smooth.
- Easiest to find: smooth miniature. Hardest: wire-haired miniature.
Whichever you choose, the back risk is identical across every type — see Dachshund back problems.
Frequently asked questions
How many types of Dachshund are there?
Two sizes and three coats, so six combinations, plus colours and patterns on top.
How big is a full grown Dachshund?
Miniature: 11 lb and under, 5–6 in tall. Standard: 16–32 lb, 8–9 in.
What is a tweenie?
An informal word for a dog finishing between 12 and 15 lb. Common, and not an official class.
Which type is rarest?
Wire-haired miniature, in the United States.
Do different types behave differently?
Barely. Wires are often described as the most mischievous, thanks to terrier in the background. Otherwise individual personality matters far more.
When is a Dachshund full grown?
Full height by around eight months; final weight between twelve and eighteen months.
Available now
We breed miniature Dachshunds in long and smooth coats, all at $1,000. See every puppy currently available with photos, or get in touch with questions about which type suits you.
