Dachshund Poodle Mix (Doxiepoo) Breed Guide

If you are looking for a beautiful, playful, and happy go lucky family dog, then you might want to consider a dachshund poodle mix, otherwise known as a doxiepoo. The doxiepoo has quickly become very popular, particularly in North America.

With that being said, the dachshund poodle mix is a relatively new breed of dog, and due to the vastly different appearance of both dogs, you really don’t know what you are going to get.

However, we are here to provide you with all of the information that you need to know about these dachshund poodle mixes, in order to make an informed decision about whether it’s the right breed of dog for your family.

summary of a doxiepoo

What Is A Dachshund Poodle Mix?

poodle dachshund mix

As you can probably tell a dachshund poodle mix is a cross breed of dog, one that is made by reading together a purebred poodle and a purebred dachshund.

Now, just to be clear for the purposes of this article, we are talking about miniature poodles, not about standard poodles, and not about king poodles. 

Now, what is important to note is that the American Kennel Club does not actually recognize this dog as an official pure breed, but it is considered to be a hybrid breed, but that said, it is recognized by a variety of other kennel clubs, such as the American Canine Hybrid Club.

Remember that this is a designer dog that has only been around for a few decades at the most.

Although standard poodles and dachshunds are sometimes bred together, it is much more common for miniature poodles to be used.

To give you a good idea of what you are getting into, let’s just provide you with a little bit of background information about both of these separate dog breeds.

The Dachshund

Red and black Dachshund

First of all, we have the dachshund, also known as the doxie or Wiener dog, and this is a type of dog that has origins in Germany.

This dog was first bred in Germany during the 15th century with the aim of having it be an excellent hunting dog.

It is not hard to tell why the Wiener dog makes for a good hunting dog, particularly when it comes to going underground into small tunnels and dens. 

The reason why Wiener dogs have the shape that they do, that long and narrow body, is so that they can fit into narrow tunnels of animals.

The aim here was to have dachshunds run down into those tunnels and flush out whatever is in there, usually badgers or rabbits, with the hunter waiting outside ready. 

These dogs are known for being very independent, single minded, and fairly stubborn dogs, that may or may not have aggressive tendencies, especially towards other dogs, but with that being said, with a good deal of discipline and training, the aggressive and territorial nature of the dachshund can be trained away.

For the most part, dachshunds are very loving, loyal, and playful family dogs that get along quite well with most others, granted that they are well trained and socialized.

The Miniature Poodle

Miniature Poodle Puppy

When it comes to a poodle, this is a type of dog that has also been around for many hundreds of years, at least as long as the dachshund.

It is thought that the earliest version of the poodle was the barbet, a curly coated dog that was found in various European countries, including Germany, Hungary, Russia, France, and other European countries as well.

it is thought that the barbet was originally an Asian herding and water dog. The German version of the barbet is what we now know as the poodle, or at least it was bred into what we know now as the poodle.

What is interesting to note, is that although these dogs are often referred to as a French Poodle, it’s actually a German dog with a German name, with the word poodle coming from the German word “pfudel”, which loosely translated means puddle or to splash, which is a reference to the poodle’s affinity for water.

Poodles were, and to some extent still are used for various purposes including as circus dogs, as guard dogs, as military dogs, and as Guide Dogs too.

In the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries, the French aristocracy became obsessed with the poodle, and in order to make it more family friendly, and to make it more of a toy dog, it was bred smaller and smaller, thus creating what we now know as the miniature poodle.

The miniature poodle really has its origins in 18th century France. The American Kennel Club recognized the miniature poodle in the late 1800s, and by the 1930s the miniature poodle had made quite the impact in the USA. 


Doxiepoo Appearance & Size Explained

Something that you would probably like to know about the dachshund poodle mix is how large it has the potential to get, and also what it could potentially look like.

What you need to know here is that in terms of appearance, these dogs can vary greatly, mainly because of the fact that poodles and dachshunds are very different dogs, so until they are fully grown, you really have no idea what their final appearance is going to look like.

