It is a dog with one of the coolest names — it is the Aussie Doxie. It’s like you are saying something joyful every time you say the name.
And in a way, you are because this dog is a crossbreed of two wonderful and jolly good dog breeds. It is certainly beyond doubt this doggo will find many new admirers after we finish telling the truth about it.
You may not like some parts or traits of the Australian Shepherd Dachshund mix, but they are so colorful both in spirit and in coat color that one thing is certain — you cannot forget them so easily.
You will think about an Aussie Doxie more often than you think when you finish reading about this unique mixed dog breed. Why? Because it is not just a beautiful dog, but a smart one with a special twist in its personality — it can be a little bit stubborn.
So, let’s read about everything you need to know about the Dachshund Australian Shepherd mix, starting with a very good question — What is an Aussie Dachshund mix?
What Is An Australian Shepherd Dachshund Mix?
What kind of dog is this? It is called a hybrid dog. What does that mean? That means that the breeders decided to get all the good (and unintentionally some bad) traits from two dogs and put them all in one dog.
That one dog is our Aussie Dachshund dog or a designer dog. And he is truly full of surprises. Or she, there are no big differences between the sexes — both female and male Australian Shepherd Dachshund mix dogs can surprise us with their personalities and physical traits.
That is the case with most mixed dog breeds, especially if the dog parent breeds are very different, both physically and in temperaments.
The surprise can be in a good way or in a bad way. It depends on what you are looking for or what you prefer. Maybe you wanted a taller dog, and you ended up with a short-legged dog. Or, maybe you just wanted that long weiner-dog body, but your doggo has a normal Aussie back.
You will never be 100% sure what your new puppy will look like. But we will get to all possible physical and temperamental traits later.
It is time to learn where all those traits that an Aussie Doxie has come from. We know the names of the parent dog breeds, but what are they like?
Who Are The Parents?
The dog we are going to talk about today is a dog that is a combination of one shepherd dog and one hunting dog. We can say that both of the dogs that were used in the making of the Aussie Doxie are working dogs.
Both dog breeds that are the parents of our Aussie Doxie were developed a long time ago to help people in their various jobs on the farm or during the hunt. They were specifically bred to perfectly fit the mold of the jobs they were needed to do.
When I say specifically bred, I mean they were intentionally “made” to look like they do — short to crawl into small places or with double coats to withstand all weather types. Also, the country of origin of the parent breeds is different.
As a matter of fact, the Dachshund and the Australian Shepherd dogs are completely different! Who thought to mix these two dogs? Well, it was someone clever! These two dogs have incredible traits and working habits that, combined together, make an even better doggo.
Let’s learn more about them.
Australian Shepherd
Let’s start with the truth about the origin of the Australian Shepherd dog. It is not the country they have in their name. It is the USA! The Western United States, to be more precise. But since these dogs came on the ships sailing from Australia — people called them Aussies.
The Australian Shepherd dog we know today was developed in the States. And they are very popular as rodeo dogs and farm dogs. I, personally, see them as cowboy dogs. I cannot picture a cowboy without an Aussie dog running close by.
Maybe the most popular image we all have in our heads is a red or blue merle Australian Shepherd dog. They have the most amazing coat color, with splotches and dots of light gray, black, and blue all over their white body. A gorgeous dog!
They are medium-sized dogs that weigh about 50 to 60 pounds and are usually up to 22 inches tall. As for their lovely colored coat type — it is double-layered, waterproof, and of medium length. As you can see, the Aussie dog was made for working on a field in various weather conditions.
The Australian Shepherd is an intelligent dog breed with extremely high energy levels. Their herding instincts are so high that they won’t hesitate to herd whatever is available if they don’t have sheep to work with.
And, of course, the Australian Shepherd dog is a dog breed recognized by the AKC (American Kennel Club). The AKC recognized this magnificently active dog in 1991.
Dachshund
Now, let the Aussie run around and herd everything in its way and pay attention to what is on the ground. There is something smooth and long moving through the grass. What is it? It is a super Doxie dog! The full name is a Dachshund dog.
