Dachshund/Labrador Mixes: A Complete Guide With Pictures
Dachsador, Doxidor, and Weinerdor; these are just a few of the unique and adorable names that Dachshund/Labrador mixed breed goes by. These quirky names fit well with the quirky personality of Dachsadors. If you’re anything like me, when I first heard of this breed mix, I got very curious because the parent breeds are so different! And what I found was quite interesting!
So, what is the Dachsador all about? While these puppies may be some of the most adorable dogs around, their breed is quite controversial because of the extreme parent breed differences. That being said if a Dachsador is bred safely and healthily than it can be a great companion.
What I found was both surprising and important! From the health issues that the two parent breeds have in common as well as the fact that their personalities are so different. This makes for a very unique breed with unique characteristics.
History
Dachshunds were bred long ago as hunting dogs. Their body shape helped them to be able to get into badger dens and chase them out.
Labradors, on the other hand, were bred as a smaller Newfoundland dog to be able to go into the water and get game that their owners shot down.
These two breeds now though are known for their lovable and spunky qualities as domesticated pets. They are in fact some of the worlds favorite dogs. Both Andy Warhol and Pablo Picasso painted their dachshunds into their paintings, immortalizing them.
Also, a dachshund was the first Olympic mascot in 1972! Labradors have been America’s number one favorite dog for at least several years in a row, according to the American Kennel Club. From 2013-2017 they were America’s number one ranking dog!
The actual founding of Dachsadors is unknown but is surely a result of the increasing popularity of “designer dog” breeds in the past 20-25 years. It doesn’t hurt that these two parent breeds are so widely loved and appreciated.
It is actually believed that they were possibly bred to try to eliminate the certain diseases that they have in common. The goal was to make a healthier and happier dog!
The Controversy of Mixed Breeding
Mixed breeding is actually quite controversial. Some say that with purebreds you can more easily breed common diseases out of the dog. Others insist that breeding two breeds together with similar diseases is the best way to eliminate these common diseases.
Especially with breeds as different as dachshunds and labradors, there are certain ethical logistics to be concerned with as well. But, if the
Because of the size difference, Labradors need to be the mother, as it would endanger both the mothers and the puppies if the mother was a dachshund.
It is also more ethical if artificial insemination is used rather than natural because of the physical differences between the two breeds.
Looks
Both the looks and the temperament of these dogs depends a lot on which parent breed they inherit the most from. This is common with mixed breeds because each specific litter and each individual puppy will have a different gene pool than the next.
Commonly though, Dachsadors gain certain traits from certain parents. They often have the long body of the dachshunds, with legs twice as long as dachshunds legs usually are.
Their face often takes on the characteristics of labs. Their snouts are muscular, long and pointed, while their jawlines are square. While this is not the case with every Dachsador, it is the common idea behind their look.
Their coat color is often a variation of brown, chocolate brown, yellow and black. The brown hue often comes from the dachshunds while the yellow and black come from the lab.
Depending on which parent they most resemble, that color might make up a large portion of their coat. Most usually their coat is short and water-resistant, similar to the labs.
Unless bred with a long-haired dachshund, in which case the Dachsador might inherit. In that case, daily grooming is required to control shedding.
Temperament
Labrador
Labradors are known for their gentle and loving personalities. While they are high energy, their energy is almost always friendly! They have great temperament and great family dogs.
They’re known for their urge to please people and they love being involved in family events and activities. They are at their happiest when with the ones they love!
They’re also incredibly intelligent and known for their low aggression. They’re great with children, other animals, and everyone in between.
Dachshund
Dachshunds, on the other hand, are the more assertive in their love. For such tiny dogs, they have personality and spunk seeping from every pore. While they can be stubborn and difficult to train, they make up for it with their great sense of humor, courage, and their extreme loyalty to their family.
In fact, they often choose one of the family members to be “their person”, and they make them their #1 priority. They’re also very intelligent and love to use that intelligence in clever and sneaky ways.
They are generally friendly if properly socialized as puppies. They’re great with children and other dogs if the socialization is done well. While they can be known to be aggressive, it is mostly due to their drive to protect their family and loved ones.
This makes them fantastic watchdogs, especially with their loud and abrupt bark. They were bred as hunting dogs which means that they have high prey drive which means they aren’t usually good with small animals and that they love to dig.
While they are difficult to train, they are most certainly not impossible to train. Because of their stubborn and independent attitude they often would much rather do what they want than do what you want. But, with dedication, consistency, and patience a dachshund can be trained to be as obedient as the next dog.
Dachsador
There are a couple of things that dachshunds and Labradors have in common, which means that the
Some of those things are intelligence, loyalty, and possible separation anxiety. Both breeds tend to have some anxiety while you’re away from them because they love and depend on you.
Again, as with the look of the Dachsador, their temperament can often depend on which parent breed they inherit more from. It is possible that they may be more mellow and energetic, with an intense friendly streak.
