I keep reminding myself that there was a time I knew nothing about Dachshunds.
When I inherited my first Dachshund, I knew nothing about the breed. In fact, I didn’t start learning about my funny long and low buddy until a few years after getting him.
That was before the internet though.
It was before one could hop online and learn the majority of what they needed to know about their Dachshund in less than an hour.
I guess that’s why it irritates me when I see people who don’t understand the dog that they own, or that perpetuate misinformation, in Dachshund groups.
Why I Get So Mad
This “ignorance” makes my blood boil! I seriously get, perhaps irrationally, angry.
Maybe it’s because I’m concerned for Dachshunds everywhere.
I think is is crucial to understand the dog breed that you own or want to get – the Dachshund.
If people don’t understand the breed of dog they have, how can they give them proper care and make sure they have a long, happy life?
Maybe it’s because, being somewhat of a breed expert after studying Dachshunds in-depth for over 10 years, I no longer understand how people could not know the things I know (like I said, most of it can be found with a quick internet search nowadays).
Maybe these things really irritate me just because I’m having an off day.
I do understand there is a phenomenon when one learns something. It becomes “common knowledge” to them and it can hard to understand how other people do not know this information too.
I’m so passionate about Dachshunds though that I can’t reason my way out of feeling the way I do using the above logic.
Seeing certain things posted in Dachshund groups still makes my blood boil.
I prefer to channel this frustration into educating people about their Dachshund in as positive of a manner as I can muster the strength for.
I know that getting angry about it does me no good and it’s not helpful to others.
What does good in my eyes is to channel this passion constructively by continuing to educate people on things like Dachshund traits and health issues.
So here is my two cents on the most misunderstood things I see going around in Dachshund groups.
10 Things I See in Dachshund Groups That Sometimes Make Me Want to Scream
1. Asking about stuff that could easily be found on Google
Most information about Dachshunds can be found online.
If you find an article online, the chance is good is it’s written by a veterinarian or a Dachshund breed expert.
At the very least, it’s likely written by someone who did a fair amount of research (probably using those articles written by said breed experts and veterinarians).
People in Dachshund groups love their pups to no end but there is a very wide range of knowledge and experience.
People online have a varying level of experience and knowledge.
When you ask people in a Facebook group, you rarely know who these people are.
Because of the nature of social media, many people who are just guessing, or merely feel so compelled that they have to say something, give their advice.
In my opinion, one will find more accurate information by using a search engine than social media.
2. Asking the same question over and over that has been asked before in the group (and many others)
Pro tip: stuff on the internet lives forever (unless someone deletes it) and Facebook groups have a handy-dandy search bar (it’s on the left). Please use it.
Those of us that regularly monitor Dachshund groups to provide tips and advice really get tired of seeing the same ol’ questions over and over and over.
Rather, we get tired of giving it over, and over, and over.
If I just thoroughly answered someone’s question and someone else posts the same question on the same day in the group, I probably won’t bother to answer the second question due to lack of time or plentiful frustration.
Search online groups for your question before asking. Most questions have been asked before.
I am sure I am not alone in this.
That means, you may be missing out on good information.
PLEASE search the group first before asking a question. If yours wasn’t answered, or you still want to know more, then ask but show us that you at least tried.
3. Misspelling Dachshund
I get that some people just are less than gifted when it comes to spelling.
I have a lot of trouble with words that contain double letters like “pp” or “ss”. But the thing is, the word is correct except for a missing or additional letter.
I also type fast sometimes and forget to spell check before hitting enter. This also typically results in only a slight misspelling of the word.
I see all kinds of misspellings in Dachshund groups.
There is only way to spell the breed – Dachshund.
The name is spelled D-A-C-H-S-H-U-N-D.
I can look past spellings like DachshOund (with an O) because, well, they ARE hounds so I see how that mistake could be made.
But one that really gets me is D-A-T-S-U-N like the car. I mean, that is not even close. It’s not a matter of a typo.
To make it worse, really incorrect spellings are being made in groups with Dachshund in the title! I don’t understand how this even happens.
4. Not knowing what color Dachshund you have
I admit this one is a bit complicated by uneducated breeders.
When one buys a dog from a breeder, it’s often assumed said breeder understands the Dachshund breed.
Sadly, this is not always the case.
I see people post their pup in groups claiming they are a certain color and pattern when they are not.
If challenged, most will say, “that’s what the breeder told me” and not be open to learning.
I’ve seen people post a dapple and say it’s a piebald. Or post a double dapple and claim it’s a piebald.
Or make up a color/pattern that doesn’t exist like a chocolate Isabella (perhaps they are talking about a chocolate dapple?)
Many owners don’t know the correct name for the color of their Dachshund.
More subtle is the “silver dapple”.
The dapple name nomenclature is coat base color + “dapple”.
So if your dapple has dark brown spots, it may be chocolate and tan dapple if it also has the tan points on the mizzle, eyebrows, feet, etc. (the “tan” is often omitted and, instead, this is just called a “chocolate dapple”).