This dog comes from Germany, hence the odd name. The “Dachs” means badger, and the “Hund” means dog in the German language. So we have a badger dog or Weiner dog. The Weiner dog’s name comes from this unique-looking dog’s body.
This dog has a famously long body. There are other names for this excellent hunting dog — Doxan, Doxy, Dackel, etc.
They can come in three coat types: short, long, or wire-haired Dachshund. There are also two types of this dog when it comes to their size. The standard Doxie is around 30 pounds, and the miniature one is under 11.
No matter the size of the dog, they all have one thing in common — short legs.
The height difference between these two Doxie types is not big — the standard Dachshund is up to 9 inches, and the mini version is up to 6 inches tall.
No matter their size or coat type, all Dachshund dogs are excellent hunters. They were initially used to catch badgers and other animals. That’s why they made them so short — to fit in all the nooks and crannies.
Just like the Australian Shepherd, the Dachshund is also recognized by the AKC, but much earlier — in 1885.
What Is The Appearance Of The Australian Shepherd Dachshund Mix?
We read about the parents of our mixed-breed dog, and we can get a picture of what an Aussie Doxie should look like. If you are thinking of a long sausage-like dog with a merle coat color — you are not far away from the truth.
And, if you imagine a short Aussie dog with black and tan coat color — that’s OK too. All of this is possible because it’s a mix and a mix means a lot of possibilities.
We can’t know what exactly the Australian Shepherd mix puppy will look like, but there are some common traits that most Aussie Doxies inherit.
Head
Just like any other traits, the head of an Aussie Doxie can look more like an Australian Shepherd’s head or that of a Dachshund. In other words, when you look at your Aussie Doxie, you can either immediately think — oh, this is an Aussie dog. Or, you will think — aw, what a cute Wiener dog!
But, sometimes, the genes will play such a game that you won’t be quite sure what you are looking at until you see the rest of the body, of course. Because most of the time, the head follows the body, which means your Aussie Doxie that has an Aussie head will usually have the Aussie body too.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. That’s why we tell the truth about this dog. We can’t be sure what your puppy will look like.
Ears
One thing is true — your doggo will not have pointy ears. The ear shape of your Aussie Doxie will be either floppy, or they will be a typical Australian Shepherd rose ear shape.
The amount of hair on your doggo’s ears depends on the Dachshund. If you mix a wire-haired or a long-haired Dachshund with an Australian Shepherd dog, their puppies will have hairy ears. If they don’t have hairy ears, then that means they have a short-haired Doxie parent.
Eyes
The Dachshund dog has brown eyes, and the Australian Shepherd can have blue, amber, brown, or a shade of the mentioned colors. They can also have heterochromia. That is a condition when the eyes are different colors. For example, one eye is blue and the other one is brown.
Heterochromia is a common occurrence in Australian Shepherds of merle coat color. This condition can be transferred to Aussie’s offspring — the Aussie Doxie pups.
So, this mixed dog can have the following:
- Brown eye color
- Amber
- Blue
- Heterochromia
Body
The size of the puppy bred by mixing two very differently sized dogs can be a great mystery. Australian Shepherd Dachshund mix puppies can grow to be anywhere between 10 and 20 inches tall. As for their weight, it is usually around 40 pounds.
These numbers are for the Aussie Doxie whose parents are a standard Australian Shepherd and a standard Dachshund. But an Aussie can be in a miniature version too.
And, if we breed this Aussie with a mini Dachshund, then their puppies won’t be taller than 18 inches or weigh more than 30 pounds. So, the Aussie Doxie can be a small dog or a medium-sized dog.
It all depends on the dominant genes of the parent dog breeds and the size of the parent dog breeds. You cannot expect a giant dog if you breed two miniature dog breeds.
Also, you cannot expect every Aussie Doxie to turn out as tall as an Australian Shepherd if they have Dachshund genes too.
To sum it up:
- Standard size: around 40 pounds and up to 20 inches tall
- Miniature size: up to 30 pounds and less than 18 inches tall
Coat Type
The coat type of your future Australian Shepherd Dachshund mix puppy can vary too. It depends mostly on the coat type of the Dachshund dog parent.
