Dachshund Standards

One parent must have the dapple pattern in order to produce a dapple puppy.  Two solid, self-colored dogs cannot produce a dapple.  A dachshund is considered to be a dapple if it has even one tiny dappled patch on it.  Sometimes this dappled patch is only noticeable when it is a puppy, usually on the ears or belly, and often fades away with age.  This dog should still be registered as a dapple, because it will produce some dapple puppies when bred to a dog with no pattern present.

What is a double dapple?

When two dapples are bred together, they may produce a double dapple puppy.  Double dapples usually have large areas of white on their bodies in addition to the self colored, and dappled patches.  For instance, a blue and tan double dapple with have patches of steel blue and silver on a white background.  Double dapples’ eyes may be completely blue, and they may have white blazes on their heads, white tail tips, and extensive white on their feet, bellies, and sides.  Only experienced breeders should attempt double dapple breeding, as deaf and partially deaf puppies may result from this breeding.  Reduced eye size and missing eyes are not that uncommon, either, in double dapples.

What is a brindle?

In brindle dachshunds, dark stripes, like a zebra, are superimposed over the dog’s self color.  A red brindle will have blackish stripes all over its body, while a black and tan brindle may only show the brindle pattern in its tan markings, because the dark stripes would not be visible against the dog’s black coat.  One parent must be a brindle in order to produce a brindle puppy.

How can I determine if a dachshund has the sable pattern?

Sable is perhaps the most difficult pattern to describe. Many people mistakenly call a red dog with a heavy black overlay a sable.  This is incorrect; the dog should be registered as red with no pattern.  A true red sable is so dark it almost looks like a black and tan from a distance.  All body hairs, except on the face and feet, are banded with two colors, the self color occurs closest to the dog’s body while the darker color occurs near the hair tip.  The face and feet are usually just the dog’s self color.  Therefore, a red sable will have body hairs which are red near the base and black near the tips, and a red face and red feet.   One parent must be a sable to produce a sable pup.

What does the piebald pattern look like and how is it different from the dapple pattern?

Piebald is simply a white-spotting pattern superimposed over any self color; there is no variation in the color of the solid spots or patches as there is in dapple dachshunds.   True piebalds never have blue eyes and always have white tail tips.  The amount of white on a piebald is variable, ranging from a full or partial white collar, white chest, belly, and feet, and a white tail tip (often called “Irish spotting”), to an almost pure white dog with a patch of color on the head and base of the tail.   For instance, black and tan piebalds have solid black body patches on a white background, but they may have tan markings, or spots, where tan markings would normally occur on a self-colored dog, such as the face, feet, and under the tail.  It is incorrect to refer to black and tan piebalds as tricolors.  Red piebalds have solid red spots, sometimes with intermingled black hairs, on a white background.  When ticking is present, tiny dots of color appear on the white areas, varying in amounts from a few single dots to an abundance of dots which run together to form a roaning effect. Both parents must be piebald, or carry the piebald gene, to produce a piebald pup.