Every year I hear from dachshund owners who are dealing with a health or behavior problem that, in hindsight, showed up as a small warning sign back when their dog was still a wobbly eight-week-old puppy in a breeder’s living room. I’m Rex, and healthcare is my corner of this site — so when people ask me “how do I even pick the right puppy,” my answer is never about coat color or who looks the cutest in a photo. It’s about what you can actually see, ask, and test for before you commit to eight-plus years with this dog.
Dachshunds come with a few breed-specific things to screen for that a general “how to pick a puppy” article won’t mention — their back, their size variability, and the quality of the breeding program behind them matter more here than in a lot of other breeds. Here’s what I’d actually walk through if I were standing in that room with you.
Start With the Breeder or Rescue, Not the Puppy
The single biggest predictor of a healthy adult dachshund isn’t anything you can see in an eight-week-old puppy — it’s the quality of whoever bred it. A responsible dachshund breeder should be able to tell you, without hesitation, whether the parents have been screened for intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) history, patellar luxation, and progressive retinal atrophy, and whether either parent’s own parents had back problems. None of these screenings guarantee a puppy will avoid them — IVDD in particular has a strong genetic component but isn’t eliminated by any single test — but a breeder who can’t or won’t discuss any of this at all is telling you something important about how the litter was planned.
The same logic applies if you’re adopting through a rescue instead of buying from a breeder. Reputable dachshund rescues usually have some history on the dog, even if it’s thin, and a foster who’s observed the puppy’s energy, soundness, and temperament over a few weeks. Ask what they know and don’t be shy about asking what they don’t.
What a Healthy Dachshund Puppy Looks Like
Once you’re actually looking at puppies, there’s a quick physical once-over worth doing on every one in the litter, not just the one you’re drawn to. Eyes should be clear and bright with no discharge or crusting. Gums should be pink, not pale or bluish. The belly should be soft and round without a tender, distended, or hard feel to it, and you’ll want to gently check for an umbilical hernia — a small soft bulge near the belly button. These are fairly common in dachshund puppies and are often minor, but you should know about it going in and ask whether the breeder’s vet has already flagged it, since some need nothing at all and others need a simple repair during spay or neuter surgery.
Watch how the puppy moves. At eight weeks you’re not going to catch early signs of IVDD — that’s simply too young for it to show — but you can watch for an obviously uneven gait, a reluctance to put weight on one leg, or stiffness after getting up from a nap. A healthy puppy should move with loose, bouncy confidence, not hesitation. Coat should be soft without bald patches, flaking, or signs of parasites, and body condition should look appropriately round and well-fed without being distended or pot-bellied, which can sometimes point to a heavy parasite load.
Ask to see the puppy’s vet records so far — first vaccines, deworming treatments, and any notes from a wellness check. If you want the fuller picture of what should be on that schedule as your puppy grows, I’ve laid out the whole thing in my puppy vaccination schedule guide.
Temperament Signs Worth Watching in the Litter
It’s tempting to pick the puppy who comes barreling over first or the one hiding quietly in the corner, because both read as “personality.” I’d actually watch the whole litter interact for a few minutes before you single anyone out. You’re looking for a puppy that recovers quickly from a startle — a dropped object or a loud noise — rather than one that stays frozen or hides for an extended time. A little initial caution followed by curiosity is normal and healthy. Prolonged fear, or the opposite extreme of nonstop frantic biting that doesn’t settle even with redirection, are both worth asking the breeder or foster about, since temperament has a genetic and early-environment component just like physical health does.
Pick the puppy up and hold it against your chest for about thirty seconds. Most healthy dachshund puppies will wriggle or protest briefly and then settle. A puppy that goes completely rigid, or one that screams and thrashes without any settling at all, is giving you real information about how it handles being handled — which matters a lot in a breed that will need to tolerate nail trims, vet visits, and being picked up carefully for the rest of its life to protect its back.
Questions to Ask Before You Commit
Beyond the health screenings already mentioned, I’d ask a few more things directly: How many litters has this dam had, and how far apart? Frequent back-to-back litters can be a sign of a breeder prioritizing output over the mother’s health. Can I see where the puppies have been living? Clean, enriched spaces with room to explore matter for both health and early socialization. Is there a health guarantee in writing, and what exactly does it cover? Will you take this dog back at any point in its life if it doesn’t work out? Good breeders generally say yes to that last one without hesitation, because they’re invested in where their dogs end up.
If you’re choosing between two or three puppies in a litter and can’t decide on health or temperament alone, size at maturity is a reasonable tiebreaker to ask about — but hold it loosely. Even litters from two standard-sized parents can include puppies that mature smaller or larger than expected, and paw size at eight weeks is a rough guide at best. I go into the actual weight and milestone ranges you can expect by age in my puppy growth chart if you want real numbers to compare against as your puppy develops.
Red Flags That Should Make You Walk Away
A few things should end the conversation regardless of how adorable the puppy is. Puppies offered for sale under eight weeks old haven’t had enough time with their mother and littermates for healthy development — walk away. A seller who won’t let you see the puppy’s living conditions, parents, or any paperwork is hiding something, even if they have a good excuse ready. Multiple breeds or litters being sold out of the same location with no clear specialization is a common sign of a volume-focused operation rather than a careful one. And high-pressure tactics — “another family is coming to look today,” demands for a deposit before you’ve even met the puppy — are sales tactics, not information you need to make a good decision.
Bringing Your Puppy Home
Once you’ve found the right puppy, the real work shifts from evaluation to preparation. I’d get your home set up and your supply list sorted before pickup day rather than scrambling afterward — my puppy checklist covers everything I’d want on hand before that first car ride home, from the right size crate to a vet appointment already booked for the first week.
Choosing well up front doesn’t guarantee a problem-free eight or nine years — no amount of screening eliminates risk entirely in a breed built the way dachshunds are. But a careful look at the breeder or rescue, an honest physical and temperament check on the actual puppy in front of you, and a short list of direct questions will put you in a much stronger position than picking based on which puppy looked the cutest in a photo online.
Frequently Asked Questions
What age should a dachshund puppy be before I bring it home?
Most reputable breeders release puppies between eight and ten weeks old, once they’ve had adequate time nursing and socializing with their mother and littermates. Anything earlier than eight weeks is generally considered too soon.
Can I tell if a dachshund puppy will develop IVDD later in life?
Not reliably, and not from looking at an eight-week-old puppy. IVDD risk is influenced by genetics, body condition, and lifestyle factors that play out over years. The best you can do upfront is ask about the parents’ and grandparents’ back health history and commit to weight management and careful handling as your dog grows.
Is it normal for a dachshund puppy to have a hernia?
Small umbilical hernias are relatively common in dachshund puppies and are frequently minor. Your vet should examine it and tell you whether it needs monitoring only or a simple surgical repair, often scheduled alongside a spay or neuter.
Should I choose the biggest or smallest puppy in the litter?
Size within a litter at eight weeks isn’t a reliable predictor of adult size, and picking based on size alone ignores the health and temperament factors that matter far more long-term. Focus on soundness and temperament first.
