Chihuahua Dachshund Mix

Chihuahua Dachshund Mix History

A Chiweenie is a cross between a purebred Chihuahua and a purebred Dachshund. Both of these parent breeds have been around for quite some time. But the Chiweenie is a much more recent creation that has become more popular since the 1990s.

Chihuahuas became popular in the United States sometime in the 1800s. The American Kennel Club (AKC) recognized the breed as a member of the toy group in 1904.

The Dachshund was recognized by the AKC a little later, in 1935. This breed was originally used to hunt badgers, foxes, and rabbits. However, the Dachshund and Chihuahua are both more commonly used as lap dogs these days. This purpose is shared by the Chiweenie, who is loved as a lap dog by its owners!

What does a Chihuahua Dachshund Mix look like?

There are hundreds of adorable pictures of Chiweenies online. But you might have noticed each Chiweenie dog can look quite different from the next. We must stress that predicting a hybrid puppy’s exact appearance is impossible to do. What we do know is they will be short, light and long bodied. Their eyes will be big and soulful, and their tails will be straight.

Chihuahua Dachshund Mix Size

Based on the size of the Dachshund and Chihuahua, a Chiweenie will be a small dog. However, the type of Chihuahua or Dachshund that parents a Chiweenie will determine exactly how small the Chiweenie will stay.

Mini Chiweenies result from a normal-sized Chihuahua mating with a miniature Dachshund. Their offspring may weigh anywhere from 3 to 11 pounds.

Teacup Chiweenies result from a teacup (unusually small) Chihuahua mating with a standard-sized Dachshund. Their puppies may weigh anywhere from 3 to 32 pounds.

How Tall is a Chihuahua Dachshund Mix?

The same difficulty applies when predicting the height of your Chiweenie. It’s appearance could be any combination of its parent breeds, including their heights. A Chiweenie can measure up to 9 inches tall at the shoulder. But obviously this may decrease if either parent breed is a miniature.

Miniature Dachsies typically mature to 6 inches at the shoulder, which is the same for standard Chihuahuas. Their small size may be adorable, but it comes with some serious potential health implications, which we’ll look at in a bit.

Chihuahua Dachshund Mix Coats

Chiweenies may be solid-colored or bi-colored. Both the Dachshund and the Chihuahua come in a wide variety of solid colors. These include: black, chocolate, red, cream, fawn, and blue. But they can also be a mixture of colors!

They could be black and silver, fawn and tan, blue and cream, and many more combinations. Your Chiweenie’s parents are a good indicator of the colors it could inherit.

Chiweenie Coat Types

Due to the variation in their parents’ fur coats, Chiweenies may have a short or long coat that is smooth, course, or wirehaired. Standard Chihuahuas have a short and smooth coat. But Long Haired Chihuahuas have a much longer and shaggier coat.

Dachshunds may be smooth-haired (medium in length), longhaired, or wirehaired. There is no easy way to tell which coat type a litter of pups will end up with before they arrive.

Grooming and Shedding

The grooming requirements of your Chiweenie will depend entirely on the type of coat it inherits. Although this is something we can make a guess about, but can’t really know until our Chiweenie puppy arrives.

If a Chiweenie inherits a short and smooth coat, then it will require minimal brushing, maybe a bit more if it has the Dachshund’s medium-length coat. If a Chiweenie inherits a longhaired or wirehaired coat, then it will need some brushing as well as a bit of grooming.

Both parent breeds shed seasonally, so you can expect this from your Chiweenie. With a longer coat comes increased grooming requirements during shedding season.

Chihuahua Dachshund Mix Temperament

Since the Chiweenie is a mix of two pure breeds, we can only make an educated guess about his temperament. This estimate is based on the general temperament of his parents.

Generally, Chiweenies are brave, confident, tenacious dogs. They are typically not good with small children. But they’re very social and love spending time with their owners. Let’s take a closer look at what instincts they might inherit from their parent breeds.

