The Dachshund, also called Dackel or Teckel, has been known since the Middle Ages. From the Bracken, dogs especially suitable for hunting below ground were consistently bred. From these short-legged dogs, the Dachshund evolved and is recognised as one of the most versatile hunting breeds. He also shows excellent performance above ground, hunting while giving tongue, flushing and tracking wounded game. The oldest Club devoted to the breeding of Dachshunds is the “Deutsche Teckelklub” e.V., founded in 1888.

For decades the Dachshund has been bred in three different sizes (Teckel, Miniature Teckel and Rabbit Teckel) and in three different coat varieties (Smooth-haired, Wire-haired and Long-haired), resulting in nine varieties.

Low, short legged, elongated but compact build, very muscular with cheeky, challenging head carriage and alert facial expression. His build allows agile, quick work above and below ground. Sexual dimorphism is noticeable.

IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS: With a ground clearance of about one third of the height at withers, the body length (from the point of manubrium of sternum to the point of the buttock) should be in harmonious relation to height at withers, about 1.7 – 1.8 : 1.

Friendly by nature, neither fearful nor aggressive, with even temperament. Passionate, persistent and fast hunting dog with an excellent nose.

Elongated as seen from above. As seen in profile, tapering uniformly towards the nose leather, yet not pointed. Superciliary ridges clearly defined. Nasal cartilage and bridge of nose long and narrow.

CRANIAL REGION:
Skull: Rather flat, not too broad, gradually merging with the slightly arched nasal bridge. Occipital peak not pronounced much.
Stop: Slightly marked.

FACIAL REGION:
Nose: Nostrils well opened. Colour: see under respective colour definition.
Muzzle: Long, sufficiently broad and strong. Mouth can be opened wide, at the level of the vertical of the eye.
Lips: Taut fitting, covering the lower jaw well.

Medium size, almond shape, set well apart, with clear energetic and yet friendly expression. Not piercing. Colour bright dark reddish-brown to blackish brown in all coat colours of the dogs. Wall-, fish- or pearl eyes in dapple dogs are not desired but shall be tolerated.

Eye lids well pigmented.

Set on high, not too forward. Sufficiently long, reaching the edge of the lips, but not much longer. Rounded. Mobile with front edge lying close to cheek.

Jaws / Teeth: Well-developed jaws. Scissor bite, even and closing tightly. Ideally, complete set of 42 teeth according to requirements of the dentition formula with strong canines exactly fitting into each other.

Sufficiently long, muscular. Tight fitting skin on throat. Lightly arched nape of neck carried freely and high.

General: Strongly muscled, well angulated. Seen from the front, clean front legs (tight fitting skin), standing straight with good strength of bone; feet pointing straight forward, positioned at the lowest point of the chest.
Shoulders: Well defined muscles. Long sloping shoulder blade (ca. 90 degrees to upper arm), fitting close to chest.
Upper arm: Equal in length to shoulder blade, set almost at right angle to it. Strong boned and well-muscled, close fitting to ribs but free in movement.
Elbows: Turning neither in nor out.
Forearm: Short, yet so long that the dog’s ground clearance is one third of its height at withers. As straight as possible.
Carpus / Wrist: Slightly closer together than the shoulder joints.
Pastern: Seen from the side, should be neither steep nor noticeably inclined forward.

Topline: Blending harmoniously from neck to slightly sloping croup.
Withers: Pronounced.
Back: Behind the high withers, topline running from the thoracic vertebrae straight or slightly inclined to the rear. Firm and well-muscled.
Loins: Strong, broad and well-muscled.
Croup: Broad and sufficiently long, not horizontal or sloping too much.
Chest: Sternum well developed and so prominent that slight depressions appear on either side. The ribcage, seen from the front, is oval. Seen from above and the side, it is spacious, giving plenty of space for heart and lung development. Ribs carried well back. With correct length and angulation of shoulder blade and upper arm, the front leg covers the lowest point of the sternal line in profile. Dewlap not pronounced.
Underline and Belly: Slight tuck up. Chest smoothly transitioning to the belly in a continuous line.

