Not only are Dachshunds adorable and full of character, but they’re also very diverse when it comes to coat color. The American Kennel Club lists 15 Dachshund colors, though it only recognizes 12 of these colors as “standard”. Four standard markings are also listed—brindle, sable, piebald, and dapple, though double dapple and brindle piebald are also possible.
If you’d like to learn more about the different Dachshund shades and colors, this post shares photos and specifics on both standard and non-standard colors. Enjoy!
The 15 Dachshund Colors
1. Black & Cream
Black and cream Dachshunds are a gorgeous combination of light and dark. They have a large proportion of black on their backs, heads, and legs with cream on their noses, above their eyes, on their legs, chest, and sometimes on their ears. Black and cream Dachshunds are easy to confuse with black and tan Dachshunds but black and cream Dachshunds have lighter color patches.
2. Black & Tan
One of the most common Dachshund coat color combinations is black and tan. These Dachshunds have color patches similarly placed to black and cream Dachshunds, but the tan color is somewhat darker than the cream patches on a black and cream Dachshund. Like black and cream Dachshunds, their eyes are dark in color.
3. Blue & Tan
Another dual coat color, blue and tan Dachshunds are largely covered in a metallic greyish blue color and tan patches on the muzzle, chest, legs, and above the eyes. There is no black on their coats and the blue coloring is the result of recessive genes that cause dilute coloration.
4. Chocolate & Tan
One of the most striking Dachshund colors is chocolate and tan, a mix of a rich chocolate tone and lighter tan patches. Their noses and tails are also a rich chocolate brown color, which makes it easier to identify a genuine chocolate and tan Dachshund. They have light eye colors, typically in shades of brown but some have green, yellow, or orange eyes.
5. Cream
Cream Dachshunds have a coat color similar to that of Golden Retrievers. They may be completely cream-colored or have some black shading. Types of cream dachshunds include American Creams and the very elegant English Cream which is pretty rare, very expensive, and links back only to a few select U.K. kennels.
English Cream Dachshunds are different from American Creams in that that American Creams are light red in color while English Creams are lighter. English Creams only come in miniature form in the U.S.
6. Red
Red falls into the “one-colored” Dachshund category along with cream. Red Dachshunds come in various shades ranging from light red that appears almost yellow to dark or deep red. They have black noses and claws. You can also get red Dachshunds with black shading.
7. Wheaten
A color often found in wire-haired Dachshunds, wheaten falls somewhere between red and cream. Since wheaten Dachshunds are often wire-haired, they often have a terrier-like, shaggy appearance—a look that came about as the result of breeding Dachshunds with Terriers.
8. Wild Boar
Common in wire-haired and smooth-haired Dachshunds, wild boar is a combination of shades including gray, black, and brownish colors on top of a chocolate, red, black, or blue base. Like wheaten Dachshunds, wire-haired wild boar Dachshunds have distinctive shaggy coats. This is quite a rare Dachshund color.
9. Blue & Cream
Blue and cream Dachshunds have beautiful grey-blue coats with cream patches on the muzzle, eyebrows, chest, and legs. As with other blue color combinations, the coat’s base color is caused by the dilute gene.
10. Fawn (Isabella) & Tan
Fawn is also referred to as “Isabella” and is a pretty rare Dachshund color caused by the dilute gene, which results in a light chocolate color. You can get smooth-haired, wire-haired, and long-haired fawn and tan Dachshunds. Due to their rarity, Dachshunds with fawn coloring can cost up to $3,500 or perhaps even more in some cases.
11. Fawn (Isabella) & Cream
Fawn and cream Dachshunds have the same light chocolate color as fawn and tans but with lighter patches that seem to blend into the base color a little more than in tans. The patches can range in tone, with some appearing almost white.
12. Chocolate & Cream
A true testament to our favorite desserts, chocolate and cream Dachshunds are a gorgeous deep chocolate color with beige or light golden patches that can shade their ears as well as their noses, eyebrows, chest, and legs. The nose, tail, and claws are also brown, and the eyes are hazel or light brown.
13. Solid Black
Listed by the AKC as a non-standard color, a solid black Dachshund is the rarest Dachshund color. This is because the recessive genes that cause it are also incredibly rare. True solid black Dachshunds should be just that—no tan or any other color variation should be present. Due to their rarity, some cost up to $4,000 or possibly even more in some cases.
14. Chocolate
Another non-standard AKC color, solid chocolate Dachshunds can be various shades of chocolate color, ranging from light to a rich, deep chocolate tone. This color comes about as the result of recessive genes shared by both parents.
15. Fawn
Fawn—also known as Isabella—is a rare solid Dachshund color. It’s caused by the dilute gene that both parents carry. These Dachshunds have gray eyes, noses, and tails, and their coats should be free of other colors like tan or cream.
Final Thoughts
The potential varieties in Dachshund coats don’t just stop there—if we factor in all the possible coat markings, modifiers, and coat types that can occur on top of all these color variations, that’s an awful lot of possibilities when it comes to a Dachshund’s appearance! Basically, if you’re considering welcoming a Dachshund into your life, expect to be very spoiled for choice.
See Also:
- 10 Different Types of Dachshunds (With Pictures)
- My Dog Ate a Banana Peel: Signs, Complications, & Risks
Featured Image Credit: ArtTower, Pixabay
