Wire Dachshund Standard

TRANSLATION: Anke Masters / Official language (DE).
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Germany.
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE OFFICIAL VALID
STANDARD: 04/09/2019.
UTILIZATION: Hunting dog, above and below ground.
FCI CLASSIFICATION: Group 4: Dachshunds.
With working trial.
BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY: The Dachshund, also called
Dackel or Teckel, has been known since the Middle Ages. From the
Bracken, dogs especially suitable for hunting below ground were
consistently bred. From these short-legged dogs, the Dachshund
evolved and is recognised as one of the most versatile hunting breeds.
He also shows excellent performance above ground, hunting while
giving tongue, flushing and tracking wounded game. The oldest Club
devoted to the breeding of Dachshunds is the “Deutsche Teckelklub”
e.V., founded in 1888.
For decades the Dachshund has been bred in three different sizes
(Teckel, Miniature Teckel and Rabbit Teckel) and in three different
coat varieties (Smooth-haired, Wire-haired and Long-haired),
resulting in nine varieties.
GENERAL APPEARANCE: Low, short legged, elongated but
compact build, very muscular with cheeky, challenging head carriage
and alert facial expression. His build allows agile, quick work above
and below ground. Sexual dimorphism is noticeable.
IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS: With a ground clearance of about
one third of the height at withers, the body length (from the point of
manubrium of sternum to the point of the buttock) should be in
harmonious relation to height at withers, about 1.7 – 1.8 : 1.
FCI-St. N° 148/ 07.11.2019
3
BEHAVIOUR / TEMPERAMENT: Friendly by nature, neither
fearful nor aggressive, with even temperament. Passionate, persistent
and fast hunting dog with an excellent nose.
HEAD: Elongated as seen from above. As seen in profile, tapering
uniformly towards the nose leather, yet not pointed. Superciliary
ridges clearly defined. Nasal cartilage and bridge of nose long and
narrow.
CRANIAL REGION:
Skull: Rather flat, not too broad, gradually merging with the slightly
arched nasal bridge. Occipital peak not pronounced much.
Stop: Slightly marked.
FACIAL REGION:
Nose: Nostrils well opened. Colour: see under respective colour
definition.
Muzzle: Long, sufficiently broad and strong. Mouth can be opened
wide, at the level of the vertical of the eye.
Lips: Taut fitting, covering the lower jaw well.
Jaws / Teeth: Well-developed jaws. Scissor bite, even and closing
tightly. Ideally, complete set of 42 teeth according to requirements of
the dentition formula with strong canines exactly fitting into each
other.
EYES: Medium size, almond shape, set well apart, with clear
energetic and yet friendly expression. Not piercing. Colour bright dark
reddish-brown to blackish brown in all coat colours of the dogs. Wall-
, fish- or pearl eyes in dapple dogs are not desired but shall be
tolerated.
Eye lids well pigmented.
EARS: Set on high, not too forward. Sufficiently long, reaching the
edge of the lips, but not much longer. Rounded. Mobile with front edge
lying close to cheek.
NECK: Sufficiently long, muscular. Tight fitting skin on throat.
Lightly arched nape of neck carried freely and high.
FCI-St. N° 148/ 07.11.2019
4
BODY:
Topline: Blending harmoniously from neck to slightly sloping croup.
Withers: Pronounced.
Back: Behind the high withers, topline running from the thoracic
vertebrae straight or slightly inclined to the rear. Firm and well-
muscled.
Loins: Strong, broad and well-muscled.
Croup: Broad and sufficiently long, not horizontal or sloping too
much.
Chest: Sternum well developed and so prominent that slight
depressions appear on either side. The ribcage, seen from the front, is
oval. Seen from above and the side, it is spacious, giving plenty of
space for heart and lung development. Ribs carried well back. With
correct length and angulation of shoulder blade and upper arm, the
front leg covers the lowest point of the sternal line in profile. Dewlap
not pronounced.
Underline and Belly: Slight tuck up. Chest smoothly transitioning to
the belly in a continuous line.
TAIL: The tail is carried in a harmonious continuation of the topline,
slightly falling off, not carried above topline. A slight curve in the last
third of the tail is permitted.
FOREQUARTERS:
General: Strongly muscled, well angulated. Seen from the front, clean
front legs (tight fitting skin), standing straight with good strength of
bone; feet pointing straight forward, positioned at the lowest point of
the chest.
Shoulders: Well defined muscles. Long sloping shoulder blade (ca. 90
degrees to upper arm), fitting close to chest.
Upper arm: Equal in length to shoulder blade, set almost at right angle
to it. Strong boned and well-muscled, close fitting to ribs but free in
movement.
Elbows: Turning neither in nor out.
FCI-St. N° 148/ 07.11.2019
5
Forearm: Short, yet so long that the dog’s ground clearance is one third
of its height at withers. As straight as possible.
Carpus / Wrist: Slightly closer together than the shoulder joints.
Pastern: Seen from the side, should be neither steep nor noticeably
inclined forward.
Front feet: Toes close together, well arched with strong, resistant, well
cushioned pads and short strong nails. Colour: see under respective
colour definitions. The fifth toe has no function.
HINDQUARTERS:
General: Strongly muscled, in good proportion to forequarters. Strong
angulation of stifles and hock joints. Hindlegs parallel standing,
neither close nor wide apart.
Upper thigh: Should be of good length and well-muscled.
Stifle (joint): Broad and strong with good angulation.
Lower thigh: Short, almost at right angle to upper thigh. Well-
muscled.
Hock joint: Strong, with strong tendons, tight skin.
Hock: Relatively short, mobile towards lower thigh. Slightly curved
forward.
Hind feet: Four close knit toes, well arched. Standing firmly on strong
pads.
GAIT / MOVEMENT: Ground covering movement, flowing and
energetic, with far reaching front strides without much lift, strong
drive and slightly springy transmission to backline. Tail is carried in
harmonious continuation of backline, slightly sloping. Front and
hindlegs have parallel movement.
SKIN: Tight fitting, well pigmented. Colour: see under respective
colour definitions.

WIRE-HAIRED
COAT
Hair: With exception of muzzle, eyebrows and ears, perfectly even
close-fitting, dense wiry topcoat with undercoat. Soft hair on the head
(top knot) and on the paws is highly undesirable. The muzzle has a
clearly defined beard.
Eyebrows are bushy. On the ears, the coat is shorter than on the body,
almost smooth. Tail well and evenly covered with close-fitting coat.
Colour and Colour Patterns:
a) One-coloured: Red. Interspersed black hairs permissible.
However, a clean dark color is preferable. A small white spot (up to
3 cm diameter) is only permissible on the chest. Nose, nails and pads
black; reddish-brown is not desirable.