General: Strongly muscled, in good proportion to forequarters. Strong angulation of stifles and hock joints. Hindlegs parallel standing, neither close nor wide apart.
Upper thigh: Should be of good length and well-muscled.
Stifle (joint): Broad and strong with good angulation.
Lower thigh: Short, almost at right angle to upper thigh. Well-muscled.
Hock joint: Strong, with strong tendons, tight skin.
Hock: Relatively short, mobile towards lower thigh. Slightly curved forward.

Front feet: Toes close together, well arched with strong, resistant, well cushioned pads and short strong nails. Colour: see under respective colour definitions. The fifth toe has no function.

Hind feet: Four close knit toes, well arched. Standing firmly on strong pads.

The tail is carried in a harmonious continuation of the topline, slightly falling off, not carried above topline. A slight curve in the last third of the tail is permitted.

Ground covering movement, flowing and energetic, with far reaching front strides without much lift, strong drive and slightly springy transmission to backline. Tail is carried in harmonious continuation of backline, slightly sloping. Front and hindlegs have parallel movement.

SKIN: Tight fitting, well pigmented. Colour: see under respective colour definitions.

SMOOTH-HAIRED COAT
Hair: Short, dense, shiny, smooth fitting, tight and harsh. Not showing any bald patches anywhere. Tail: fine, fully but not too profusely coated. Somewhat longer guard hair on underside is not a fault.

WIRE-HAIRED COAT
Hair: With exception of muzzle, eyebrows and ears, perfectly even close-fitting, dense wiry topcoat with undercoat. Soft hair on the head (top knot) and on the paws is highly undesirable. The muzzle has a clearly defined beard.
Eyebrows are bushy. On the ears, the coat is shorter than on the body, almost smooth. Tail well and evenly covered with close-fitting coat.

LONG-HAIRED
Hair: The plain shiny coat, with undercoat and close fitting to body, is longer at the throat and on underside of the body. On the ears the hair must extend beyond the lower edge of ears. Distinct feathers on rear side of legs. Achieves its greatest length on underside of tail and there forms a full flag.

SMOOTH-HAIRED
Deep black or brown, each with tan markings (the darker, the better and as clean as possible), over eyes, on sides of muzzle and of the lower lip, on inner edge of ears, on forechest, on inside and rear side of legs, on the feet, around the anus and from there reaching to about one third or one half of the underside of the tail. Nose, nails and pads black in dogs with black base colour, brown, in dogs with brown base colour.
A small white spot (up to 3 cm diameter), is only permissible on the chest. Too wide spread, as well as insufficient tan markings are highly undesirable.
c) Colour pattern Dapple (Merle):
The base colour is always the dark colour (black or brown). Exception: red dapples (red with dark spots). Desired are irregular grey but also beige spots (large patches not desired). Neither the dark nor the light colour is predominant. For nose, nails and pads see under a) and b).
d) Colour pattern Brindle: The colour of a brindle Dachshund is red with dark brindle. Nose, nails and pads are black.
All previously not mentioned colours and colour patterns are disqualifying. Lack of pigmentation is highly undesirable.

WIRE-HAIRED
Colour and Colour Patterns:
a) One-coloured: Red. Interspersed black hairs permissible. However, a clean dark color is preferable. A small white spot (up to 3 cm diameter) is only permissible on the chest. Nose, nails and pads black; reddish-brown is not desirable.
b) Multi-coloured: Wild boar, brown wild boar, black and tan, brown and tan. Tan markings (the darker, the better and as clean as possible), above eyes, on sides of muzzle and of the lower lip, on inner edge of ears, on forechest, on inside and rear side of legs, on the feet, around the anus and from there reaching to about one third or one half of the underside of the tail. Nose, nails and pads black in wild boar and black and tan dogs, brown, in brown wild boar and brown and tan dogs. A small white spot (up to 3 cm diameter), is only permissible on the chest. Too widespread, as well as insufficient tan markings are highly undesirable.
c) Colour pattern Dapple (Merle):
Colour as described under a) and b). The base colour is always the dark colour (wild boar, black or brown). Exception: red dapples (red with dark spots). Desired are irregular grey but also beige spots. Neither the dark nor the light colour is predominant. For nose, nails and pads see under a) and b).
d) Colour pattern Brindle: The colour of the brindle Dachshund is red with dark brindle. Nose, nails and pads are black.
All previously not mentioned colours and colour patterns are disqualifying. Lack of pigmentation is highly undesirable.

