Hindquarters
The hindquarters viewed from behind should be of completely equal width. Pelvic bones not too short, rather strongly developed, and moderately sloping. Thigh robust and of good length, set at right angle to the pelvic bones. Hind legs robust and well muscled, with well-rounded buttocks. Knee joint broad and strong. Calf bone, in comparison with other breeds, short; it should be perpendicular to the thigh bone, and firmly muscled. The bones at the base of the foot (tarsus) should present a flat appearance, with a strongly prominent hock and a broad tendon of Achilles. The central foot bones (metatarsus) should be long, movable towards the calf bone. Hind feet: four compactly closed and beautifully arched toes, as in the case of the front paws. The whole foot should be posed equally on the ball and not merely on the toes. Nails short.
Tail
Set in continuation of the spine, extending without very pronounced curvature, and should not be carried too gaily.
Faults
Serious Faults (which may prevent a dog from receiving any show rating): overshot or undershot jaws, knuckling over, very loose shoulders.
Secondary Faults (which may prevent a dog from receiving a high show rating): a weak, long-legged, or dragging figure; body hanging between the shoulders; sluggish, clumsy, or waddling gait; toes turned inwards or too obliquely outwards; splayed paws; sunken back, roach (or carp) back; croup higher than withers; short-ribbed, or too weak chest; excessively drawn up flanks, like those of a Greyhound; narrow, poorly muscled hindquarters; weak loins; bad angulation in the front or hindquarters; cow-hocks; "glass" eyes, except for grey or dappled dogs; a bad coat
Minor Faults (which may prevent a dog from receiving the highest rating in championship competition): ears wrongly set, sticking out, narrow or folded; too marked a stop; too pointed or weak jaw; pincer teeth, distemper teeth; too wide or short a head; goggle eyes, "glass" eyes in the case of greys and dappled dogs, insufficiently dark eyes in the case of all the other coat colours; dewlap; short neck; swan neck; too fine or too thin hair.
Note
Inasmuch as the Dachshund is a hunting dog, scars from honourable wounds shall not be considered a fault.
Special Characteristics of the Three Coat Varieties of Dachshunds
The Dachshund is bred with three varieties of coat:
Short-Haired (or Smooth) Dachshund
Hair
Short, thick, smooth and shining, no bald patches. Special faults are: too fine or thick hair, leathery ears, bald patches, too coarse or too thick hair in general.
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 partly or wholly hairless tail.
Colour of Hair, Nose and Nails
(a) One-Coloured Dachshund
This group includes red (often called tan), red-yellow, and yellow, with or without a shading of interspersed black hairs. Nevertheless, a clean colour is preferable, and red is to be considered more desirable than red-yellow or yellow. Dogs strongly shaded with interspersed black hairs belong to this class, and not to other colour groups. No white is desirable, but a solitary small spot is not exactly disqualifying. Nose and nails - black, although red is admissible, but not desirable.
(b) Two-Coloured Dachshund
These comprise deep black, chocolate, grey, and white; each with rust-brown or yellow marks over the eyes, on the sides of the jaw and underlip, on the inner edge of the ear, front, breast, inside and behind the front leg, on the paws and around the anus and from there to about one-third to one-half of the length of the tail on the underside. (The most common Two-Coloured Dachshund is usually called black and tan). Except on white dogs, no white is desirable, but a solitary small spot is not exactly disqualifying. Absence, or undue prominence of tan markings, is undesirable. Nose and nails - In the case of black dogs, black; for chocolate, brown or black; for grey, grey or even flesh colour, but the last named colour is not desirable. In the case of white dogs, black nose and nails ae to be preferred.
(c) Dappled and Striped Dachshund
The colour of the dappled (or tiger) Dachshund is a clear brownish or greyish colour, or even a white ground, with dark irregular patches or dark-grey, brown, red-yellow or black (large areas of one colour not desirable). It is desirable that neither the light nor the dark colour should predominate. The colour of the striped (brindle) Dachshund is red or yellow with a darker streaking. Nose and nails - as for One and Two-Coloured Dachshunds.
Go to CKC Standard - Page 3
Go back to Links page