One of the most interesting features of the Dachshund is its wide variety of colors, which includes unique markings such as the dapple pattern. What is this very interesting pattern, though, and what makes it remarkable?
No matter what type of Dachshund you fancy, whether a miniature or a standard one, or a smooth, long, or wire-haired one, you can get a dapple version of this dog breed.
This article will discuss everything you need to know about the dapple pattern in Dachshunds, including its different types, how it is produced, its effect on health and behavior, its prices, and where to look for one!
Contents show
What Is a Dapple Dachshund?
A dapple Dachshund is a coat pattern of the breed that may appear on all of its variants. It is characterized by an irregular pattern of speckles and dilute or light-colored patches all over its face, body, legs, and tail. The literal meaning of dapple is “mark with spots or rounded patches.”
This dapple pattern in Dachshunds is brought about by a genetic mutation. The extent or the intensity of dappling may vary from dog to dog, even of the same litter.
While some may have highly visible coat patterns that are scattered throughout their face and body, other Dachshunds may have lighter markings and may only be concentrated on a particular surface.
Are Dapple Dachsunds Rare?
Dapple Dachshunds are less common compared to the other coat colors of the dog breed. The rarity of a dapple Dachshund will further depend on its type and its color.
Some colors that are harder to produce in both miniature and standard Dachshunds, such as blue or isabella, will be even more difficult to produce in their dapple versions, too.
Further, double dapple Dachshunds, or those Dachshunds that are produced from mating two dapple Dachshunds or two parents who carry the dapple gene, are even rarer.
However, note that breeding a double dapple Dachshund is also controversial because of the health issues associated with it.
Different Types of Dapple Dachshunds
The Dachshund is one of those dog breeds that come in a huge assortment of coat colors. Along with its two different sizes and three coat varieties, there are endless combinations that breeders can produce.
Here are some of the most common colors of dapple Doxies:
1. Silver Dapple
The silver dapple Dachshund is known for its silver streaks of fur alongside other fully pigmented patches scattered across its face and body.
Silver is a color achieved through the dilution of the black pigment eumelanin.
2. Blue Dapple
The blue dapple Dachshund is produced through the combination of the diluted black color, creating a grayish-blue appearance with the dapple gene.
3. Chocolate Dapple
As a Dachshund breeder for about seven years, I have personally produced beautiful chocolate dapple Dachshunds multiple times. I have done this by matching chocolate or brown Dachshunds with silver or red dapple Doxies.
The dappling pattern or shade of a chocolate dapple Dachshund can range from light to dark brown. The mottling or speckling pattern can also appear across the entire body, face, legs, tail, and even the paws.
4. Red Dapple
The red dapple Dachshund is produced by mixing a red Doxie, whose color is driven by the phaeomelanin pigment, with a dapple Dachshund,
The red dapple wiener dog may have a light to dark red or rusty base coat shade with a darker dapple pattern. This is harder to notice in long-haired dapple Dachshunds.
5. Cream Dapple
One needs to take a closer look at the cream dapple Dachsund to notice its dapple pattern, even in smooth coats. The light base coat, along with the light mottling, may even be harder to spot in the long-haired coat type.
6. Black and Tan Dapple
Black and tan is one of the most common colors in standard or miniature Dachshunds. This makes the black and tan dapple Dachshund puppy easy to produce.
The black and tan dapple Dachshund’s streaks may turn silver or gray if the dilution gene affects the black parts of this dog. It can also lighten the tan parts to cream.
7. Black and Cream Dapple
Almost similar to the black and tan dapple badger dog is the black and cream dapple Doxie. The only difference is that instead of tan, it has cream patches scattered mostly on its body, head, chest, and feet.
8. Chocolate and Cream Dapple
The dilution gene plays a big role in the chocolate and cream dapple Dachshund since the chocolate is a dilution of the black color, while the cream is a dilution of the red color.
The darker color speckles can be seen faintly across its entire body, face, ears, legs, paws, and tail. However, it may not be as visible compared to darker-colored dapple Dachshunds.
9. Chocolate and Tan Dapple
The chocolate and tan dapple Dachshund is a slightly darker version of the chocolate and cream dapple Doxie. The only difference is that the cream-colored points are replaced by tan, which is also a dilution of red.
10. Blue and Cream Dapple
This dapple Dachshund combines the blue base coat color with patches of cream, creating a highly diluted coat type. This dappling pattern is highly visible since the blue color highly contrasts with cream.
