Dachshunds come in three sizes; Standard, Miniature, and Kaninchen. They are classified according to their chest girth. Standard Dachshunds have a chest girth of at least 13.75 inches (35 cm), and can weigh up to 20 pounds. The Miniature variety has a chest girth of 11.75 inces to 13.75 inches (30 cm - 35 cm), while the diminutive Kaninchen Dachshund (also known as a Rabbit Dachshund) has a mere chest girth of only 11.75 inches (30 cm) or less. Their coats can either be smooth, long, or wire haired. While both smooth and long haired Dachshunds need to be brushed occassionaly to remove dead hairs, the long haired variety is especially prone to tangles, and may require more frequent grooming. The coat of the wire haired variety should be as hard as possible and lie flat, and should be plucked by hand twice every year to remove dead hair. All breeds come in a variety of colors including reddish brown, tan or black, chocolate brown, or even a deep chestnut in reddish brown with black and tan.
The Dachshund is a German dog, which is independent, intelligent, and brave. Dachshunds may show some reservation around strangers, but they do tend to be loyal and form strong bonds with the family. Training can prove to be a challenge, due to their independent nature, although long haired Dachshunds can be easier to train than the short haired or wire haired varieties. Long walks are required as Dachshunds require a fair amount of exercise.