General Appearance:
Low to ground, short-legged, long-bodied, but with compact figure and robust muscular development, with bold and confident carriage or head and intelligent facial expression; conformation preeminently fitted for following game into burrows. In spite of his shortness of leg, in comparison with his length of trunk, he should appear neither crippled, awkward, cramped in his capacity for movement, nor slim and weasel-like. The weight of the dachshund is between 18 and 30 pounds. Added to this, his hunting spirit, good nose, loud tongue, and small size render him especially suited for beating the bush. His figure and his fine nose give him an especial advantage over most other breeds of sporting dogs for trailing.

Special Characteristics of Short-Haired (or Smooth) Dachshund:
Hair: Short, thick, smooth and shining; no bald patches. Tail: Gradually tapered to a point, well but not too richly haired; long sleek bristles on the underside are considered a patch of strong-growing hair, not a fault. A brush tail is a fault, as is also a partly or wholly hairless tail.

Dachshund Character:
Developed in Europe as a hunting dog, the Dachshund iss lively, clever, curious, courageous, independent and can be a little stubborn. However, since coming to North America, where they are mainly used as pets, their character has been changed, making them more outgoing, with a cheerful disposition. Most of them still retain strong hunting instincts, but really like being with people. They will occasionally exhibit an odd hearing problem called "Dachshund Deafness" when given a command they would rather ignore. They excel with children, but for young or boisterous children, the Standard size is preferable. Miniature Dachshunds are ideal for smaller quarters, especially in situations where the dog has to be lifted or carried.

The Wirehair Dachshund is somewhat more rash than the Smooth, while the Longhair tends to have the gentlest character- BUT - there is more difference between individuals than between the breeds, or between males and females of these breeds. Males are as loving and gentle, and are often more patient than females. Regardless of coat, size or sex, Dachshunds are optimists, and with gentle but firm guidance they make wonderful companions.

Temperament:
He should be clever, lively, and courageous to the point of rashness, persevering in his work both above and below ground; with all the senses being well-developed.