Natural Instincts

Dachshunds originated as hunting dogs, and Chihuahuas were bred for their devoted personality. Therefore, Chiweenies can be feisty and occasionally snappy dogs. They also tend to be bold and take-charge dogs.

Don’t expect to see a Chiweenie who is aloof when it comes to strangers being around “their” human! If a Chiweenie takes after its Dachshund parent, she may also enjoy chasing after wildlife. This can become problematic if you have other small pets in your home.

Are They Noisy?

Chiweenies are generally pretty yippy dogs. Dachshunds, a hound breed, are loud, and Chihuahuas are also known for their vocalization. These tendencies for barking may exist in your Chiweenie mix.

This could be part of its natural guarding instincts and loyal tendencies, as Chiweenies are known to bark to announce the arrival of strangers. If you are looking for a quieter dog, the Chiweenie might not be the one for you. However, you can train your Chiweenie not to bark in some situations!

Are Chihuahua Dachshund Mix Dogs Aggressive?

Chihuahuas are very loyal to their owners, so they are prone to aggression against strangers. And Dachshunds tend to shy away from children. Chiweenies can inherit these tendencies.

Aggression against strangers and children can make daily life with a Chiweenie difficult. Often aggression is a dog owner’s biggest fear. However, there are some ways we can try to minimise potential aggression.

Socialization

Socialization is the most important way to help minimise potential aggression in your Chiweenie. You should socialize your Chiweenie mix from the day you bring him home to try and alleviate this potential.

Socialization will help your Chiweenie feel confident in new situations, and can help avoid a fear-driven response. Chiweenies can also be socialized to be more accepting of children. However socialization must be started whilst your Chiweenie is as young as possible.

It’s important to remember that with any hybrid, the temperament of the dog may closely resemble one of its parents. Or it may be a happy mix of the two.

Are Chiweenies Good with Kids?

Both Dachsies and Chihuahuas are not the most tolerant when it comes to young children. Or being poked, prodded, and pulled on. We’ve already talked a little about socializing your dog to children and strangers from a young age. However, it’s also important to teach any children in your family not to mess with your Chiweenie!

Never leave them unattended together, and make sure the dog always has access to an area away from them to escape to. As long as children are taught to respect your Chiweenie, it can make a great family pet, as it loves being around people!

Training

Obedience training from a young age is often a must with Chiweenies, especially as they can be a little stubborn. They may inherit some mannerisms from their parent breeds that aren’t too favorable to deal with.

Dachshunds were originally bred to be fearless hunting dogs. This bold attitude that still resides in many a Dachsie may show itself in your Chiweenie attempting to take your place as the head of the household!

Additionally, Chihuahuas may also display dominant or occasionally “temperamental” behavior. Especially if they do not like someone approaching their owner.

Exercise

Chiweenies can inherit certain health problems that make extreme exercise problematic. Because of these potential issues, it’s best to keep their exercise limited to light play, without much jumping.

Additionally, if your Chiweenie has teacup Chihuahua or miniature Dachshund lineage, then their extra small size may put them at risk for breaking bones easier than larger, hardier breeds.

That’s not to say that a Chihuahua and weenie dog mix should be mostly sedentary. In fact, they should be allowed plenty of play time to get keep their excitability in check!

One nice thing about a Chiweenie (or any other toy-sized dog) is that they don’t require a large space to run around in. They are so small that a moderately sized apartment would be plenty for them to stretch their legs.

Chihuahua Dachshund Mix Health

There are some health issues that may affect a dog, regardless of their breed. Chiweenies are no different; they may be born with health issues, or they may develop certain issues over time.

A few common canine ailments include hip dysplasia, eye diseases, allergies, and skin irritations. In the case of hybrid dogs, they may inherit any health conditions that their parents carry. Specifically with a Chiweenie, inherited health issues are intervertebral disc disease and dental disease.

Intervertebral Disc Disease

Dachshunds have long backs and are held aloft on very short legs. This combination is the result of targeted breeding over the years. Unfortunately, it’s contributed vastly to the prevalence of intervertebral disc disease (spinal degeneration) in Dachshunds and Dachshund hybrids.