11. Isabella Dapple
One of the rarest and possibly the most expensive dapple color is the isabella dapple Dachshund. Isabella, also known as lilac, is a dilution of the chocolate color.
This gives a fawn-like base coat color with slightly darker random ticking all over its body.
12. Brindle Dapple
The brindle dapple is technically not a color but a pattern combination. This merges the tiger-like striping gene with the mottling or speckling pattern in the Dachshund.
Since both the brindle and the dapple genes are both dominant, it requires one parent to be brindle and one parent to be dapple to produce this unique pattern combination.
13. Piebald Dapple
The piebald dapple pattern is another combination of two Dachshund markings merged into a single dog. Its piebald part contains darker patches and irregularly sized spotting.
Meanwhile, its dappled parts display irregular speckled patches.
However, note that breeding a piebald with a dapple Dachshund will create a double dapple Dachshund puppy, which makes it susceptible to a lot of genetic defects and health issues.
14. Double Dapple
Mating two dapple Dachshunds results in double dapple Dachshund puppies. Double dapples usually have large areas of white markings on their bodies and even on their faces.
If dappling appears on the face, there is a high probability that its eyes might be blue. Breeding double-dapple Dachshunds is highly discouraged due to its health implications, affecting the quality of life of the dog.
Dapple Dachshund Appearance
Aside from its coat appearance, the looks of the dapple Dachshund are no different from the other variants of this dog breed.
The dapple standard Dachshund stands at around 8 to 9 inches and weighs between 16 and 32 pounds. Meanwhile, the mini dapple Dachshund is 5 to 6 inches tall and weighs no more than 11 pounds.
The name Dachshund means badger dog, which explains the appearance of the modern dapple Dachshund.
Its long body that is low to the ground due to its short and stubby legs made these small dogs effective in hunting badgers in their badger dens, which was what they were originally bred for.
Further, its head tapers toward the tip of the nose. Its eyes are also almond-shaped and dark-rimmed, while its ears are moderately long and droop towards the side of its head.
It can also have different coat types, depending on what the parents carry — short, long, or wire-haired.
Dapple Dachshund Color Genetics
The dapple gene is known as the merle gene in other breeds. Hence, it is also a dominant gene, scientifically represented by “M.”
This means that you only need one dapple parent or a single parent carrying the “M” gene to produce a single dapple puppy.
Breeding a dapple Dachshund with a non-dapple Dachshund will give you a 75% chance of producing dapple Dachshunds in the litter. A dapple Doxie will exhibit speckling or mottling of dilute pigments over a base coat color.
However, be careful when breeding a dapple Dachsund or dapple gene carrier with another one. This will lead to the production of double-dapple puppies prone to a lot of health problems.
Do Dapple Dachshund Puppies Change Color as They Grow?
Like with any other dog breed or other Dachshund colors and patterns, dapple Dachshund puppies can change color as they grow. Their coat colors may either grow lighter or darker eventually.
Genetics plays a critical role in ultimately determining the final color of a dapple Dachshund. So, aside from a DNA test, a practical way of determining the possible end colors of your dapple Dachshunds is to examine the parents’ colors.
The environment may also be a factor that can influence the coat color of dogs. Dapple Dachshund owners who let their puppies play under the sun a lot may cause their dogs’ coats to fade or lighten over time.
Do Kennel Clubs Recognize Dapple Dachshunds?
Dapple is one of the standard markings accepted by the American Kennel Club (AKC), which is the primary kennel club in the United States.
According to its breed standards for the Dachshund, neither the light-colored patches nor markings nor the dark-colored base should predominate, and only a large area of white on the chest is permissible.
Hence, this means that double-dapple Dachshunds are not allowed due to their usual large areas of white markings on their bodies.
Dapple Dachshunds are also recognized by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI), the United Kennel Club (UKC), and the Continental Kennel Club (CKC).
This means that they are also free to join conformation shows and sporting events hosted by these clubs.
Dapple Dachshund Temperament and Personality
The temperament of Dapple Dachshunds is no different from how any other miniature or standard Dachshund behaves. They are intelligent, vibrant, energetic, and are very protective of their families.
Dapple Dachshunds love the attention of their owners and can get clingy to the point where they tend to get jealous of the affection shown by their owners to other dogs.
They are also prone to separation anxiety, so ensure to always have someone to keep them company or do crate training to give them a secured space at home when you need to be away for a long time.
The Dachshund may not be a placid dog breed, and it may retain a lot of its prey drive with its hunting dog heritage, but with early socialization, it can get along very well with other dogs.
