Looking for an active, loving (and slightly unusual) canine companion? Many mixed breed pups can fit this bill, including the Dachsador — a cross between a Labrador retriever and a dachshund.
These marvelous mutts are known for their loving personalities, intelligence, and contagious zest for life. We’ll explain everything you need to know about these cross-breed cuties below, so you can decide if you want to add one to your pack!
What Is A Dachsador?
As mentioned above, the Dachsador is a mixed breed dog created by crossing a dachshund with a Labrador retriever. While the origin story for this unique designer dog is relatively unknown, it’s clear these mutts have risen in popularity due to their lovable, friendly personalities.
Life with a Dachsador is amazing as long as these pups are the right fit for you and your family. You’ll need to have a firm understanding of the breed’s characteristics and traits before bringing home one of these best buddies.
Understanding the Parent Breeds of the Dachsador
While there’s no guarantee that your Dachsador will have traits perfectly split between his Labrador and dachshund parents, understanding each parent breed on its own can serve as a window into your hybrid puppy’s personality.
Make a point to meet your Dachsador’s parents ahead of time if possible, to ensure that your new puppy fits right into your family. We’ll give you a basic rundown on Labrador retrievers and dachshunds, so you know what to expect below.
The Labrador Retriever: A Fido Fan Favorite
Labrador retrievers are well-loved pups, who consistently rank as the AKC’s most popular dog breed. These adaptable dogs are smart, eager to please, and devoted family companions that do well in various households, so long as they receive the exercise they need to keep their tails wagging.
The medium-sized dogs weigh between 50 and 80 pounds and have golden, chocolate, or black coats. Labradors are active dogs that enjoy accompanying their owners on a run, hike, or dip in the pool. And after a long day of chasing squirrels and following you from room to room, these pups are happy to curl up next to you on the couch.
Lively Labs are naturally intelligent and relatively easy to train, especially if there are some treats involved. These outgoing four-footers tend to get along well with strangers and other pets, and they rarely have trouble making friends.
Above all, these devoted dogs are sure to make an unbreakable bond with you and your family.
Love Labs? Check out these similar-looking breeds!
The Dachshund: Curious Canine Cuties
These famously long, compact canines have a larger-than-life personality. “Dachshund” means “badger dog” in German, as these dogs were originally bred to dig deep into badger dens and drag out and dispatch the offending varmint (bet you had no idea these doggos had such a serious past!) You’ll find that these iconic weiner dogs are intelligent, curious, and always ready for the next adventure.
While these friendly four-footers may have difficulty participating in activities like distance running or leaping due to their builds, these energetic dogs love to follow their noses and chase after toys. The dachshund can be stubborn, but these pups are reasonably easy to train, as long as you are willing to put in the time and effort. That said, they can present some house-training issues, like many other small breeds.
Dachshunds usually weigh between 11 and 30 pounds, and they come in shorthaired, wirehaired, or longhaired coat types. These coats can span a variety of colors ranging from brindle, dapple, and sable, along with solid whites, browns, and blacks. With a heart of gold and spunky personality, these pristine pooches are sure to keep you on your toes.
The Dachsador: What Can You Expect From These Friendly Four-Footers?
It can be difficult to predict individual traits and characteristics accurately for any mixed breed pup. Taking that into consideration, here are some general guidelines of what you may expect from a Dachsador. Consider these traits to help you determine whether one of these designer doggos are the perfect pick for your family and lifestyle.
- Size and Shape: Dachsadors are medium-sized dogs weighing between 30 and 40 pounds. They’re usually 15 to 25 inches at the shoulder, though this can certainly fluctuate as it can with any mixed breed pooch. These pups typically have dachshund-like frames with longer legs and Lab-like snouts.
- Temperament: If you’re looking for a friendly furry friend, the Dachsador is a fantastic choice. These sweet pups love spending time with their family members, young and old. That being said, these dogs have a strong prey drive due to their dachshund parents’ hunting history. You’ll need to start socialization early if you have other small animals at home. Though these pups are certainly playful, they’re happy to cuddle up next to you as long as their exercise needs are met.
- Coat and Colors: The Dachsador has a short coat like that of his Labrador parent, most commonly black or brown. These doggos usually have charming brown eyes.
- Intelligence: These cuties are naturally intelligent canines. They have an amazing aptitude for learning tricks, though their clever nature can get them into some hijinks if not appropriately guided. You’ll want to make sure that these active pups are mentally and physically engaged throughout the day with puzzle toys, training sessions, and plenty of playtime.
- Training Challenges: While these friendly four-footers can learn plenty of tricks, they can have a stubborn streak due to their dachshund roots. With that in mind, these canine companions need an owner who can provide consistent, positive training sessions to keep their mutt manners in check. Dachsadors also have a strong prey drive, so you’ll need to pay special attention to socialization, especially if you have other small pets at home. These people-oriented pooches do best in homes where someone is home most of the time.