If you breed a short-haired Dachshund with an Aussie Shepherd, their puppies can have either a single-layered coat or a double-layered coat. Even pups born in the same litter can have different coat types.
If you ever saw a Dachshund dog shaking, the reason might be simple — they are cold. That’s something you need to pay attention to if your Aussie Doxie inherits the Doxie’s type of coat.
On the other hand, if you breed a wire-haired Dachshund that has a double-layered coat and an Aussie Shepherd, then you know the answer — your Aussie Doxie will have a double coat type.
Coat Length
Just like the coat type, the length of Aussie Doxie puppies’ coats depends on the coat length of their parents. All Australian Shepherds have medium-length coats. But, a Doxie can have either a short or medium-length coat.
And, as you’ve probably guessed already — this doggo can have either:
- A Short coat
- A Medium-length coat
If you breed a standard short-haired Dachshund with an Australian Shepherd, then you have to let it go and not think about it. Que sera, sera.
Coat Color
Oh, the coat colors of the Australian Shepherd Dachshund mix are a special topic. The outcome cannot be clearly predicted, especially if you have a merle coat color in the gene pool.
If you want to imagine what your Aussie Doxie will look like if you crossbreed, for example, a blue merle Aussie Shepherd with any coat color of a Dachshund, think about the abstract expressionist style of painting.
What does that mean? It means you won’t know what you have until the end. But it doesn’t matter. An Aussie Doxie is such a cute dog that any color is a good color! The important thing is your Aussie Shepherd-Dachshund puppy is healthy.
Tail
First of all, a tail can be quite a mystery for the Australian Shepherd dog breed. What kind of tails do the Aussie dogs have? When you solve that mystery, you can move on to the new one — what kind of tail will an Aussie Doxie have?
Most Australian Shepherd dogs have naturally long tails, just like the Doxies. So, that means most of the mixed doggos we’re talking about will have a long tail, too. But, sometimes, an Aussie can be born with a short and stubby tail.
If that happens, your Aussie Doxie can have a short tail too. Also, don’t forget that most Australian Shepherd dogs have docked tails — they were born with a long tail, but the vet docks the tails of the Aussie puppies at their birth.
In general, there are two types of tail an Aussie Doxie can have:
- Short tail
- Long tail
What Is The Temperament Of The Australian Shepherd Dachshund Mix?
If we want to sum up the temperament, it would be something like this:
- Smart
- Active
- High hunting instincts
- High herding instincts
- Stubborn
Of course, each dog is unique and doesn’t have to have the same temperamental traits as the rest of its kind. But, there are some general traits that can be seen in most Aussie Doxie pups. We should pay attention to these traits, as they make the personality of our doggo.
If we can’t handle the excessive barking or too high activity levels, then we have to ask ourselves — is this dog breed the right one for me? Here are some facts about the Aussie Doxie temperament.
High Energy Levels
It’s exactly as it says — this dog is very energetic! They need to have their exercise needs fulfilled. Otherwise, you can have a very unhappy and destructive dog. The high energy trait comes from the Aussie parent.
Aussie Shepherds are well-known for their working habits. That is something to expect in your new mixed puppy. It is very important to keep your Aussie Doxie entertained. This trait doesn’t make them an excellent choice for first-time dog owners.
They might have a Dachshund body, but they want to herd and work! It is much easier if you have someone to help you keep the dog happy, but if you have to leave your doggo alone at home while you are at work, try out some of the interactive games for dogs.
High Hunting Instinct
If you plan on getting yourself the Australian Shepherd Dachshund mix puppy anytime soon, make sure you get it from a responsible breeder that has already done a great deal of socialization of the puppy.
If that is not the case, you can be in trouble if you leave your Aussie Doxie alone with some chick or other small animals. Remember, they have hunter-dog genes in their DNA. That’s why early socialization is, without a doubt, an important step during your puppy’s growing-up years.
High Herding Instinct
This is not a problem regarding other animals’ safety but more of a nuisance. If you leave your Doxie Shepherd with any kind of animal (apart from dogs), he will try to herd it. He can’t help it — it’s the genes and their amazing herding abilities!
