Dachshunds, affectionately called Doxies or wiener dogs, are famous for their adorable and amusing shape.
But their long body and short legs aren't just for making humans fall in love with them. Here are some interesting and sometimes surprising facts you didn't know about these adorable furballs 🐶
1. The Famous Wiener Dog Comes in 3 Sizes
Breeders initially created originally (15th century) two different sizes of dachshunds:
The standard dachshund and the miniature dachshund.
The standard dachshund can weigh up to 10 kg and is still used to hunt badgers and wild boars. Miniatures weigh 6 kg or less.
The newest member of the breed is a miniature size weighing up to 3.5 kg, which is none other than the kaninchen (or rabbit) dachshund.
All 3 sizes are recognized by the FCI (World Canine Organization), group 4, with a working trial.
2. The Dachshund Breed Has 3 Different Coat Types
Dachshunds can have a smooth, wire-haired, or long-haired coat.
In the past, all dachshunds had short coats, and this fur variety is still just as popular in breeding.
These magnificent pets also come in a multitude of coat colors, from solid to merle! There is truly something for every taste 😍
Below, an incredible long-haired merle dachshund, also called dapple.
3. The Dog, Not the Hot Dog, Came First
😜 Read our article: 19 reasons (not) to adopt a dachshund.
Dachshunds are sometimes called wiener dogs because their long body looks like a hot dog 🌭
But would you believe that the original name for the hot dog was the dachshund sausage?
This deli product was named that way because it resembled the dog breed. The name was later shortened to hot dog!
4. Dachshunds Were Temporarily Renamed During World War I
Dachshunds were associated with Germany during World War I because they were used in a lot of propaganda and Emperor "Wilhelm II" was known for his love of wiener dogs.
This association led to a decline in the breed's popularity in America. To counter this effect, the AKC (American Kennel Club) tried renaming dachshunds to "badger dogs," a translation of their German name, or "liberty pups."
5. Two Dachshunds as World's Oldest Dog
Dachshunds generally live from 12 to 16 years, which is longer than most dog breeds.
Of the 23 dogs that have held the Guinness World Record for the oldest living dog, two were dachshunds and one was a dachshund mix.
A Doxie named "Chanel" held the record until 2009, when she passed away at 21 years old. A 20-year-old dachshund-terrier mix named "Otto" then held the record until 2010.
In 2013, another wiener dog named "Scolly," who also lived to be 20, held the title 😊
6. The First Cloned Dog in Great Britain Was a Wiener Dog
The first British dog to be successfully cloned was a dachshund named "Winnie."
Winnie's owner entered a competition to win the chance to have her dog cloned, a procedure that usually costs over 60,000 euros.
Scientists took a skin sample from Winnie and created Mini-Winnie. Her owner claims that Mini-Winnie looks exactly like Winnie did as a puppy. Mini-Winnie is healthy and expected to live a long life.
According to our research, dog cloning would be possible in the USA or South Korea.
7. There Are Dachshund Races
Wiener dog races started in Australia in the 1970s and have since spread around the world.
The "Wienerschnitzel Wiener Nationals" have been held annually in Southern California since 1995.
It's not a very serious sport, since dachshunds were never designed to be racing dogs (they were hunting dogs), but it's a real pleasure for some owners to see them stretch their legs! 🐶
The Teckelshop Team - 💚 Last updated 12/26/25
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