The Dachshund Poodle Mix, also known by a fancy name Doxiepoo, is a hybrid of Dachshund and miniature Poodle. It is a modern dog breed that was developed during the current century.
Though Doxiepoos are small to medium, they are high-spirited, smart, and intelligent. They are great pets, courtesy of their enchanting looks, smartness, and loyalty, and suitable for families with children. They have short hair with coats in a variety of colors.
Let us find out more about it!
An Overview of Its Parent Breeds
Due to the lack of documented research on Doxiepoo, we will take a look at the history of its parent breeds to better understand the Dachshund Poodle Mix breed.
Dachshund History
Dachshunds originated in Germany about 600 years ago. Due to their small but longer build, they are popularly known as the sausage dogs or wiener dogs. They were originally bred for hunting various tunneling animals. However, due to their loyalty and excellent companionship, they gradually became popular family pets.
They are also very clever and lively. Today, Dachshunds are famous all over the internet because they frequently feature in memes. Buster is a famous Dachshund from the movie series Toy Story. They were recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 1885.
The Origin and History of the Poodle Breed
Poodles are believed to have originated around 400 years ago. They were originally bred as duck hunters. The AKC recognized Poodles as a breed in 1887. Poodles are known for their friendly character as well as intelligence—they are often grouped with the smartest dog breeds. Poodle is the national dog of France, but because of their friendly nature and showy coats, they have become popular across the world. In fact, Poodle is the 6th most popular dog breed in the U.S.
Because of their soaring popularity, Poodles are mixed with many other purebred dogs to create designer breeds. Besides Doxiepoo, the most popular Poodle mixes include Borderdoodle, Irish Doodle, Yorkipoo, Cavoodle, Aussiedoodle, etc.
Comparing Doxiepoo With Its Parent Breeds
| Characteristics | The Doxiepoo Breed | Dachshunds | Poodles |
| Height (inches) | 8 to 21 | 13 to 15 | 11 to 15 |
| Weight (pounds) | 5 to 30 | 14 to 18 | 45 to 70 |
| Lifespan (years) | 10 to 15 | 12 to 16 | 9 to 13 |
| Colors | White, Black, Cream, Grey, and Brown | Black, Tan, Chocolate, Blue, Cream, and Red | Black, White, Brown, Silver, Sable, Apricot, and Grey |
| Eye Color | Brown and Hazel | Green, Light Brown, or Amber | Brown |
| Price (U.S. $) | 250 to 2,000 | 800 to 2,000 | 700 to 1,500 |
Dachshund Poodle Mix Personality and Temperament
Some of the most prominent personality and temperament traits Doxiepoos exhibit are taken from either of their parent breeds. For instance, they take intelligence from Poodles and stubbornness from Dachshunds.
Doxiepoos are high-energy dogs and are always up for an adventure. They can play all day long with your children, but you are advised not to leave them unsupervised with small children—while playing overzealously, they can accidentally knock over kids. Moreover, you can take them along your morning walks and can also let them tag along on weekend hiking.
Note also that they are not much welcoming of other pets. If their loving owners are petting some other dog, they get jealous and develop behavioral issues. Therefore, they should be kept in a single-pet household, preferably.
Dachshund Poodle Mix Dietary Requirements
Based on the size and energy of Doxiepoos, your dog requires around 350 calories a day to maintain a healthy weight and perform different physical activities. Hence, about one to two cups of high-quality dog food would be enough. You can divide this quantity into two or three meals, depending on your dog’s choice and ease.
However, you should not feed your dog more than the recommended amount of food as the Dachshund Poodle Mix is prone to overeating and growing obese. Only feed him more if your vet recommends doing so or if he is underweight according to the below Doxiepoo growth chart.
| Doxiepoo Growth Chart |
| Age | Average Weight (pounds) |
| 1 Month | 5 |
| 2 Months | 6 |
| 3 Months | 8 |
| 4 Months | 8 |
| 5 Months | 10 |
| 6 Months | 13 |
| 9 Months | 20 |
| 1 Year | 25 |
Likewise, for maintaining proper health and balanced nutrition, you should make sure that your dog has an ample amount of protein and fat intake on a daily basis. Nonetheless, the daily intake of carbohydrates should be limited as its increased intake can put unnecessary strain on his tummy.
The Exercise Requirements for the Dachshund Poodle Mix Breed
Doxiepoos are high-energy dogs and require around an hour of physical activity every day. You can divide this time into different physical activities. In general, two 15 to 20 minutes walks, and two short interactive play sessions would make sure that your Doxiepoo healthily expends all its energy.
Anyhow, based on the Doxiepoo personality and characteristics, the following three activities will be joyful and healthy for him:
- Visiting a Park: It is a healthy place with a clean environment for your dog to be in. Besides, he can also have a chance to see other dogs. Just hold his leash and walk with him.