An Aussie Doxie that has nothing to do will try to herd young children too. That can actually be helpful. They make great family dogs and great babysitter dogs.
But, to avoid this behavior, you must keep your Aussie Doxie mentally and physically stimulated. Play with your doggo, go on a walk or a hike, and get that energetic doggy tired, so that when you come home, they won’t get in trouble but lay down to sleep.
Socialization
If you want your dog to behave in a way that won’t be a threat to other dogs or people around you, you need to socialize your dog at an early age.
This is something that is done by a breeder when the pups are in their first months of age. This is the time when a puppy learns how to behave with other dogs — big dogs, small dogs, dogs from the same litter, or unknown dogs.
This is also a time when they learn how to behave when they interact with children, strangers, other family members, neighbors, and delivery men, and they get used to all kinds of noises and smells.
What happens if the dog doesn’t go through the process of socialization? They can become depressed, anxious, or aggressive. There are ways to train your dog if it’s aggressive, but it is always better to start socialization at an early age and prevent such behavior.
Training Your Aussie Doxie
Dog training can be quite a challenge, no matter the breed size and intellectual potential. Sometimes, dogs that are too smart become stubborn. This can be a problem with our mixed dog too.
They can get a bit stubborn and refuse to do the things they already know how to do. What to do? The most important step is to be patient and to use a lot of positive reinforcement. Yelling or hitting your dog will not solve the problem. Never hit your dog!
Think of dog training as if it’s a game called: who’s the alfa dog? You should be the alfa dog in your house, not your dog. That means the dog should listen to you and not the other way around. Of course, we all know how hard it can be to say no to those gorgeous puppy eyes.
But, it is important to let them know they cannot just do whatever they want — otherwise, an energetic and smart dog like the Aussie Doxie will cause a lot of problems. The best option is to make a schedule for you and your puppy.
The Health Of The Australian Shepherd Dachshund Mix
Just like any other dog breed, this one can also have some health issues. They are not superheroes, they have their weaknesses.
This is also a hard truth regarding this adorable dog crossbreed. They can have quite a lot of health problems or health conditions that can influence their everyday life.
Once again, no matter if you are looking for a purebred Pitbull or a mixed doggo like Aussie Doxie, get them from responsible breeders. A responsible breeder will not breed dogs that have hereditary diseases.
Puppies without hereditary diseases already lurking from the dark side of their gene pool have a bigger chance for a much longer life expectancy.
IVDD
The IVDD is an abbreviation for Intervertebral Disc Disease. A lot of Dachshund dogs have back problems. One of the most serious problems is IVDD — a problem when the intervertebral discs “pop out” of the spinal cord and become herniated.
This disease can be crippling. Some of the first signs of IVDD are:
- Limping
- Urinary incontinence
- Back pain
- Neck pain
- Painful movements
If you notice any of these signs in your Australian Shepherd Dachshund mix dog, you should take it to the vet. After a proper diagnosis, the solution is surgery. The success of the surgical procedure depends on the stage of the disease.
Skin Problems
This health issue also comes from the Dachshund parent. The most common skin issue Wiener dogs suffer from is dry skin.
Dry skin is usually one of the allergy symptoms. The allergy can be caused by various types of allergens — from flea saliva and mites to dog food and dust. If your Australian Shepherd Dachshund mix dog has dry skin, you will notice your dog is scratching more than usual.
The skin can also become flaky and if a dog tries to chew and bite this part of the skin — eventually it becomes inflamed. In such cases, a secondary infection can also happen.
Dental Problems
Your mixed doggo, the super-duper Aussie Doxie, can have some dental problems, as well. Because of this, you should pay attention to your dog’s oral health and clean your dog’s teeth regularly. You can use a toothbrush designed for dogs or a finger brush.
To help your dog clean its teeth on its own, you can give it dental chews or feed it kibble (dry dog food). There are a variety of dog dental chews you can give to your doggo. It will also help the dog massage the gums and prevent inflammation or soothe one if it’s already there.
