When do Dachshunds Stop Growing ?
Discover how old your dachshund puppy will be when they stop growing and reach adulthood.
Dachshunds have a breed history going back for more than 300 years. Originally bred as hunting dogs, dashies today are popular because of their reputation as tireless, comical, intelligent and extremely faithful dogs.
So if you have recently become the owner of a Dachshund puppy, or if you are considering a Dachshund for your family, you may be wondering about such questions as “how big will my puppy get?” and “when do Dachshunds stop growing?”
So let’s take a look at the origins of the Dachshund and check out some facts about their growth rates and adult size.
When Do Dachshunds Stop Growing?
It may come as a surprise to learn that dashies are early developers. In fact, most Dachshunds will be fully grown before they reach the age of one year old. The reason for this early maturing lies in their origins as hunting dogs.
The dachshund anatomy
Dachshunds originated in Germany in the 18th century. The ancestors of our cute little sausage dogs were fearless hunters, bred to chase badgers into their burrows, dig them out and hold onto them while they were dispatched by the hunter.
Their front paws are disproportionately large compered to their hind paws, and this gave them the ability to quickly dig into the ground to find the badger in its sett (nest).
For badger hunters, a dog that could be trained early and reach adulthood rapidly was an essential part of their breeding. The early Dachshunds were bred from English, German and French hounds and terriers: dog breeds that were feisty, tough, intelligent and early-developers.
Many of the traits that dashies are famous for today - the stubbornness of the Terrier, the cleverness of the Pincher, the faithfulness of the Bloodhound, and the toughness of the Pointer - come from those breeds that went into their development.
Anything that squeaks
Because the ancestors of today’s dashies were bred to hunt badgers, as well as rabbits, ferrets and rodents, the modern Dachshund loves to chase, worry, shred and bark at anything that squeaks, rattles, hisses or moves.
They are incredibly tenacious dogs, and their stubborn streak can lead to problems for some owners. Dachshunds need to be trained from a very young age in order to socialise them to other dogs, and to teach them the correct behaviour patterns.
Dachshunds grow up so fast
The question “when do Dachshund puppies stop growing?” is a common query for people considering a dashie for a family pet. The good news is that these cute, clever and personable dogs reach maturity very quickly.
Most dachshunds will reach their adult weight and height at around eight months old. They will continue to fill out over the following few months, but their growth rate will slow right down as your cute sausage puppy becomes an adult dashie.
Dachshunds come in two sizes
Dachshunds come in two main sizes: Standard and Miniature. They aren’t separate breeds, just varieties of the same breed, so if you’re wondering “when do mini Dachshunds puppies stop growing?” the answer is that they have the same growth rate as Standard Dachshunds.
As a general rule, mini dashies will stop growing at around 10-12 months old. You can calculate your mini’s final weight by simply taking their weight at six weeks and multiplying it by two. Whatever that number is, multiply it be two as well, and...presto, you have your mini Dachshund’s adult weight.