If it has dark brown spots on a lighter brown background, but is a solid color all over with no tan points in the places I listed above, it’s a “red dapple”
The dapple gene “dilutes” some of the color, giving the appearance of lighter patches.
This diluted color may appear whitish on a brown-based Dachshund but, when you look close, you can see the lighter color is some shade of cream or very pale yellow.
If your dapple has black on it, it’s a black and tan dapple.
The dapple gene dilutes the black into some shade of grey. This is what some people call “silver”.
But if you did call a black and tan dapple by the light patches, it would technically be a grey dapple, not silver.
Even though there may be more grey than black on a black and tan dapple Dachshund, the base color is still “black and tan” (the base color is the non-diluted color).
Furthermore, if you called it a silver dapple, then a chocolate dapple, given the same naming convention, would be a cream dapple (light spot color + “dapple”).
People don’t say this – and it’s wrong – so I don’t understand how silver dapple makes sense.
Also of note, no breed standard – in the US, UK or Canada – lists “silver” as a color. When referring to a dilute black, it’s called grey or blue.
Now, when I get all upset over the incorrect terminology, I admit to myself I am a Dachshund breed geek who always seeks be officially correct… and that there are many people out there that don’t care as much as I do.
I WANT people to care though. Being correct matters to me because being incorrect is helping to perpetuate false information.
The best I can figure is that “silver dapple” has become a common nickname for black and tan dapples just as “tweenie” has for a Dachshund that doesn’t fit cleanly in the miniature (11 lbs or under) or standard (typically 16 lbs and over) weight classes.
Is “silver” dapple just a nickname given to them because a lot of people don’t know any better?
However, “tweenie” refers to a Dachshund that is not clearly a standard or miniature.
There should be, and isn’t, any confusion about a black and tan dapple Dachshund. It’s either a black and tan dapple or it is not.
There is no need to come up with a nickname for a Dachshund of that color because it already has one. It already neatly fits into a classification.
Black and tan dapple. The. End.
5. Spreading misinformation
This one I can’t necessarily point to an example for because there is not just one piece of misinformation being spread.
One may not even notice it unless, like me, you’ve been living and breathing the Dachshund-breed lifestyle, and been a part of many, many online forums for years.
However, it involves information that is incorrect, or that was proven to be false, perpetrated by people who are clearly just repeating what they read somewhere.
One example may be, “Dachshunds aren’t built for sustained exercise.”
There is plenty of false rumors online about Dachshunds.
I can’t say where this one came from. My best guess is that it’s related to the fear they will hurt their back.
But Dachshunds were bred to hunt. Over long distances. By running through the woods or fields. For hours.
As with people, a Dachshund that has been a couch potato all their lives should not go out and hike 10 miles.
However, Dachshunds ARE capable of hiking that far (and even running that far) if they are physically conditioned and work up to it.
6. Obese Dachshunds
I get it. Sometimes there are extenuating circumstances. I usually don’t know those and they are not my business.
However, seeing a fat Dachshund makes me sad anyway. I don’t care why they are fat.
Obesity is unhealthy, shortens the lifespan (it’s believed up to two years), the extra weight makes it uncomfortable to move around, and excess belly mass puts weight on the spine and can lead to back issues.
When seeing a fat Dachshund makes me mad, I am not judging the owner.
Much. Honestly, I do judge but it’s only a split-second thought.
The second thought is to suspend my judgment because I get that I don’t know the whole story from looking at one picture.
Dachshunds at a healthy weight experience a better qualify of life.
BUT, what makes me even madder is when people try to point out (some not so gently, unfortunately) that a Dachshund is overweight, and then the owner denies it.
Then I DO judge!
Not knowing is one thing. But knowing and refusing to acknowledge there is a problem makes me mad.
Even if a Dachshund’s obesity is caused by an uncontrollable medical condition, that also makes me sad.
It means that the dog’s quality of life, and the owners if they take constant care, are compromised in some way due to the underlying medical condition.
Of course, medical issues are very rarely due to anything an owner did or didn’t do but it’s unfortunate nonetheless.
7. Making statements like “never let your Dachshund jump” or “don’t let your Dachshund jump or they will hurt their back”
While this is not absolutely wrong, it’s not even mostly right.
First, almost all back issues in Dachshunds are caused by Intervertebral Disk Disease (IVDD). The disease makes the spine brittle and prone to disk rupture.
I know Dachshunds that have jumped all of their lives and never had issues.
I know some that were never allowed to jump that needed back or neck surgery. A couple more than once!
Genetics determines whether a Dachshund will have back issues more than jumping off furniture.
You know what made the difference? Genetics. The ones with the back trouble had IVDD.
What’s more, a study by the UK Dachshund Breed Council found that “Dachshunds over the age of 3 that were allowed to jump on and off furniture every day had lower odds of IVDD than those not allowed to do this.” (source)
Should a Dachshund that is known to have IVDD be allowed to jump off of high things like furniture? No.
Should a fit and healthy Dachshund be prevented from ever jumping? No (not necessarily).