If you notice your dog has started drooling more than usual, you can take a flashlight and take a look inside your dog’s mouth. You are looking for anything that looks out of order.
Whether it’s a dental problem, foreign body, or allergy issue — there are some ways to help your dog with the drooling with home remedies. But, before you do anything at home, consult with the vet first.
Joint Problems
The most common health issue coming from the Australian Shepherd parent is Hip Dysplasia. This is a joint problem that happens during the developmental and growing phases of a puppy.
The joint doesn’t develop properly, causing pain and dysfunction of the hip joint. This is often a health problem in large dog breeds, but it can happen in medium-sized dogs, as well.
The important part of this problem is early diagnosis. If you notice early on that your dog is having hip problems, the chances that your dog will have a full recovery will be much higher!
Some of the symptoms are:
- Pain in the back legs
- Weakness of the back legs
Hip dysplasia or any other joint problem that is a hereditary disease can be prevented by testing breeding dogs for these diseases. If they do have a gene for these diseases, we shouldn’t breed these dogs.
This is a must for any dog breeder that takes care of its dogs. If you are planning on getting an Australian Shepherd Dachshund puppy from a breeder, ask for health tests done on the puppies’ parents.
What Is The Average Lifespan?
Here is some good information for all the lovers of the Aussie Doxies. They are among the dogs that have a longer life expectancy. The time they will spend with us on the planet depends on the genes the dog inherits from its parents.
Luckily, both Aussie Shepherds and Doxies have a life expectancy of around 16 years. That is the average lifespan of their wonderful offspring.
This average lifespan of the Australian Shepherd Dachshund mix dog is correct if we keep our dog healthy and happy. That means more than feeding them and keeping them warm.
They are our furry friends, and they deserve all our love, patience, and affection from us. They are ready to become your best dog friend, but we have to give the love back.
So, keep your doggo healthy and happy by giving him high-quality dog food, taking him for regular vet checks, giving him enough exercise and mental stimulation, and of course — lots of love and cuddles.
Where Can I Find The Amazing Aussie Doxie?
If you are truly thinking of getting an Aussie Doxie after all that you have read, then we can recommend some places where you can find it.
Of course, getting an Aussie Doxie from a breeder gives us some certainty about the dog’s origin and health. If we get the dog from a responsible breeder, the dog will not inherit diseases common for both parent dog breeds.
But, with the breeders comes the price. If you are ready to pay usually more than $1000, then a breeder is a good choice for more than one reason. You’ll get the info about the dog’s parents’ health, as well as physical and mental traits.
That means you will have a clearer picture of what your mixed puppy will look like when it’s all grown up.
But, if you are not ready to buy the puppy or you are unable to do so, there is another way. You can look for a puppy in the local animal shelter or rescue center.
You may not know if your Aussie Doxie will be short or tall or if it’s going to develop some kind of hereditary disease, but you will be doing the most amazing thing. You will be saving a life.
There are also places online where you can search and see if they have an Australian Shepherd Dachshund mix available for adoption.
Some of the websites where you can look for a puppy to adopt are:
The Conclusion
The truth about the Australian Shepherd Dachshund mix has been said. There it is, all cards on the table. Some of you might find all of the Aussie Doxie traits adorable and amazing, and you will want to get a puppy right away!
But some of you might have changed your mind about getting this kind of a crossbreed dog. That is absolutely normal. In fact, I respect your opinion because you are thinking not only about yourself but about the dog too.
This is an energetic dog that requires a lot of attention and daily activities. If you are looking for low-maintenance dogs, you don’t have to spend a lot of time playing with, this is not the dog for you.
The Aussie Doxie is a highly energetic dog, and it also has a high prey drive (hunting instincts) and high herding instincts. That can be a handful if you don’t know how to stand your ground as an “alpha dog”.
So, the Aussie Doxie has its good and bad sides — more good than bad, but it still has them. It is up to you to decide whether you can keep up with a highly demanding dog. If you say that you can, then in return, you get one of the most beautiful, smart, and loyal dog mixes in the world.After all, it’s the super Aussie Doxie!