General Appearance:
Low to ground, long in body and short of leg with robust muscular development, the skin is elastic
and pliable without excessive wrinkling. Appearing neither crippled, awkward, nor cramped in his
capacity for movement, the Dachshund is well-balanced with bold and confident head carriage and
intelligent, alert facial expression. His hunting spirit, good nose, loud tongue and distinctive build
make him well-suited for below-ground work and for beating the bush. His keen nose gives him an
advantage over most other breeds for trailing.
Note: Inasmuch as the Dachshund is a hunting dog, scars from honorable wounds shall not be
considered a fault.
Size, Proportion, Substance:
Bred and shown in two sizes, standard and miniature, miniatures are not a separate classification
but compete in a class division for 11 pounds and under, at 12 months of age and older." Weight of
the standard size is usually between 16 and 32 pounds.
Head:
Viewed from above or from the side, the head tapers uniformly to the tip of the nose.
The eyes are of medium size, almond-shaped and dark-rimmed, with an energetic, pleasant
expression; not piercing; very dark in color. The bridge bones over the eyes are strongly
prominent. Wall eyes, except in the case of dappled dogs, are a serious fault.
The ears are set near the top of the head, not too far forward, of moderate length, rounded, not
narrow, pointed, or folded. Their carriage, when animated, is with the forward edge just touching
the cheek so that the ears frame the face.
The skull is slightly arched, neither too broad nor too narrow, and slopes gradually with little
perceptible stop into the finely-formed, slightly arched muzzle.
Black is the preferred color of the nose. Lips are tightly stretched, well covering the lower
jaw. Nostrils well open. Jaws opening wide and hinged well back of the eyes, with strongly
developed bones and teeth.
Teeth: Powerful canine teeth; teeth fit closely together in a scissors bite. An even bite is a minor
fault. Any other deviation is a serious fault.
Neck:
Long, muscular, clean-cut, without dewlap, slightly arched in the nape, flowing gracefully into the
shoulders.
Trunk:
The trunk is long and fully muscled. When viewed in profile, the back lies in the straightest
possible line between the withers and the short very slightly arched loin. A body that hangs
loosely between the shoulders is a serious fault. Abdomen - Slightly drawn up.
Forequarters:
For effective underground work, the front must be strong, deep, long and cleanly muscled.
Forequarters in detail:
Chest The breastbone is strongly prominent in front so that on either side a depression or dimple
appears. When viewed from the front, the thorax appears oval and extends downward to the
mid-point of the forearm. The enclosing structure of well-sprung ribs appears full and oval to allow,
by its ample capacity, complete development of heart and lungs. The keel merges gradually into the
line of the abdomen and extends well beyond the front legs. Viewed in profile, the lowest point of
the breast line is covered by the front leg.
Shoulder Blades Long, broad, well-laid back and firmly placed upon the fully developed thorax,
closely fitted at the withers, furnished with hard yet pliable muscles.
Upper Arm Ideally the same length as the shoulder blade and at right angles to the latter, strong of
bone and hard of muscle, lying close to the ribs, with elbows close to the body, yet capable of free
movement.
Forearm Short; supplied with hard yet pliable muscles on the front and outside, with tightly
stretched tendons on the inside and at the back, slightly curved inwards. The joints between the
forearms and the feet (wrists) are closer together than the shoulder joints, so that the front does
not appear absolutely straight. Knuckling over is a disqualifying fault.
Feet Front paws are full, tight, compact, with well-arched toes and tough, thick pads. They may be
equally inclined a trifle outward. There are five toes, four in use, close together with a pronounced
arch and strong, short nails. Front dewclaws may be removed.
Hindquarters:
Strong and cleanly muscled. The pelvis, the thigh, the second thigh, and the metatarsus are ideally
the same length and form a series of right angles. From the rear, the thighs are strong and
powerful. The legs turn neither in nor out.
Metatarsus Short and strong, perpendicular to the second thigh bone. When viewed from behind,
they are upright and parallel.
Feet Hind Paws - Smaller than the front paws with four compactly closed and arched toes with
tough, thick pads. The entire foot points straight ahead and is balanced equally on the ball and not
merely on the toes. Rear dewclaws should be removed.
Croup Long, rounded and full, sinking slightly toward the tail.
Tail Set in continuation of the spine, extending without kinks, twists, or pronounced curvature,
and not carried too gaily.
Gait:
Fluid and smooth. Forelegs reach well forward, without much lift, in unison with the driving action
of hind legs. The correct shoulder assembly and well-fitted elbows allow the long, free stride in
front. Viewed from the front, the legs do not move in exact parallel planes, but incline slightly
inward to compensate for shortness of leg and width of chest. Hind legs drive on a line with the
forelegs, with hocks (metatarsus) turning neither in nor out. The propulsion of the hind leg
depends on the dog's ability to carry the hind leg to complete extension. Viewed in profile, the
forward reach of the hind leg equals the rear extension. The thrust of correct movement is seen
when the rear pads are clearly exposed during rear extension. Feet must travel parallel to the line of
motion with no tendency to swing out, cross over, or interfere with each other. Short, choppy
movement, rolling or high-stepping gait, close or overly wide coming or going are incorrect. The
Dachshund must have agility, freedom of movement, and endurance to do the work for which he
was developed.
Temperament:
The Dachshund is clever, lively and courageous to the point of rashness, persevering in above
and below ground work, with all the senses well-developed. Any display of shyness is a serious
: fault..
Special Characteristics of the Coat Variety
Longhaired Dachshund:
Coat: The sleek, glistening, often slightly wavy hair is longer under the neck and on the forechest,
the underside of the body, the ears, and behind the legs. The coat gives the dog an elegant
appearance. Short hair on the ear is not desirable. Too profuse a coat which masks type, equally
long hair over the whole body, a curly coat, or a pronounced parting on the back are faults.
Tail: Carried gracefully in prolongation of the spine; the hair attains its greatest length here and
forms a veritable flag.
Color of Hair: Same as for the Smooth Dachshund.
Nose and nails: same as for the Smooth.
The foregoing description is that of the ideal Dachshund. Any deviation from the above
described dog must be penalized to the extent of the deviation keeping in mind the
importance of the contribution of the various features toward the basic original purpose of
the breed.
Disqualification:
Knuckling over of front legs