Let’s find out exactly what your dachshund poodle mix might end up looking like.

Weight & Size

First of all, we have the dachshund, which commonly ways with anywhere from 16 to 32 pounds.

In terms of the size of a normal dachshund these can stand anywhere from 10 to 15 inches at the shoulders, generally around 12 inches.

In terms of weight, miniature poodles tend to be fairly small, weighing anywhere from 12 to 18 pounds.

Therefore, as you can probably tell a dachshund poodle mix is going to be somewhere in the middle of both of those dog breeds.

You can expect a dachshund poodle mix to weigh anywhere between 10 and 30 pounds, and anywhere from 10 to 15 inches at the shoulders, usually towards the smaller side of that range.

General Appearance

OK, so above we did mention that dachshund poodle mixes can vary greatly in terms of their appearance, so let’s figure out exactly what you might get here.

Keep in mind that this is just a rough guide, because once again what you get here is extremely unpredictable, and you won’t really know what you get until the dog is fully grown, because even as puppies, they don’t look as they will look when they are adults.

Even puppies born in the same litter can look very different from one another.

In terms of the body shape, more often than not the dachshund poodle mix will take more after the dachshund and then the poodle, or in other words, they do tend to have a somewhat narrow and elongated body, along with those relatively short and stubby legs.

However there is also the chance that the body may look more like a poodle, or in other words it might have more average proportions.

Once again, you really don’t know what you are going to get here.

What is however interesting to note, is that more often than not although the body of the mix will look more like a dachshund, the face often looks more like a poodle, so they tend to have more of a rounded head and around its snout, as opposed to dachshund limbs that have a deer like head, with a fairly pointy snout.

What you can however usually count on here is that a dachshund poodle mix will have fairly large and floppy ears.

The bottom line here is that although we can give you a general guide as to how a dachshund poodle mix will look, it is just way too hard to predict with any kind of accuracy.

Coat & Colors

What is also very unpredictable here is what the coat and the colors of the dachshund and poodle mix will be. Now, in many cases the doxiepoo will feature the curly and wavy coat of the poodle.

However, it does of course really depend on which parent dog the doxiepoo takes after. 

Although most of these dogs will have a coat that mostly resembles the coat of a poodle, there is also a chance that the coat could resemble a dachshund, in which case your poodle dachshund mix could have long hair or short hair or a combination of any of the above.

The worst possible outcome here is that you get a long haired dachshund poodle that also has curly hair because that would entail a whole lot of grooming requirements. 

Do keep in mind that dachshund poodle mixes do also have very dense coats.

In terms of the colors, these dogs can be: black, brown, white, cream, great, and also feature a variety of patterns, but may also be solid.

Once again, as is the running theme here, predicting what kind of pattern and color your doxiepoo will have is nearly impossible until the dog itself is fully grown.


Dachshund Poodle Mix Personality & Temperament

Before you buy a doxiepoo, one thing that you probably want to know is what kind of personality and temperament it is going to have.

Before we talk about the temperament and personality of the dachshund poodle mix let’s just take a really quick look at the temperaments and personalities of poodles and dachshunds separately.

Knowing what the parent’s dogs are like in terms of personality and temperament goes a long way in determining what the pups will be like. 

Dachshund Temperament

Right off the bat, what needs to be said about doxies is the fact that they can be great family dogs, and also extremely friendly and loving towards everybody and anything, as long as they are well trained, discipline, and very well socialized.

What you need to keep in mind here is that dachshunds are of course originally hunting dogs, and a lot of this hunting instinct cannot be bred out of them, which means that they are extremely single minded, independent, and can have a huge prey drive.

Due to this being a hunting breed, you can count on them being fairly stubborn, and they aren’t always the most obedient of dogs, but once again, with enough training and discipline, they can be made to be very obedient dogs.

For the most part, doxies are extremely loving and loyal, especially towards their family members, and they may also be fairly friendly towards other people. 

With that being said dolphins aren’t always big fans of other large dogs, and they don’t like kids who harass them too much either.

