Female Vs. Male Dachshunds

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Dachshunds are beloved for their long bodies and tiny legs. If you've been around the internet, you might know them as sausage dogs, wiener dogs, hot dog dogs or doxies. This German breed is very visually distinct, but they're also affectionate, adorable, spirited and can pull off a Sabrett-themed Halloween costume like nobody's business. Most importantly, doxies are a lovely forever pal, whether you're choosing a male or female dachshund for adoption from a local shelter or purchasing one from a breeder. According to the American Kennel Club (AKC), they were the 12th most popular breed in 2021.

Choosing a male or female dog is a much-debated topic, and there's some serious misinformation about which sex is better. Nonetheless, every hopeful doxie owner will eventually have to choose one or the other. Thankfully, the difference between a standard and miniature dachshund male vs. female is very minimal. It's a matter of personal preference.

Which dachshund should you adopt? This guide can help you decide.


Dachshund coat and color

According to the AKC, dachshunds come in a variety of different colors and three coat types: smooth, wirehaired or longhaired. Smooth-coated dachshunds have soft, thick coats that require very little grooming. They shed the least out of all dachshund types because they have a shorter undercoat.

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Wirehaired doxies and longhaired dachshunds shed more than their short-haired counterparts. Wirehaired pups have a scruffy look with a coarse coat that feels almost like wire (hence the name) and requires additional grooming because of their bushy beards and eyebrows. Longhaired dachshunds have a sleek, slightly wavy outercoat of longer hair.


As far as coats go, not much changes between a dachshund boy or girl. Males tend to have slightly fuller, lusher coats regardless of the type, and sex has absolutely no bearing on color. Whether you seek a male or female dachshund for adoption should depend on your personal taste and your willingness to groom.

Male vs. female dachshund personality

Though dachshunds are known for being a small breed with a famously low silhouette, they do come in two different sizes: miniature or standard. Miniature doxies have a typical height of between five and six inches and weigh 11 pounds or less. Standard dachshunds have a typical height of between eight and nine inches and weigh between 16 and 32 pounds. Miniature dachshunds falling between those two categories are often called tweenies, though it's not an official size.


In the debate of a standard or miniature dachshund male vs. female, size does not matter. Males are slightly larger and taller, as is true with most breeds, but the size difference isn't significant.

Male vs. female dachshund size

There's a huge misconception that a dog's behavior is purely tied to genetics. It also has to do with experience. For that reason, personality doesn't drastically differ whether you choose a dachshund boy or girl. Nonetheless, some kennels describe the personalities of their male and female dachshunds differently. For example, both JnA Dachshunds and Starlight Kennel report that their male dachshunds are more affectionate, attentive, food-motivated and fun-loving, while their female dachshunds are more stubborn, independent, territorial and task-oriented.


Overall, the AKC says that doxies have a friendly, curious and spunky attitude. This is one sassy breed, which can lead to endless entertainment (and some well-placed memes). As dogs that were originally bred to hunt badgers, they are exceptionally clever and courageous, but they're also known for having a surprisingly loud bark. Chalk it up to the leftover habit of having to be heard from an underground badger den.

Spaying vs. neutering dachshunds

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Though every dog has its own unique personality and habits, the biggest differences between a miniature dachshund male vs. female appear if the dog isn't spayed or neutered. The same goes for any pup. Like humans, in-tact female dachshunds have a menstrual cycle and will bleed and have slight behavioral changes every six to eight months when they're in heat (just don't give them chocolate to make them feel better). On the flip side, male hormones may make certain dogs more aggressive, which can subside after neutering.


Additionally, while both males and females mark their territory, males generally stop spraying after they are neutered. This is different from female dachshunds, who may mark their territory for the rest of their lives, even if they are spayed. Puppies who are fixed before reaching sexual maturity may never develop these negative gender-specific behaviors.

Adopting a dachshund boy or girl

If you're choosing between a male or female dachshund for adoption, you may just want to get one of each (providing you spay and neuter your pups or separate them while your female is in heat). Dachshunds are notoriously social dogs and do well in pairs. There's also a wealth of small breeds that you can pair with your doxie if you're worried your pup may be lonely.