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Miniature Wire Haired Dachshund breeders

The Miniature Wire Haired Dachshund pairs the smaller of the two British Dachshund sizes with the harsh coat of the wire varieties.

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Do you breed Miniature Wire Haired Dachshunds? Add your kennel to caninebreeder.co.uk so buyers looking for Miniature Wire Haired Dachshund puppies for sale, and owners searching for a Miniature Wire Haired Dachshund stud dog, can find you. You can advertise planned litters and stud dogs and display your Lafora, IVDD, cord1 PRA and eye results. A basic listing shows your kennel name, location, website, social media and categories, and paid plans unlock more showcase features. Add your listing or see pricing.

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In England you need a dog breeding licence from your council if you breed three or more litters in 12 months or breed and sell dogs as a business, and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own schemes. Licensed breeders show their licence number and issuing council on every advert. Puppies must be at least eight weeks old before they go to new homes.

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About the Miniature Wire Haired Dachshund

The Miniature Wire Haired Dachshund pairs the smaller of the two British Dachshund sizes with the harsh coat of the wire varieties. Like the other five varieties it descends from the German Teckel, a hound The Royal Kennel Club says is still used to track wounded deer and to go to ground after badgers and rabbits; in Germany, Dachshund sizes are set by chest circumference. The Miniature Dachshund Club records that it took responsibility for the Miniature Wire in 1953, and the variety gained its own register and championship status in 1958. The Wire Haired Dachshund Club, founded in 1927, supports both wire sizes and holds championship shows. The variety is in the RKC Hound group; see other hound breeders or our breed directory.

Size and build. The shared breed standard sets an ideal weight of 4.5 kg (10 lb) and a desired maximum of 5 kg (11 lb). It asks for a moderately long, muscular dog with no exaggeration and ground clearance of at least a quarter of the height at the withers. The Wire Haired Dachshund Club's information page stresses that a Dachshund should be short in the leg rather than long in the back, since excessive length can contribute to back disease.

Coat and grooming. The standard asks for a short, straight, harsh outer coat over a dense undercoat, with a beard, bushy eyebrows and nearly smooth ears. The RKC suggests grooming more than once a week, and the coat sheds. The club says most wire coats need hand-stripping a couple of times a year, with weekly work using a comb and stiff brush. Wild boar and chocolate wild boar are accepted only in the wire varieties; red, black or chocolate with tan, and dapple are also permitted.

Exercise. The RKC suggests up to an hour a day and rates the variety suitable for a small house and a small to medium garden, in town or country. The club runs tracking, agility and fun days; see our dog sports guide.

Temperament and suitability. The standard describes an intelligent, lively and brave dog with a loyal, even temper. The wire club calls the breed stubborn, wilful and loyal, and suggests wires are generally the most outgoing of the varieties. The RKC gives a lifespan of over 12 years. It suits owners who enjoy regular coat care and patient, consistent training.

Miniature Wire Haired Dachshund health tests

The RKC lists two Good Practice tests. The first is spine screening for intervertebral disc disease (IVDD), in which spinal discs harden early and can herniate. In the breed council's DachsLife 2018 survey, cited by the RKC, 16.5% of Miniature Wires over three had IVDD reported. The IVDD scheme X-rays dogs aged 24 to 48 months and grades the spine from 0 to 3 by the number of calcified discs; the RKC notes that screening lowers risk but cannot guarantee an unaffected puppy.

The second is a DNA test for Lafora disease, an inherited, late-onset epilepsy that Dachshund Health UK identifies in Miniature Wires. Signs usually appear from about five years and include sudden jerking, which flashing lights, noise or movement near the head can trigger, and the disease may progress to wider neurological decline. It is recessive, and because it shows so late, testing all breeding stock before mating is the only reliable way to avoid affected puppies.

All three miniature varieties can also be affected by cord1 PRA, which can cause blindness; Dachshund Health UK also advises NPHP4 PRA (day blindness) testing for wires with Scandinavian pedigrees. The RKC places the variety in Breed Watch Category 2: judges watch for thin dogs, eye irritation, poor hind movement and inadequate ground clearance.

Choosing a Miniature Wire Haired Dachshund breeder

A responsible Miniature Wire breeder will have Lafora DNA results for both parents and will explain what they mean for the litter. Dachshund Health UK says breed club members are expected to test for Lafora under the breed's code of ethics. Ask as well for IVDD grades, cord1 PRA results and recent eye certificates, and check them all on the RKC Health Test Results Finder. A good breeder should also be happy to talk you through coat care, including hand-stripping. Be aware that Dachshund Health UK notes some wires carry genes for smooth or long coats, and since 2016 such recessive-coated puppies can be registered by the coat they actually have, so a wire litter can include a differently coated pup. Visit the puppies with their mother, and do not collect before eight weeks, by which age every puppy must be microchipped and registered. In England, a breeder selling puppies from three or more litters in any 12-month period needs a council licence. Our buyer safety guide explains how to avoid scams.

  • Are both parents DNA tested for Lafora's disease, and may I see the results?
  • What are the parents' IVDD grades and cord1 PRA results?
  • When were the parents' eyes last examined, and do they have Scandinavian lines that need NPHP4 testing?
  • How do you keep the parents' coats, and will you show me how to hand-strip?
  • Will the puppy be RKC registered and microchipped, and will you help rehome it if needed?

Miniature Wire Haired Dachshund questions

What is Lafora disease in Miniature Wire Haired Dachshunds?

Lafora disease is a late-onset, inherited epilepsy that Dachshund Health UK identifies in Miniature Wires. Signs usually start from about five years of age with sudden jerking, often triggered by flashing lights or noise. It is recessive, so a puppy is only affected if both parents pass on the mutation. The RKC lists a Lafora DNA test as Good Practice for breeding dogs.

Does a Miniature Wire Haired Dachshund need hand-stripping?

Usually, yes. The Wire Haired Dachshund Club says most wire coats need hand-stripping a couple of times a year, plus a weekly session with a comb and a stiff brush. The RKC suggests grooming more than once a week.

How big is a Miniature Wire Haired Dachshund?

The breed standard gives an ideal weight of 4.5 kg (10 lb) and a desired maximum of 5 kg (11 lb). The RKC notes that this is an ideal, and individual dogs may be a little larger or smaller.

Do Miniature Wire Dachshunds get back problems?

They can. The breed council's DachsLife 2018 survey, cited by the RKC, found IVDD reported in 16.5% of Miniature Wires over three years old. Ask for parents screened under the RKC IVDD scheme and keep your dog fit and at a healthy weight.

More for Miniature Wire Haired Dachshund owners and breeders

Official sources