Additionally, dapple Dachshunds are also quite reserved with strangers. They will not hesitate to alarm their owners of any unfamiliar people around their territory, making them effective watchdogs.
Dapple Dachshund Lifespan and Health Issues
A healthy dapple Dachshund’s lifespan is somewhere around 12 to 16 years.However, despite being a healthy breed, dapple Dachshunds share the same health problems common in this dog breed.
Further, double dapple Dachshund puppies are at a higher risk of genetic defects and additional health issues due to the double merle gene they carry.
Here are some of the most common illnesses you need to watch out for when owning dapple Dachshunds:
- Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD): IVDD is the most common spinal disease in dogs, especially Dachshunds, which accounts for 45% to 70% of IVDD cases. This happens when the shock-absorbing gelatinous substance found between the bones of the spine ruptures. Treatment may vary on the severity of the condition.
- Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA): PRA refers to the group of degenerative diseases affecting the photoreceptors of the eyes. The continuous deterioration of the cells may eventually lead to blindness. Since there is no known cure for this, it is best to prevent this by not breeding dogs that have this condition.
- Color Dilution Alopecia (CDA): Since the dapple Dachshund’s coat involves a lot of dilution, this makes it prone to CDA. This causes hair loss as well as itchy or flaky skin in the affected dog. This condition can be managed with shampoos, ointments, and antibiotics.
Further, double dapples are subject to some very critical congenital disorders. They may be born blind, deaf, or with malformed or missing ears. They are also prone to other skin issues, such as skin cancer.
These conditions can highly affect the quality of life of dapple Dachshunds. Hence, it is best to carefully screen your puppy’s breeder and check all the details you need about your puppy’s parents before getting one.
Dapple Dachshund Shedding and Grooming
The grooming requirement of a dapple Dachshund depends on its coat type. Naturally, long and wire-haired Doxies, especially with their dense undercoats, require more work than their smooth-coat counterparts.
Brushing two to three times a week shall keep the coats of these longer-haired dapple Dachshunds mat and tangle-free. The same brushing frequency is also good for removing the smooth-coated Doxies’ loose hairs.
In terms of shedding, though all three coat types are known to shed moderately, smooth-coated ones shed more lightly throughout the year.
The long-haired dapple Dachshund sheds prominently twice a year, during spring and autumn, while the wire-haired one also sheds only twice a year but is also surprisingly the lightest shedder of the three.
How Much Does a Dapple Dachshund Cost? Puppy Prices & Expenses
Due to the wide variety of combinations of sizes, coat types, and colors a dapple Dachshund can have, the range of one from a reputable breeder can range anywhere between $700 and $4,000.
Note that a double-dapple Dachshund is also priced higher than a single-dapple pup. Despite the health problems associated with it, unethical breeders take advantage of its unique appearance and its rarity.
Meanwhile, as you financially plan for your new puppy, you also have to consider the associated costs of keeping your dapple Dachshund healthy, secure, and comfortable.
The table below lists the expenses for first-time owners of dapple Dachshunds:
| Type of Expense | Cost |
| Food and Treats | $30 – $110 |
| Bowls | $10 – $30 |
| Toys | $20 – $60 |
| Beds | $30– $200 |
| Collars and Leashes | $15 – $50 |
| Crates and Carriers | $30 – $370 |
| Grooming Essentials | $50 – $160 |
| Initial Vet Visits | $100 – $500 |
| Initial Vaccine Shots | $50 – $300 |
| Deworming, Flea, and Tick Medications | $40 – $300 |
| Neutering or Spaying | $50 – $500 |
| Microchipping | $40 – $60 |
| Dog License | $10 – $20 |
| Other Essentials | $20 – $50 |
| Total Initial Cost | $495 – $2,470 |
As you scout for the best deals for dapple Dachshunds, a practical tip to save on the costs of these items is to look for breeders who package these items as freebies along with the purchase of dogs from their kennel.
Places to Find Dapple Dachshund Puppies for Sale and Adoption
With the sensitivity of breeding dapple Dachshunds, it is best to only deal with ethical and reputable breeders of these dogs.
Further, breeders with enough care for their produced puppies will surely avoid producing double dapple Dachshunds and the negative effects of the double merle gene.
To assist you in sourcing a healthy dapple Dachshund, here are some sites you can check:
- AKC Marketplace – Breeders posting in the American Kennel Club marketplace are sure to uphold the highest breeding standards for the Dachshund. Expect the majority of dapple Dachshunds advertised to be from the best bloodlines and to come with health guarantees.