- Grooming: The Dachsador’s coat sheds moderately and requires daily brushing to stay in tip-top shape. These pups also have fabulous floppy ears that should be cleaned and monitored to prevent infection. You’ll also want to stay up to date on other doggie basics like daily tooth brushing, monthly baths, and biweekly nail trims.
- Exercise Needs: Don’t let the small stature fool you! These active pups have plenty of energy to expend, so it’s important that Dachsador owners can provide their pups with plenty of activity on a daily basis. Dachsadors love to play and spend time outside. As long as they are socialized properly, these pups will usually love trips to the dog park.
- Health: These medium-sized mutts live pretty healthy lives, living between 12 and 14 years. Your Dachsador may be more susceptible to developing conditions like hip dysplasia or eye issues shared by both the parent breeds. Also, depending on your Dachsador’s build, you may have to limit the use of stairs to reduce strain on his back.
Best Families and Owners For A Dachsador
Are you debating whether the Dachsador is the dog of your dreams? Here is a quick checklist to ensure that you provide these peppy pooches everything they need to feel right at home.
- You’re ready to invest in training. Luckily, the Dachsador is naturally very smart. However, he can be a bit stubborn and occasionally too curious for his own good, which can make training challenging at times. Dachsador owners need to be ready to invest in consistent, patient, and positive training sessions.
- You have a lively household. These people-loving pooches are known for their love of children, making them a great small dog for kids, and are sure to enjoy the hubbub of a lively household. Dachsadors are also active pups that need to be mentally engaged throughout the day, so they thrive in homes where there’s always something or someone to follow around.
- You love to get outside. Dachsadors are active and adventurous dogs that enjoy exploring the world around them. These pups need plenty of daily exercise and activity to keep their tails wagging. If you’re looking for a medium-sized adventure buddy, the Dachsador might be just what you’re searching for.
- You don’t have cats or other small pets. These mutts have a naturally strong prey drive so it may not be ideal for them to grow up in households with cats or other small pets. That being said, pups properly socialized with small pets early on can learn how to mind their manners around other cute creatures with practice.
- You’re looking for a best buddy. If there’s one thing you’ll find in a Dachsador, it’s a loyal friend. These dignified doggos are happy to follow you to the ends of the earth no questions asked.
In short, these dogs aren’t for families looking for a low maintenance lapdog. While these pups will cuddle up after a long day of playing, they tend to be more active pups who enjoy accompanying you on any and every activity. These curious canines enjoy spending time with their families at home, and have quite the thirst for adventure.
So long as their needs are met, these friendly four-footers make amazing active companions. These devoted dogs are sure to fit in well with lively, loving families.
How Can You Find A Dachsador?
Like any designer dog, tracking down this particular pooch can be difficult. That being said, there are a couple of ways to narrow your search.
As a starting point, you could use a pet-oriented search engine like Petfinder to see if there are any Dachsadors in your area.
You can also look into local shelters. You may not be able to get a perfect 50-50 Lab-dachshund mix, but that’s OK!
If you do choose to adopt a Dachsador at a local shelter, don’t forget to gather any important details on the dog’s history, temperament, and anything else you can think of from the shelter staff. You’ll also want to spend some time with your future furry friend at the shelter before bringing him home to ensure it’s a good fit.
If you happen to know a Dachsador owner, be sure to request a referral for the breeder. The breeder may not have an active litter available, but they may be able to give you some promising leads.
If you do choose to purchase a Dachsador, remember to look for a reputable breeder. Take the time to meet your puppy’s parents to ensure that your four-footer is the right fit for your family.
Similar Breeds and Breed Mixes to the Dachsador
Are you unsure whether the Dachsador is the perfect pooch for your lifestyle? Here are some other similar breeds and breed mixes to take into consideration.
- Springador: The Springador is an adorable cross between a springer spaniel and Labrador. These lively pups enjoy spending time with family members and exploring the outdoors.
- Daimaraner: This Weimaraner and dachshund mix is an affectionate and loyal companion. These pups can inherit the Weimaraners’ stunning blue eyes making these dogs pretty dashing.
- Jack Russell Terrier: These spirited pooches pack plenty of personality into a small frame. The Jack Russell terrier has a zealous, contagious attitude towards life.
- Beagador: This beagle and Labrador mix cross makes an amazing family dog that does well with kids. These friendly four footers are curious, caring canines.
- Corgidor: The Cogidor is a cross of a Labrador and corgi. These energetics dogs are eager to please and love long play sessions with family and friends.
- Cairn Terrier: These pint-sized pups were popularized due to Toto’s role in “The Wizard of Oz”. You’ll find that these cheerful canine companions like to stay busy, and are eternally devoted to their families.
- Goldenshund: This golden retriever and dachshund cross is super sweet and a lovely family companion. These furry friends are generally friendly though they can be somewhat wary of strangers.
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The Dachsador is a lively bundle of joy that’s sure to keep you on your toes in the best way. These canine cuties have a friendly, happy-go-lucky attitude paired with adorable good looks that are sure to steal your heart.
Do you have one of these curious canines at home? Does he act more like a dachshund or a Labrador? We’d love to hear all about it in the comments below!
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