There are some dachshunds that are known for being a bit aggressive and territorial, and a bit possessive too, especially of their own possessions and of their owners, but once again, with a lot of socialization and training, this should not be much of a problem.

As long as the dog is well socialized, it should make for a really good family dog.

On a side note, Dachshunds can also be extremely vocal, especially when they see something that they don’t know, which also makes some fairly good watchdogs.

Poodle Temperament

When it comes to the miniature poodle, what you need to know is that this dog was bred to be a lap dog, a toy dog, and just a dog that works really well with people and other dogs alike.

The poodle and the miniature poodle alike are both extremely playful and fun loving dogs complete with tons of energy and more. 

These dogs are very good with children and with other dogs, and are just generally very social and loving.

Poodles are actually very obedient dogs too, who absolutely love to please their owners, and this means that they are usually fairly easy to train as well.

For this reason poodles make for excellent show dogs and do really well in agility competitions too. 

However the bottom line is that for the most part poodles are extremely friendly, loving, playful, and obedient two.

What doesn’t need to be said about poodles is that some of them can be extremely vocal and they do like to bark a lot but with that being said we don’t see this as being a big issue.

All in all, the poodle, especially the miniature poodle makes for one of the absolute best family dogs that you could possibly get.

Doxiepoo Temperament

When it comes down to it, what you can expect out of a doxiepoo, is that it should be a very playful, fun loving, happy go lucky, loving, and energetic dog.

This is definitely a dog that requires a bit of discipline and training, especially to train out the potential aggressiveness that the dachshund may bring to the equation. 

Moreover, a little bit of socialization and training is also required in order for these dogs to get along well with other larger dogs, as well as with children.

However, with that being said, for the most part doxiepoo’s get along well with other dogs and other people just fine, and this goes for both strangers and family members alike. 

What needs to be said here is that in terms of discipline, doxiepoo’s tend to be fairly fragile, or in other words they really don’t like being yelled at, and they generally don’t like loud noises in general.

Therefore when training and disciplining your doxiepoo, you need to be careful not to offend or scare it.

There is a small chance that your doxiepoo could be slightly stubborn, which would come from the dachshund side of things, but for the most part the dachshund poodle mix is generally very obedient and loves to please its owners, and this means that it is good at following orders. 

You can expect your doxiepoo to be an extremely vocal dog that will bark a lot, it will make a good watchdog, and it generally has a fairly high prey drive as well, or in other words it will chase squirrels, rabbits, and other such animals.

The bottom line here is that a doxiepoo is a fairly easy to train dog, that has an excellent personality and temperament, and it is an absolutely awesome family dog.


Common Dachshund Poodle Mix Breed Health Issues

One of the biggest issues that you will be faced with a dachshund poodle mix is the fact that over the past few decades, due to poor breeding practices, especially due to things like puppy mills, these dogs are fairly susceptible to a variety of health conditions.

In the grand scheme of things, especially due to these bad breeding practices, the doxiepoo is not the healthiest of dogs.

Let’s take a closer look at the most common health conditions that the dachshund poodle mix may suffer from.

IVDD And Other Spinal Issues

if the dog takes more after the dachshund, then chances are pretty big that it may develop something known as intervertebral disc disease.

Without getting into it too much, this is an issue that usually happens due to that long back of the dachshund when combined with a lack of support from the bottom.

It involves damage to the disks, and this can result in a lack of mobility as well as extreme pain.

Hip Dysplasia And Elbow Dysplasia

Another health concern that these dogs have is hip dysplasia, and elbow dysplasia to a certain degree.

This is when the joints don’t form at the same rate and don’t grow to the same size, and this often results in the joints rubbing together, thus also causing pain and a lack of mobility.

This is actually one of the most common issues that your doxiepoo may be faced with.

Hypothyroidism

The doxiepoo is also somewhat susceptible to hypothyroidism, which is when the thyroid gland doesn’t produce enough of the specific hormone that it is supposed to reduce, and this can lead to a variety of issues such as sluggishness, personality issues, and weight gain.

