The doxiepoo, a hybrid combination of the Miniature Poodle and the Dachshund can have a beloved elongated, almost humorous appearance that is not replicated in any other dog breed. 🌭 The unique look of this breed was well intended as a perfectly designed and useful hunter and digger of underground burrows. Its long and low profile and tenacious personality has made them a favorite among dog owners. The doxiepoo also known as the doxiedoodle, dachdoodle or dachshundpoo can have an adorable appearance and an adorable personality to match. They are playful, sociable and become very loving and attached to their owners. 💗

Along with being playful and cute the doxiepoo can also be a little stubborn and may get bored easily. Historically they come from a background of hunting dogs that are very alert and vigilant. This can make them a very effective watchdog. Their watchfulness coupled with their deep throaty bark usually reserved for a bigger dog can easily warn of strangers. 🥷

One downside that is due to their hunting history is their tendency to want to dig, explore and chase other animals. This prey drive and slightly aggressive traits in regards to other animals may prove an issue for families with cats or other pets. 🐈‍⬛

The history of the Dachshund can be traced back over 600 years, originating in Germany. 🇩🇪 The word Dachshund can be translated in German to mean “badger dog” which is what they were originally bred for. With their long body and razor sharp teeth and claws they were well suited to hunt down badgers in shallow burrows. 🦡 With the Dachshunds’ cleverness, courage and unstoppable determination they were perfectly built to burrow into animal dens and bring out their prey. The Dachshund is also equipped with a deep and loud bark which allows the Dachshund to communicate to the human hunters above ground as to the location of the hunted prey. Historically packs of Dachshunds have been used to also hunt wild boar. 🐗

The Dachshund was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1885. 

Let’s take a quick look at the other half of the doxiepoo hybrid.

The Poodle is called Pudel in Germany 🇩🇪 and Caniche in France 🇫🇷 . Both of these names are a nod to the Poodles original breeding use as a water retriever. The German Pudel name translates to puddle or splashing water . The French Caniche name translates to duck dog. 🦆

The Standard Poodles were originally bred as hunters of wildfowl to retrieve the game out of the water. The Miniature Poodle was also bred in France as a talented circus performer 🎪 . These Miniature Poodles were trained to walk tightropes and even perform card tricks and skits. 

Both the Dachshund and the Poodle have long histories as working dogs and companion dogs. 

Sizing it all up

The size of the doxiepoo can vary depending on the size of the parent breeds used for the hybrid. They can weigh between 5 to 30 pounds and stand 8 to 23 inches tall. Females are generally smaller than males.

Color Coding, Fur Real

The doxiepoo can have a variety of coat lengths, textures and colors. The Dachshund parent usually influences the coat length since the Dachshund can be either short haired or long haired. Dachshunds also have three different coat textures which are smooth, wirehaired and longhaired. The wiry coats were bred for the use of Dachshunds in thick thorny brier patches and the long coats were bred for warmth in colder climates. ❄️  So the doxiepoo could be any combination of these textures. Usually one these Dachshund hair qualities are combined with the curly hair of the Poodle 🐩  and the doxiepoo will end up with either shorter curly hair or longer curly hair. The doxiepoo may be any combination of their parent breeds coloring to include black, red, cream and different shades of brown.

No matter what coat type the doxiepoo ends up with, they will need to be brushed daily or every other day in order to prevent matting of the fur. They will also need to have a bath 🛁  once per month and an ear cleaning and trimming weekly in order to prevent ear infections. 👂

 The AKC states that “there is no such thing as a completely hypoallergenic dog”. Unfortunately people with dog allergies are usually allergic to the dog dander 🦠, not the dog’s fur. Granted the dog fur can be a carrier for the dog dander it is not the cause of the allergen. The old school of thought was that less dog hair = less allergen. So breeders would attempt to have as many Poodle genes in a dog breed to lessen dog hair shed. Unfortunately, this does not change the level of dander. Please be cautious regarding the labels of “hypoallergenic” if you have dog allergies. If you would like more info on this please read 22 Hypoallergenic Doodles. ◀️

Working it out

The doxiepoo is a moderate to high energy doodle. They will need about 60 to 90 minutes of exercise per day to stay happy and healthy. Doxiepoos enjoys a large amount of activities including fetch and playing tag around the house on a rainy day. ☔

⚠️ One word of warning, the doxiepoo should not be allowed to jump and climb on things this can injure them due to the shape of their bodies. They may require assistance down stairs and over other unlevel surfaces. ⚠️

⚠️ Last word of warning, it is not recommended to have your doodle participate in highly strenuous activities prior to the age of 10 months due to underdeveloped joints and bones. ⚠️

Come, Sit, Stay

The doxiepoo can be challenging to train depending on which parent breed the doxiepoo takes after. The Poodle is one of the easiest dog breeds to train and the Dachshund can be one of the most difficult dogs to train. The doxiepoo can land somewhere in the middle of those. The Dachshund can be a hard headed breed which can make training take longer. 😣

The doxiepoo may not get along particularly well with other pets, or dogs that they do not know. They also can have high anxiety from their Dachshund parent and don’t do well when left alone which can lead to barking, chewing or digging. The Doxiepoo may also need additional training for being touch shy, startling easily when touched without warning leading to possible biting. 

As with all dogs the doxiepoo will need early socialization and puppy classes in order to build good habits and be a happy and healthy doodle. 🐕

Quality of Life

Doxiepoos are generally healthy doodles. They can still be susceptible to the same medical issues as their parent breeds. 🩺  These medical issues include hip dysplasia, diabetes, epilepsy to name a few. 

The biggest medical concern for the doxiepoo parent breed the Dachshunds is their skeletal system. 🦴  They can easily be damaged due to their body shape. This tendency to skeletal damage can be made worse if they are overweight. In addition to this issue Dachshunds are notorious for overeating and gaining weight quickly. 

Both of these medical issues, the skeletal issue and weight gain can be traits passed down to the doxiepoo. 

So now you want a Doxiepoo….

If you are thinking about getting a doxiepoo you must make sure that you are in love with any combination of traits that a doodle surprise could offer. 🎁 Your doodle may look exactly like a Dachshund but act exactly like a Poodle. Would you be ok with that? What about the other way around? If you can love 💗 ALL of the traits of both parent breeds then DO IT! Doodles are the best! 

I would check at Poodle rescues and also at Dachshund specific rescues, they may have a mixed breed/hybrid there as well. Also check regular rescues. Just realize that if you want to rescue you may have to wait to find your dog or travel to pick it up. But there are great benefits to rescuing instead of buying. 👍👏

If you decide to buy a puppy please do your research on the breeder and don’t be afraid to ask the right questions. And good luck to you! I hope you find your forever puppy! 🥰