LONG-HAIRED
Colour and Colour Patterns:
a) One-coloured: Red. Red with black overcoat. However, a clean dark colour is preferable. A small white spot (up to 3 cm diameter) is permissible on the chest. Nose, nails and pads black; reddish-brown is not desirable.
b) Two-coloured: Deep black or brown, each with tan markings (the darker, the better and as clean as possible), over eyes, on sides of muzzle and of the lower lip, on inner edge of ears, on forechest, on inside and rear side of legs, on the feet, around the anus and from there reaching to about one third or one half of the underside of the tail. Nose, nails and pads black in dogs with black base colour, brown, in dogs with brown base colour.
A small white spot (up to 3 cm diameter), is only permissible on the chest. Too widespread, as well as insufficient tan markings are highly undesirable.
c) Colour pattern Dapple (Merle): The base colour is always the dark colour (black or brown). Exception: red dapples (red with dark spots). Desired are irregular grey but also beige spots (large patches not desired). Neither the dark nor the light colour is predominant. For nose, nails and pads see under a) and b).
d) Colour pattern Brindle: The colour of the brindle Dachshund is red with dark brindle. Nose, nails and pads are black.
All previously not mentioned colours and colour patterns are disqualifying. Lack of pigmentation is highly undesirable.

Chest Circumference measured when at least 15 months old, from highest point of the withers to the lowest point of the chest (with little tense tape measure).

Standard Dachshund:
Males: over 37 cm – up to 47 cm
Females: over 35 cm – up to 45 cm

Miniature Dachshund:
Males: over 32 cm – up to 37 cm
Females: over 30 up – to 35 cm

Rabbit Dachshund:
Males: over 27 cm – up to 32 cm
Females: over 25 cm – up to 30 cm

Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault, and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and the effect upon the health and welfare of the dog as well as its ability to perform its traditional work.

M3 (Molar 3) are not to be considered when judging. Lack of two PM1 (Premolar 1) is not to be penalised. The absence of one PM2 should be regarded as a fault, if no other teeth (with the exception of M3) are missing. A departure from the correctly closing scissor bite, such as for example the pincer bite, is also a fault.

SEVERE FAULTS:
• Weak, long-legged or body trailing on ground.
• Other tooth faults than those described among «faults» or «disqualifying faults».
• Wall eye in any colour other than dapple.
• Pointed, very folded ears.
• Body sagging between shoulders.
• Hollow back, roach back.
• Weak loins.
• Markedly higher in the rear (croup higher than withers).
• Chest too weak.
• Flanks with lyre shape tuck up.
• Poorly angulated fore- and hindquarters.
• Narrow hindquarters with poor muscle tone.
• Cow hocks or bowlegs.
• Feet turning markedly inwards or outwards.
• Splayed toes.
• Heavy, clumsy, waddling movement.

SEVERE FAULTS – COAT:
Smooth-haired Dachshund:
• Coat too fine or thin. Bald patches on ears (leather ear), other bald areas.
• Coat much too coarse and much too long.
• Brush like tail.
• Tail partially or entirely hairless.

Wire-haired Dachshund:
• Soft coat, whether long or short.
• Long coat, standing away from body in all directions.
• Curly or wavy coat.
• Soft coat on head, top knot.
• Flag on tail.
• Lack of beard.
• Lack of undercoat.
• Smooth coat.

Long-haired Dachshund:
• Coat of equal length all over body.
• Wavy or shaggy coat.
• Lack of flag (tail).
• Lack of overhanging feathering on ears.
• Smooth coat.
• Pronounced parting of coat on back.
• Hair too long between toes.

DISQUALIFYING FAULTS:
• Aggressive or overly shy dog.
• Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities.
• Untypical specimen.
• Undershot or overshot mouth, wry mouth.
• Faulty positioning of the lower canines.
• Missing of one or more canines or one or more incisors.
• Missing of other premolars or molars.
Exceptions: The two PM1 or one PM2 without consideration of the M3, as mentioned under “Faults”.
• Chest: sternum cut off.
• Any faults of the tail.
• Very loose shoulders.
• Knuckling over in the wrist.
• Black or brown colour without tan markings; white colour with or without tan markings.
• Colours and colour patterns other than those listed under “Colour and Colour Patterns”.

• Male animals must have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
• Only functionally and clinically healthy dogs, with breed typical conformation, should be used for breeding.