Like humans, Dachshunds’ spinal columns are composed of vertebrae, with a “disk” separating each vertebra. Every time a dog moves, pressure is exerted on these disks. As the dog ages and their bone structure wears down some, the disks are unable to withstand and disseminate shock like they used to.

Too much force can cause a disk to squeeze and rupture. At this point, an affected dog may be unwilling or even unable to move his hind legs. Depending on the severity of the condition, he may or may not recover. To do so he’ll need rest, temporary confinement, or even surgery.

How common is intervertebral disc disease in Chiweenies?

A 2011 study showed that intervertebral disc disease may also, in a way, be hereditary. Meaning, if several dogs in a family of Dachshunds or Dachshund hybrids have weak backs (risk of disk calcification) and are prone to herniation, future generations will be more likely to develop intervertebral disc disease. Therefore, it is really important to choose reputable breeders when getting a Chiweenie.

Make sure to ask about the health of the parent dogs used to create your Chiweenie, and to see health certificates if possible!

Teacup Chiweenie Problems

Another possible Chiweenie health issue to consider is the extreme shortening of legs when a Dachshund is bred to a Chihuahua. Mating Dachshunds with Chihuahuas generally results in a smaller Dachshund lookalike.

However, depending on the size of the parents, the offspring’s legs could be so short that they are unable to fully support their bodies. This type of body structure puts even more stress on the spine as well as the legs, putting the dog at even greater risk of disk herniation.

Dental Disease

If a Chiweenie has more of a Chihuahua facial appearance (small skull with large eyes, a bulbous forehead, and large, upright ears), then it may have issues with overcrowded teeth. According to a 2005 study, many dog breeds that mature to less than 20 pounds suffer from early-onset poor dental health due to inherited overcrowded teeth, the formation of periodontal disease, and subsequent tooth loss.

Simply put, if a small dog has the same number of teeth as a much larger dog, their teeth are spaced very closely together (and can sometimes come in crooked). Such close proximity makes it very easy for plaque and bacteria to grow on and between each tooth. This contributes to the formation of gingivitis and eventual tooth decay and loss.

Given the potential problems with dental disease in Chiweenies, maintaining dental health is even more important. This means taking him for his annual check-ups as well as brushing his teeth.

Lifespan

You can expect a mixed breed dog to live about as long as its parent breeds. Therefore, the Chihuahua Dachshund Mix can be expected to live for approximately 12 to 20 years.

This is at the higher end a good life expectancy. However, the risk is that it will be spent riddled with back and/or dental problems. This is something you will need to seriously consider as a potential owner, not only for your own benefit, but for the quality of life of your dog.

Chihuahua Dachshund Mix Rescue

If your heart is set on getting a Chiweenie, but you don’t mind about its age, you might want to consider a rescue dog. Not only is this a great way to get the dog of your dreams, but it also gives an older dog a second chance to have a loving home. Additionally, it can help provide older Chiweenies with health problems the chance to have a family.

Chihuahua Dachshund Mix Puppies

Many breeders focus solely on raising purebred dogs. However, because of the popularity of this designer dog, you may have a slightly easier time finding a Chiweenie breeder. Designer breeds usually range in price from a few hundred dollars to $1,000 or more, depending on the parent stock and the value that the breeder places on them. When purchased from a breeder, Chiweenies average from about $400 to $650.

It is important to make sure the breeder you choose is reputable. Make sure they take care of the puppies and breeding stock (good health is obvious!), and participate in genetic testing.

If you don’t wish to purchase a Chiweenie from a breeder, then you may be able to adopt one from an animal shelter or rescue. However, finding a Chiweenie puppy from shelters and rescues may be more tricky.

Hybrids and mixed breeds are more commonly found in shelters than purebreds are. With an adopted older Chihuahua Dachshund mix you can have more information about their temperament and general health too.