Dachshund coat colors – from common to extremely rare!

Learn all about the fascinatingDachshund coat colors, from the classic red and black to the unique dapple and piebald patterns: 

Dachshund coat types

When it comes to Dachshund coat colors, there are three main varieties: smooth, long-haired, and wire-haired. You can find all about dachshund varieties here: https://dachshundspace.com/all-about-dachshund-diversity 

• The smooth-coated Dachshunds have short, sleek fur that requires minimal grooming, and shedding is relatively low. Even though the Dachies don’t shed much, you still need to care for that lovely fur!
• On the other hand, longhaired Dachshunds boast beautiful flowing locks that demand more attention in terms of brushing and care. Their fur tends to be finer and can be prone to matting if neglected.
• Lastly, wirehaired Dachshunds possess a coarse outer coat with a dense undercoat, providing a rugged appearance. This type necessitates regular stripping or plucking to maintain the desired texture. 

While all three coat types have their unique charm, each demands different grooming needs and personal preferences. Whether you prefer the low maintenance of smooth coats or the elegance of long-haired ones, or even the rough and rugged look of wire-haired Dachshunds – there’s a perfect option for every dog lover out there!

Dachshund coat colors and patterns

Let’s talk about the different Dachshund coat colors! We can break them down into three categories: One Colored, Two Colored, and Patterns. 

One Colored means that the dachshund is just one color all over. Easy enough, right?

Two Colored means that the dachshund has two different colors. For example, they might be mostly brown (chocolate) but have some tan markings on their eyebrows, muzzle, and legs. We would call that a Chocolate and Tan dachshund.

Now, when it comes to patterns, the situation is a little different. Patterns are when a dachshund has two or more colors, but they are really different from each other. For example, if a dachshund has a coat that looks spotted, patched, or striped with chocolate and tan colors, we would call that a Chocolate Piebald, Dapple, or Brindle dachshund.

You must admit that the varieties are pretty cool, and our little floppy-ear friends look fabulous in any color! Here are some of the common and some quite rare coat colors in dachshunds:

One colored Dachshund

First, we have the one-colored dachshunds. These are most commonly red or cream. But did you know there are completely black dachshunds or even clean chocolate? They are quite rare, but they do exist!

• Red dachshunds can have a range of shades. Some are deep brownish-red, while others are almost yellow. It’s like they have autumn colors in their fur!

• Cream dachshunds, on the other hand, have a pure and light blonde color. They don’t have any reddish shades at all. They’re like little rays of sunshine!

These one-colored types of coats in Doxies have some interesting shading varieties!   Shading is when there are solid black hairs on the back, ears, and tail of a dachshund. This gives them a slightly darker look. It’s sometimes called Overlay, but it’s not the same as the Sable pattern.

There’s also something called Diluted Red. This is when a red dachshund has a lighter color, like Fawn or Isabella. Sometimes people mistake it for Chocolate-Red, but that’s not a real color.

It’s important to know that dilution can sometimes have health effects on dachshunds, but we will get to it later in the text!

Two colored Dachshunds

Our lovely short-legend Dachie friends are known for their two-colored coat types! Usually, they have a main color all over their body, like black or chocolate, and then they have lighter markings on their legs, face, chest, or ears. The most common combination is black and tan, but there are other cool combinations too!

For example, there’s black and cream, where the main color is black, and the markings are a creamy color. Another combination is chocolate and tan, where the main color is chocolate, and the markings are tan. Oh, and don’t forget about wild boar, which is a mix of different shades of brown and black.

There’s also a unique combination called blue and tan. It’s not actually blue like the sky, but more like a grayish color. These Dachshunds have a bluish-gray main color and tan markings. They look pretty cool!

So, when you see a two-colored Dachshund, you might see a mix of these colors: black, tan, chocolate, cream, white, fawn (which is a light brownish color), and grey (which is like a bluish-gray). It’s like they have a whole rainbow of colors in their fur!

Wild boar and chocolate two-colored Dachshund coat

Wild Boar and Chocolate Boar are two unique color combinations found in certain types of dogs, mostly in wire-haired dachshunds. When we talk about Wild Boar, we’re talking about a mix of colors that go from light tan to reddish-brown and even almost black. It’s like having different colors on each hair of their coat, which gives them a cool look. 

On the other hand, Chocolate two-colored dachshunds have a special feature that determines their coat color: their nose! If their nose is brown instead of black, it’s like they have a chocolate-colored nose, and that means their coat is also considered chocolate.

Diluted Dachshunds coat color

Sometimes, when a dog is born or grows up, it can have a special gene called the dilution gene. This gene can cause a condition called Color Dilution Alopecia, or CDA, but not all dogs are affected by it.

Color Dilution Alopecia is a genetic problem that messes with the color of a dog’s hair. It can make the hair look different than usual. Here are some examples:

– Isabella / Fawn (kind of like a lighter version of chocolate)

– Blue (kind of like a lighter version of black)

– Blue and Tan Dachshund

In some puppies, this condition affects the hair follicles under the skin, which can cause permanent damage and stop new hair from growing.

When puppies are born, they look healthy and have a full coat of hair. But as they grow up, dogs with Color Alopecia may start losing their hair between 6 months and 3 years old. They won’t be able to grow new hair, so adult dogs with this condition may have patches of missing hair or be completely bald.

Adult dogs can carry the Color Alopecia gene but may not have a diluted coat.

These genetic variations are not very popular since they can cause some health issues, and we do not want that; we want a healthy and happy dachshund in any color!

Pattern coat colored Dachshunds

Pattern coats can have different colors mixed together, and these cool markings help us figure out what kind of coat they have. And believe us when we say that patterns can be pretty fancy! They can have lots of colors, markings, and even more patterns on top of that. It’s like a big mix of awesomeness!

Sometimes, there are extra markings on the coat. People call them Overlay, Ticking, or Striped. These markings make the coat even more interesting and unique. But here’s something interesting: sometimes, there might not be any visible pattern on the coat, and the puppy is still considered patterned! These dogs can still carry the pattern gene and have puppies with patterns. It’s like a secret surprise!

Most common Dachshund’s patterned coats 

• Dapple

Dapple or Merle is like when you have a lot of light spots and on top of a darker color. It’s kind of like having white, silver, or gray patches on a background of brown, black, or tan. Sometimes, you can even have a combination of Dapple patterns with Piebald, Sable, and Brindle. And there can also be this thing called ‘Ticking’ and shading all over the body.

• Double Dapple

Double Dapple is the coat color that we get when two merle (dapple) dogs breed. But here’s the thing: these double dapple pups have a higher chance of having health problems. They might be born deaf, blind, or with other severe health issues! It’s actually forbidden to breed two merle dachshunds, and seen as inhumane.

• Brindle

Your Dachshund can have some cool tiger stripes, or in other words, it can have Brindle coat color! Dachshund’s most common brindle combos are black and tan brindle and red brindle! Even though this coat color is not officially recognized by breeders, it is very popular!

• Sable

The sable coat is one of the rare but most beautiful coat colors in long-haired dachshunds. The colors are mostly radish but with black tips!

• Piebald

Piebald is the result of a common mutated gene that appears in many different animals and reptiles. For Dachshunds, it results in a spotted, multicolor coat that can be combined with any other color or pattern.

Ultimately, whether you prefer a classic red Dachshund or are drawn to the charm of a rare color variation, there is no denying that these furry friends make an adorable addition to any family.