- Dachshund Club of America, Inc. (DCA) Breeders Directory – DCA is the national breed club of the AKC for the Dachshund breed. Since 1985, the DCA has actively promoted the health and the natural qualities of all purebred Dachshunds, including dapples.
- Good Dog – As a credible online source of healthy and quality puppies, including dapple Dachshunds, Good Dog implements community standards for breeders who wish to join their breeding organization. This should make you comfortable that you are dealing with screened breeders that implement ethical breeding practices.
Meanwhile, adopting is another way to acquire a dapple Dachshund. This path allows you as well to choose from puppies and even adults with already-established behaviors.
Here are some credible rescue organizations where you can adopt a healthy and rehabilitated dapple Dachshund:
- Midwest Dachshund Rescue (MWDR) – Established in 2003, MWDR concentrates its rescue efforts in the Midwest states, primarily Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana. Aside from rehabilitating and rehoming their rescues, they also educate people on the future care of their Doxies.
- Dachshund Adoption, Rescue & Education (DARE) – This Florida-based rescue’s mission is to increase public awareness against animal cruelty, related issues, and the overpopulation of Dachshunds and their mixes. This is mainly done through the rescue and rehoming of Dachshunds in need, which includes dapple dachshunds as well.
- Dream Dachshund Rescue – This all-volunteer organization in Georgia has rescued over 1,500 Dachshunds since 2005. Their focus is the welfare of Dachshunds, and they view the lack of it as a disease in society. As a treatment for this, they rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome Dachshunds in need, including dapples.
When you get a dog from a rescue center, you just don’t save on the higher cost of buying one from a breeder, but you also do the noble deed of giving a once-abandoned dapple Doxie another chance of finding a loving home.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Dapple Dachshunds Less Healthy?
There are no issues with breeding dapple Dachshunds with non-dapple ones. Their litter will have the health status of any other well-taken care of Doxie.
However, if it is bred out of two dapple dogs, it will produce double-dapple Dachshunds. These puppies are prone to many genetic issues and health problems, which may include blindness, deafness, and even skin cancer.
Do Dapple Dachshunds Bark a Lot?
Dapple Dachshunds are naturally protective dogs who tend to form strong bonds with their families. Hence, they will belt out a loud bark when they see an outside threat.
Other reasons why they bark may be because of excitement, boredom, and when they seek your attention. This can be reduced by ensuring that they are given the right amount of physical and mental exercise.
Obedience training using positive reinforcement will also help manage this behavior.
Are All Dachshunds With Blue Eyes Double Dapple?
No, not all blue-eyed Dachshunds are double-dapple. Some non-double dapple Dachshunds can have blue eyes, and an example of this is the albino Dachshund.
On the other hand, all double-dapple Dachshunds will either have a set of blue eyes or be bi-eyed, having one blue eye and one dark eye.
Are Dapple Dachshunds Hard to Potty Train?
Dapple Doxie puppies, just like any other Dachshund, are very challenging to housebreak or potty train. Aside from their willful nature, their small bladders mean that they are more likely to pee every now and then.
To help manage this, constant supervision and patience are needed when training them.
Further, getting your dapple Dachshund a leash to take it outside, a crate for when you can’t monitor it, and treats for positive reinforcement will all help toward driving the right behavior.
Why Are Dapple Dachshunds More Expensive?
Dapple Dachshunds are relatively more expensive compared to other standard colored or patterned Dachshunds because they are more difficult to produce, making them harder to find.
Many rare patterns and colors are admired even more by Doxie enthusiasts due to their unique appearance and appeal, including blue, isabella, and even double dapple. This makes these variants even more expensive.
What Is the Rarest Dachshund Color?
Even though black is one of the main base colors of a Dachshund, it is surprising to note that a solid black Dachshund is regarded as the rarest color for this dog breed.
Final Thoughts
As a recognized standard pattern, along with its existing beautiful coat color combinations, it is not surprising that the dapple Dachshund has a very high demand among Dachshund enthusiasts.
However, due to the risks associated with producing double dapples, it is best to thoroughly research the puppy you are interested in, including its breeder, its pedigree, and most importantly, its health status.
If bred ethically, though, you are guaranteed a healthy dog with a splendid speckled coat pattern and admirable behavior. Let us know your thoughts about the dapple Dachshund in the comments below!!
