Dachshund Breeding

Dachshund breeding: how does it work?

Dachshund breeding is a rather delicate time that requires some preparation, especially if it is a first litter.

Due to the small size of our dear four-legged sausages, complications can never be ruled out.

However, if the breeding time has been well planned, you have nothing to worry about. To guarantee that your dachshund can breed in the best conditions, everything is indeed a matter of anticipation. Moreover, your vet can support you throughout the process.

Are you planning to breed your precious smooth-haired, wire-haired, or long-haired doxie? Here are some concepts to know before you get started. 😊

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The stages of dachshund breeding

Dachshund breeding takes place in a few stages:

• Mating;
• Pregnancy;
• Birth.

To ensure the smooth running of this long process, good monitoring is required.

For peace of mind, you can call on your veterinarian to monitor your dog's health and advise you on the appropriate diet before, during, and after the pregnancy.

Mating in the dachshund

In all dog breeds, the favorable time for breeding is the heat period. In dachshunds in particular, the first heat usually occurs around the age of 6 or 8 months. It lasts 20 days on average and then returns every 6 months.

To avoid any complications during birth, veterinarians recommend waiting for the second or even the third heat period before planning a first mating, that is to say around the age of one year.

Indeed, it is at this period that your furball will have reached sexual maturity. In other words, the female will be physically predisposed to accept a male dachshund. Moreover, it is from this age that we observe a perfect consolidation of her skeleton.

How do I know if my dachshund is in heat?

As mentioned above, the heat period spans about 20 days. This period is divided into a few phases.

The first sign of heat is characterized by small bloody discharge that lasts about 9 days.

In scientific jargon, this phase is designated by the term "proestrus".

Then comes the estrus phase, which corresponds to the ovulation period.

🐶 Ideally, mating should take place 2 or 3 days after ovulation.

The ovulation period

It should be noted that the time of ovulation varies significantly from one female to another. In the majority of cases, breeding failures are due to a lack of precision in this favorable period for fertilization.

If you want to put all the chances on your side, in other words for the breeding to be a success, it is possible to do a test, like us humans.

The veterinarian can thus perform vaginal smears or a blood test to detect the progesterone level. If this level is high, it means that the female is entering the fertilization period.

The pregnancy period in the dachshund

To know if the mating was successful, you now need to know how to detect the signs of pregnancy in your dachshund.

The first concrete clue is her big appetite. 😊

Indeed, the future dachshund mom becomes a real glutton! She finishes everything you offer her and may even ask for more. Of course, it is imperative to ensure a good nutritional balance.

Do not hesitate to ask your veterinarian for advice on the daily amount and nutritional intake needed to ensure good health for the mother and the future dachshund puppies.

As a general rule, the pregnancy period in a dachshund lasts 9 weeks (62 to 64 days). During this period, the female will gain weight given that she has a greater appetite.

In order to avoid possible overweight that could complicate her health condition leading up to birth, you can continue short walks in the open air. It is even possible to have her do some exercises up to a certain point.

Once again, you should always consult your veterinarian to find out which activities are appropriate or not for her condition.

Important note:

It should be emphasized that the female dachshund must have previously been vaccinated and dewormed before her pregnancy. Administering vaccines to a pregnant dachshund can present risks that could compromise the proper development of the fetus.

From labor to delivery

When labor has started, your dachshund will take refuge in a corner and will no longer want to go out. 😊

This could be her usual bedding or a quiet place where she feels safe. You can also prepare this little cozy corner for her by creating a warm space away from any source of noise and with little light.

In this final stretch, she will no longer want to eat or drink. Depending on your furball's temperament, it is possible that she may no longer want you to approach her...

With each contraction, she will lick her crotch repeatedly. It's a way for her to soothe the pain. Some of them will even become very restless and pant considerably. Be aware that the duration of the contraction depends on each dog.

Before the actual birth, a water sac will be expelled, then the first puppy will appear a few minutes later. ✨

In principle, this first delivery is often painful. The others will then follow naturally. As a general rule, the number of puppies per litter varies between 2 to 4.

After the delivery, avoid taking the dachshund puppies directly or moving them. Give them time to soak in the maternal bond that unites the mom to the babies. 🥰

Moreover, after a few moments, the puppies will instinctively seek to suckle. For her part, the mom will proceed to a big cleaning of the babies.

Some tips after delivery

• Avoid feeding raw food to the nursing female.
• Increase her daily ration (refer to the veterinarian's instructions).
• Ensure the bowl is never short of water.

Final paw

We hope these pieces of information have shed light on your understanding of the fascinating process that is dachshund breeding!

If you have any questions, anecdotes to share, or experiences to recount, do not hesitate to leave a comment below. The community of dachshund lovers is always ready to exchange and share its knowledge. 😃

Continue exploring our blog for more informative and entertaining articles on our four-legged friends. Your feedback is valuable and contributes to creating a dynamic and engaged community!

The Teckelshop team 💚 - last modified 01/16/2026

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