There is also the chance that they may be more spunky with intense loyalty and a mischievous streak. Most likely, the Dachsador will have a fair share of qualities from both breeds, but a higher resemblance to the parent breed which they inherited the most from.
Training
The trainability of this beautiful dog is very 50/50 because the parent breeds are very different in this aspect.
Labrador
Labs are an absolute breeze to train, as they live to please their people. They want to make people happy. They are happy to get affection from their people when they do the right thing.
The possibility of treats doesn’t hurt either! Some people consider their training to be difficult, because of how much energy they have. but as long as training starts at the puppy stage, and it is kept fun and entertaining, then a lab will learn, despite their energy.
It is good to start out by teaching things such as “sit”, “down” and “stay” early on because these will be crucial while training for other things. These commands will help counterbalance some of the energy that labs are sure to have all the time, but especially during training time.
Dachshund
Dachshunds, on the other hand, are known for their stubborn ways and their difficult trainability. While they love and adore you, they often believe that they are the leader of the house, and you’re just there as their pack. They like to do things their way and enjoy being free to do whatever they choose.
Although they desire to be independent, it is important to identify yourself as alpha early on in the dog’s life. Training is most certainly possible, but it is difficult. It requires extra love, patience, dedication, and consistency.
Something that they specifically struggle with is being potty-trained. Before anything else, it is important that potty-training is focused on and made a priority.
Dachsador
While the Dachsador might take on the labs people pleasing urge or the dachshunds stubborn independence, there are a couple of things that are important to remember when training them.
While in their puppy stages, it is important that they be properly socialized. This means that they need appropriate exposure to people, other dogs, and children. Because of the dachshund, the Dachsador might be wary around children.
It is important to focus on socializing the dog with children from the family and friends of the family. The important thing is to supervise all playtimes and meets.
In order to cover essential basics, when training the Dachsador make a priority of three things. Those three things are:
- Proper Socialization
- Potty Training
- Basic Commands (“Sit”, “Down”, and “Stay)
Health Problems
The main health problem that Dachsadors have is excessive weight gain, back problems such as IVDD (Intervertebral Disc Disease) and eye problems such as PRA (Progressive Retinal Atrophy).
Both labradors and dachshunds are known for overeating. That is why a strict diet and exercise regimen is so crucial to make sure that these dogs keep the weight off.
This excessive weight also causes extra problems with their back and joints. While a Dachsador has less of a chance getting injuries to their back, it is still a prevalent problem, because their backs are longer than most other breeds.
Because of this, these dogs must be lifted at the chest and back at the same time. This will help to protect their backs from being injured or put out of place.
IVDD is the most common back issue with these dogs, and it can be extremely painful as well as have the chance as paralyzing them. Constantly be watching for jumping, climbing and other risky behaviors from your dog. Supervise them when at all possible while doing these risky things.
Both Labs and Dachshunds are prone to many different eye problems, but some of the most common ones are cataracts and PRA. Many dachshunds go blind long before they die.
And this can be a common thing as well with Labs. Watch for them looking confused, walking slow or bumping into things. These are signs that your dog may be losing their eyesight.
Some other common things with their parent breeds are hip dysplasia, elbow dysphagia, allergies, and seizures.
The good news is that almost all of these diseases and injuries have health tests for them now. That means that you can be proactive in your dog’s health. You can watch for and test for these things, long before it’s too late to do anything about it. Be sure to watch for symptoms and signs.
Exercise
Dachsadors are very high energy dogs. They love to be outside, and love to be active. They have a lot of energy that will need to be released. Also, it will be an essential step in keeping their weight in a healthy range.
They will need about two medium walks a day, totaling about 45 minutes to an hour. They will be able to withstand most weather, but on more freezing days it is smart to provide your dog a sweater.
Labradors are preferential to playing fetch, running and jogging. But, because the Dachsador has the dachshunds long fragile back. Walking is much safer and preferable because a close eye can be kept on the dog’s back.
Diet
It is extremely important to watch a Dachsadors diet very closely. Because of their high likelihood of becoming obese.
The daily amount of suggested dry food consumption is about “3 cups”. The daily cost is of that is about “$1.50-$1.90” and the monthly cost comes in at about “$39.00-$59.00”.
WagWalking.com
It is best to deliver this amount in two different servings. One in the morning and then one later at night. This helps the weight to stay off as well as encourages the Dachsador to not overeat.
Best Dachshund Food on the Market is from Holistic brand and can be found on Amazon for a great deal!
Related Questions:
What is the life span of a Dachsador? A healthy Dachsador should live to be about 10-16 years old. This will vary depending on how healthy the dog was, what it’s medical history was, what its genes it has, and how well they were taken care of. Some dogs will die before this age range, and some may live long after.
How tall is a Dachsador? Depends on the parentage and which breed they most resemble, but they are usually about 15-25 inches tall. This is an abnormally large range for a dog breed, but such is to be expected with the vast size difference between the parent breeds, Dachshunds and Labradors.