Potential For Obesity

Due to the potential for these dogs to develop hypothyroidism combined with the fact that these dogs do tend to have fairly big appetites, combined with the fact that people don’t always provide them with enough exercise, means that they do have the potential to get quite obese.

This then comes with the potential to develop diabetes with age.

Bloat

Another health issue that doxiepoo’s are often faced with is known as bloat or GDV, and this is a serious condition that will be fatal if left untreated.

Bloat happens when adult stomach fills with food, gas, or fluid, and then twists. This is a condition that can develop without any warning, and will progress very quickly.

Cushing’s Disease

Canine Cushing’s disease is a very serious health condition where a dog’s adrenal glands over produce cortisol.

This can lead to a great number of symptoms, but what is important to know is the fact that dogs that have this disease usually never lived longer than two years, with less than 10% of dogs with this disease living longer than four years period this is a very serious genetic condition that is unfortunately not treatable.

Addison’s Disease

Addison’s disease is another type of disease that causes the adrenal glands of the dog to produce the hormones that the dog needs.

Dogs that have this disease may experience gastroenteritis, a loss of appetite, a slow loss of body condition, and an inability to respond appropriately to stress.

This disease also has the potential to affect the health of the kidneys. However, a dog that is diagnosed early on with this disease should usually live a full and healthy life.

Legg-Calve Perthes Disease

Dachshund poodle mixes are also susceptible to this particular disease which is when the blood supply to the ball part of the hip joint is temporarily interrupted, and the bone then begins to die off.

This weekend bone then over time starts to break apart and lose its round shape, which can lead to serious pain and mobility issues.

Vision Issues

Particularly from the dachshund side of things, the doxiepoo is also somewhat susceptible to developing a variety of vision issues, including both glaucoma and cataracts, both of which can lead to partial or total vision loss as the dog ages.


Do Doxiepoos Need To Be Groomed?

One thing that needs to be said about the doxiepoo is that it definitely requires a whole lot of grooming, especially if the coach takes more after the poodle side of things, or in other words is extremely curly, and also long. 

For the most part, it is recommended that you brush your doxiepoo at least three times a week for one hour at a time period most people actually recommend taking about 1/2 hour each of every single day to brush your doxiepoo, or else there is the potential for tangling and matting of the fur. 

Moreover, what is also very strongly recommended is that you trim the fur of your dachshund poodle mix every four to six weeks at the very least, with many people resorting to professional groomers for this task, as your average clippers will probably breakdown after just a few passes, due to the dense and long nature of this fur. 

Even if your doxiepoo does not really take after the poodle side of things, they will usually still have long fur, and this will require regular grooming. Just like with other dogs, you do also want to keep their ears clean, brush their teeth, and clip their nails on a fairly regular basis.


Dachshund Poodle Mix Life Expectancy

Doxiepoo’s, granted that they are healthy, should have relatively long lifespans, with the average being somewhere around 15 years. 

How Much Is A Doxiepoo?

Exactly how much a doxiepoo is going to cost you does depend on a variety of factors, mainly the breeder in question as well as how popular these dogs are in the area that you reside in.

What is interesting to note is that the average cost of a doxiepoo puppy is only between $250 and $500, and usually more towards the lower end of that range.

However, there are some instances where dachshund poodle mixes have been sold for $2000 or more.

Should I Get A Doxiepoo?

By all means, a doxiepoo is an extremely good family dog, one that gets along well with most other people and dogs, family members and strangers alike.

Particularly if the dog takes after the poodle side of things in terms of its personality, it will be an extremely easy to train dog that is more than obedient and will love to please its owners.

This is however quite an energetic and playful dog, so do expect that it will require a good deal of exercise.

In the grand scheme of things, we think that a doxiepoo is an excellent dog for everybody and anybody.


When it comes down to it, these small and super loving dogs make for amazing family pets.

If you want a dog that is energetic, loving, loyal, and very playful, as well as easy to train, then this is definitely a good dog to look into.