Unfortunately, there is no reliable test for IVDD. I get that people want to be cautious “just in case” but two things are clear:
A dog with IVDD can herniate a disk and become lame or paralyzed by literally just getting out of bed (most cases are described as “they were fine one minute and the next they couldn’t walk”).
And
According to the survey above, one may be doing more harm than good by not allowing their Dachshund to jump at all.
8. Asking for veterinary advice/not going right away
I admit I don’t know everyone’s circumstances.
There are people that live hours from a good vet and those where money is so tight that they can’t afford to take their dog to the vet unless it’s something life-threatening (and some not even then).
There are many people that think if you can’t afford to properly care for a dog’s needs, that you shouldn’t have one.
I think that’s a little harsh or extreme BUT it does still make me angry to see people who post about something being wrong with their dog and looking for help when they should be driving them straight to the vet.
It makes me sad too.
If you suspect something is wrong with your dog, take them to see a qualified veterinarian.
With rare exceptions, folks in social media Dachshund groups are not veterinarians and their advice should only be sought AFTER you have a diagnosis from a vet.
Asking a question in a group and waiting for answers to trickle in could be wasting crucial time between symptoms and treatment for your Dachshund.
9. “My Mini Dachshund is 12 lbs” (or anything over 11 lbs)
This one really makes me seethe.
It seems like something so “dumb” it shouldn’t, right? I mean why lose sleep over something so harmless?
I get it. I don’t know. But it irks me to no end and makes me want to scream into the computer.
Whether you are looking at the Dachshund breed standards from the American Kennel Club (AKC), or the UK Kennel Club, it clearly states that the maximum size for a miniature Dachshund is 11 lbs.
That means if your dog is over 11 lbs it’s not a miniature.
It doesn’t matter what the parents were or what the breeder told you.
Miniature and Standard Dachshunds are the same genetically. The difference between them is weight only.
A standard parent can have a miniature Dachshund and a miniature parent can have a standard Dachshund.
A 12 lb miniature Dachshund does not exist. If it’s over 11 lbs, it’s a “tweenie” (not an official classification but often affectionately called that) or standard.
Miniature Dachshunds don’t weigh more than 11 lbs.
Now, it IS possible to have a dog that should weigh under 11 lbs but because it’s overweight it doesn’t.
Overweight Dachshunds is a whole other issue (I address above) but the dog would still not be considered a miniature.
I’ve also seen “my Dachshund is half miniature and half standard.”
No, no it’s not.
If you have one half of an apple, and a second half of an apple, and put them together, you have an apple. Not a half apple and half apple (as if that is something different than a whole apple.)
Although coat color, coat type, and individual characteristics can vary, a Dachshund is a Dachshund – again, genetically the same breed.
To reiterate, the difference between miniatures and standard is the weight. Your dog is either 11 lbs and under or over. You either have a miniature Dachshund or you don’t.
10. Conflating “Rescue” with Buying a Dog From a Breeder
Guys. There are TWO ways to get a Dachshund.
You can either rescue a Dachshund or buy them from a breeder, not both.
You can RESCUE a Dachshund.
This includes going through a rescue or shelter to get your dog, or taking in a dog that wasn’t yours from a bad situation or due to the owner’s life circumstances.
This is also called adopting.
The other way is to BUY a Dachshund.
Hopefully, this is done after extensive research and from a responsible breeder that is knowledgeable and takes what they do very seriously. Sometimes it isn’t though.
Buying can also include getting a dog from a pet store that is not clearly marked as a rescue or foster dog (from a rescue or shelter because this would indeed be considered rescue).
It can also include buying a dog from someone you find on the internet.
These two things are NOT the same.
I saw a post in a Dachshund group the other day asking about the typical cost of a dog from a rescue.
Seriously, half of the responses referred to the price from buying one from a breeder.
Just no! The person was asking about rescue, not buying from a breeder!
Those two things are not the same At. All.
Adopting and buying a Dachshund are different.
I’ve also seen people say they rescued their Dachshund and, in the same breath, talk about the breeder they got their dog from.
Just no! That is not rescue. The key giveaway was that the Dachshund was obtained from a breeder.
Now, I’ve been immersed in the pet world for a long time. I say “adopt don’t shop” really take off.
I saw some breeders capitalize on this by starting to use the term “adopt” when listing their puppies for sale. As in, “adopt this cutie.”
Note: the best ones won’t because telling people they are adopting when they are buying a dog from a breeder is falsifying facts to make the sale or try to make the purchaser not feel so bad.
To reiterate, buying a Dachshund from a breeder, no matter the age, means that you did not “rescue” or “adopt” your dog.
Yes, this article is a rant. I feel better getting it off my chest.
However, as I said, I prefer to channel my anger into something positive.
I hope some bit of information in this article has been helpful to you or confirmed that you are not the only one who gets angry when they see these things in Dachshund groups.
About the Author: Through her 17 years of owning and caring for Dachshunds, and almost 10 years researching and writing about them, JW has become a respected expert in the Dachshund community. Read more about her here.
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