All about the “Chiweenie” or Weiner dog

We are all familiar with the better known “designer” or hybrid dog types, such as the Labradoodle or Cockapoo. However, new cross-breed dogs from different component breeds are being produced all the time, as demand for them rises and people begin to see the benefits of owning a hybrid dog as a pet. One of the newer hybrid dog breeds is the Chiweenie, also sometimes known as the “Weiner dog,” and it is fast growing in popularity among people who like smaller dog breeds.

The Chiweenie is created from the crossing of a Chihuahua and a Dachshund, to create a very petite, short-legged dog that is now beginning to become a more and more common sight within the UK.

Are you wondering if a Chiweenie might be the dog for you, or are you interested in finding out more? Read on.

What does the Chiweenie look like?

As with any hybrid dog, the appearance of the Chiweenie will be composed of a mixture of the two component breeds in varying quantities. The Chihuahua is the smallest dog breed in the world, and is petite and delicate with a large, domed skull, prominent eyes and pointed ears. The Dachshund is small and low to the ground, with floppy ears, a long body and particularly short legs.

As there are both longhaired and shorthaired Chihuahuas, it is possible for the Chiweenie to have a long coat, but more common to see them with the short, fine coat of the Dachshund and the shorthaired Chihuahua. In terms of the appearance of any mixture of the two breeds, it is reasonable to expect that the dog will be small and short, a trait that both parent breeds have, but other than that there can be considerable variation!

Chiweenies that take after the Dachshund side are likely to have very short legs with a long body, and potentially, floppy ears. However, if the dog tends more towards the Chihuahua side, they may have normal-length legs, and not appear particularly long in the body. Ultimately, a huge range of different appearance traits may be present in the average Chiweenie, but you should be able to pick out noticeable traits from both the Dachshund and the Chihuahua within the Chiweenie dog.

Colouring

The Chiweenie can be found in a large range of colour variants, as between the Chihuahua and the Dachshund, a huge range of different coat colours are possible. The Chiweenie will often be a mixture of colours, such as black and white, black and brown or tricolour, or dark brown with lighter points of light brown on the legs and face.

The Chiweenie may also appear in one colour only, of which just some of the options are white, chocolate, black, tan or fawn.

Chiweenie temperament and traits

Both the Chihuahua and the Dachshund are lively, intelligent dogs, so you can fairly expect that the Chiweenie will be energetic, active and love to play. While they are bundles of energy that will greatly enjoy running around, due to their small size and short legs, they are apt to get tired out relatively quickly, and do not need a huge garden or home to keep them fit and active.

They do tend to be rather delicate due to their small size and fine bone structure, so you should take care to ensure that they are not roughly handled, or overwhelmed by larger dogs at the dog park.

They are likely to be intelligent, good at problem solving and into everything, and so are sure to keep you on your toes! The Chiweenie requires firm guidelines, correct training and competent handling, because as with any small dog, they will soon run amok if treated like babies! Both the Chihuahua and the Dachshund are renowned for being very affectionate, loyal dogs, so you can fairly expect that your Chiweenie will bond strongly with you and your family.

Caring for a Chiweenie

The coat and body of the Chiweenie is relatively low maintenance; they require only minimal brushing and grooming, and no special attention needs to be paid to their features. Brushing a couple of times a week and the occasional bath should be sufficient to keep your Chiweenie in good condition.

As they have small, delicate paws and also a tendency to feel the cold, you may well have to invest in a wardrobe of coats and possibly booties for your Chiweenie during the winter months, in order to keep them comfortable when out on walks.

They need to be fed a good quality, balanced diet that is appropriate for the size of a small dog, and protected from injury from larger animals and people, such as children and larger dogs who might accidentally hurt your little dog without meaning to.

The Chiweenie is a lively little dog that will benefit from several short walks and periods of play each day, but will tire quickly on longer walks, so be sure to consider the length of their legs when you are planning your dog’s exercise regime!