- Tricks and Commands: Doxiepoos are intelligent. Try teaching your different tricks and make him follow your commands. Start with basic ones such as ‘sit’ and ‘stand,’ and you can move on to teaching him advanced skills like how to roll over.
- Get your dog interactive dog toys and food puzzles to make his day interesting and keep him from getting bored.
Dachshund Poodle Mix Training
The Doxiepoos are, by and large, easy to train. However, watch out for the following possible complication you may face while training your dog:
- Doxiepoos can be stubborn at times. Though they are intelligent enough to follow your commands, thanks to the genes from Poodle parents, stubbornness runs through their blood, thanks to their Dachshund parents. To manage this behavior, you should discipline your dog early.
- Doxiepoos can be difficult to housetrain. However, with patience and consistency, your Doxiepoo can be housetrained. You need to take your dog outside frequently to ensure that he defecates in open areas only. If done for some months, your Doxiepoo can make it a habit.
- If you are going to keep your Doxiepoo as a guard dog, you will have to give them proper guard dog training.
- Always give your dog treats after completing each training session. Since Doxiepoos are intelligent dogs, they associate good behavior with rewards and thus repeat it to get more tasty treats.
Doxiepoo Grooming Requirements
Doxiepoos don’t need a lot of grooming. They shed very little, especially if they feature poodle coats. They are often grouped with dog breeds that don’t shed. On average, Doxiepoos requires coat brushing about twice a week. However, it depends much upon the type of coat your dog inherits. If his coat is that of Dachshund, brushing it once a week would be enough. In the case of a Poodle coat, more brushing, preferably twice or thrice a week, will be required to prevent knots, tangles, and mats. Also, note that if your dog has longer and curlier hair, you should try to brush his coat daily.
As far as bathing is concerned, you can bathe your Doxiepoo every six to eight weeks. However, if you Doxiepoo has a light-colored coat, you might have to bathe them more often, especially if they are good at finding their way into muddy areas. We advise using a whitening dog shampoo if your puppy has a white or cream coat and an oatmeal shampoo to give him a nice smell if he gets stinky.
Are Doxiepoo Hypoallergenic?
Doxiepoos don’t shed much and are considered hypoallergenic dog mixes. If your Doxiepoo inherits the characteristic Poodle coat, it will be shedding minimal. But you won’t have to worry much in case it inherits the coat of Dachshund’s coat as they are low-shedders as well.
Nevertheless, you should try to always use a vet-approved dog shampoo for maintaining your canine friend’s dapper looks. A healthy diet can also make his coat look glossy and neat.
In addition, you should try to brush the teeth of your dog daily or at least twice a week. Since the Dachshund Poodle mix is unfortunately prone to various periodontal diseases, regular brushing will keep the proper oral hygiene of your dog besides maintaining a cleaner look of his gums and teeth. You should always use dog toothpaste and never human toothpaste to brush your dog’s teeth.
Dachshund Poodle Mix Health Issues
Doxiepoos are generally a healthy dog breed. However, they inherit some of the worst complications from their parent breeds. Below we have discussed Doxiepoo health issues briefly.
Dysplasia
It is the stage of unrestrained growth of cells that has a very high probability of forming cancer if left untreated. Regrettably, the disease is common in Doxiepoos as well as their parent breeds. It usually affects the hips and elbows in dogs. There can be several causes for this anomaly, but the main roots are improper growth rates, exercise, or nutrition. Both hip and elbow dysplasia can greatly impact your dog’s life, so if you notice the following symptoms, you should consult your vet immediately:
- A narrow stance
- Jumping instead of walking
- Lameness or lack of physical activity
- Loss of muscle mass around the affected joint
Canine Cushing Disease (Hyperadrenocorticism)
The disease in dogs occurs when the adrenal gland produces cortisol much more than required, thus producing a net surplus of the hormone in the body. The excess of cortisol can lead to day-to-day deterioration of your dog’s health by causing severe kidney damage or diabetes. Doxiepoos inherit this disease from their parents. According to the AKC, the life expectancy of dogs suffering from Cushing’s disease shrinks to only two years. That is why, if the following symptoms show up in your dog, get him medical attention as soon as possible:
- Increased appetite, thirst, and urination
- Lack of physical activity
- Infections
- Loss of hair
Urinary Tract Problems
It refers to various problems that can affect a dog’s urinary tract. There can simply be a blockage of the tract due to stones formation, an infection due to bacteria or virus, or, in the worst case, a bladder cancer. It is a common occurrence in dogs. Urinary tract problems are excruciating as your dog experiences trouble urinating. If not given timely medical aid, any urinary tract problem can become life-threatening. The following signs are a strong indication that your dog may have these problems:
- Increased frequency of urination
- Blood in urine
- Urine dripping for a long time
- Excessively licking of genital
Immune-Mediated Hemolytic Anemia (IMHA)
In this disease, the dog’s immune system starts attacking red blood cells (RBCs) in the body, leading to severe anemia. Thus a lot of blood transfusion will be required to make up for the lost RBCs. Moreover, it can also result in the formation of blood clots in the lungs and brain. It can become a fatal condition with a mortality rate between 30 and 70 percent in dogs and can also lead to behavioral changes. You should suspect IMHA if you observe the following symptoms in your dog:
- Yellow gums
- Irregular breathing rate
- Deteriorating health
- Sudden collapse
Legg-Calve Perthes Disease
This disease affects the limbs of a dog. If affected, your dog might not be able to place weight on the affected limb. The disease grows very slowly until a limb is completely dysfunctional. Precautionary measures and surgery are the cure to this disease. Following signs indicate Legg-Calve Perthes:
- Lameness
- Lack of movement
- Condition improves with rest
4 Reasons Why You Should Get a Dachshund Poodle Mix Breed?
If you are planning to have a Doxiepoo at your home, the following facts will further embolden you:
The Dachshund Poodle Mix Is a Good Family Dog
Doxiepoo is a very affectionate dog breed. These dogs always love to play and cuddle with their loving parents, which makes them great cuddling partners. Due to their delicate looks and playful nature, your Doxiepoo will never get you bored. Doxiepoos are emotionally attached to their owner—they will be happy if you are happy and sad if you are sad. These qualities make them great family pets.
Dachshund Poodle Mix Make a Great Apartment Dog
Unlike most large dogs, which cannot be kept in small houses, Doxiepoos are small dogs that can do well in both apartments, small houses as well as large suburban houses. Because of their small size, your dog will be happy and playful living in smaller areas, provided you are providing them ample physical exercise and mental stimulation.
The Dachshund Poodle Mix Is Intelligent and Easy to Train
Doxiepoos are brilliant dogs. They inherit their sharp mental skills from Poodles which are well known for their intelligence and are among the smartest breeds in the world. For that reason, you will surely enjoy the company of your dog during training and exercise sessions because he will never disappoint you when it comes to understanding and obeying your commands.
The Dachshund Poodle Mix Can Be a Vigilant Guard Dog
Having a large and powerful dog to alert you when you are asleep in case of intrusion is not necessary; even a sweet and appealing Dachsund Poodle mix dog can do this job. Doxiepoos can make a great vigilant guard dog. Your dog will not bark at the people he became friendly with after socialization; however, the case might be opposite when they spot a stranger—they start barking to alert their owners and warn the intruder.
4 Reasons Why You Should Not Have a Dachshund Poodle Mix Breed?
With the pros, there are some cons of having a Doxiepoo as well that will make you rethink before getting this mixed dog breed.
The Dachshund Poodle Mix Will Be an Enemy of Your Garden
If you are fond of landscaping your lawn, you might consider hanging back on having a Doxiepoo at your home. Dachshunds are known for their destructive tendencies, and their progeny—Doxiepoo also inherits these tendencies. So if you leave them unsupervised in your lawn and they get bored, there is a huge chance they will start digging—destroying your beautiful garden. In addition to digging, you may find your Doxiepoo puppy eating grass sometimes.
The Dachshund Poodle Mix Is Easily Hurt and Frightened
Though Doxiepoos are not too small, they are hurt easily. Likewise, they are also frightened without much effort. If you have children at your home, you will have to take special care so that they may not accidentally harm or frighten the dog. Likewise, you need to be cautious of other animals when you take your dog out for a walk. If frightened, or stressed your dog might experience behavioral issues like barking at nothing.
The Dachshund Poodle Mix Dogs Are Easily Bored
Doxiepoos are easily bored. If not provided ample exercise and mental stimulation, they will experience behavioral issues like barking excessively, chewing on the things around them, and destroying your prized sofa and other stuff. They may also start peeing in the house.
Dachshund Poodle Mix Dogs Are Hyperactive
Though physically small, Dachshund Poodle Mix dogs are high-energy dogs. They are always looking for some activity and are always up for adventures. They need around an hour of physical activity—you can take them out for walks and have interactive play sessions at home. If Doxiepoos don’t get ample physical activity, they will get bored and develop behavioral issues. Therefore, if you can’t provide for their exercise needs, you should rather get yourself a lazy dog breed or perhaps one of the calmest dog breeds.
The Table of Positives and Negatives in the Personality and Temperament of Doxeipoo Breed
The Positives
The Negatives
Conclusion
The Dachshund Poodle Mix dogs are overall a good option for you to have as a pet: they are good for family, intelligent, loyal, fine watchdogs, and easy to train. Having said that, there are some reasons due to which this breed becomes undesirable. The behavioral changes, loud barks, stubbornness, and, above all, the digging instincts can become a headache in no time.