The first thing people notice about a Dachsador is the shape. You get a Lab’s head and friendly face on a body that’s longer and lower than any Lab I’ve ever owned. It’s a funny-looking dog in the best way, and a lot of owners swear by them.
A Dachsador is a cross between a Labrador Retriever and a Dachshund. It’s a small to medium mix, usually about 25 to 50 lbs, and it can be a sweet, smart family dog. The catch is the back. A long spine from the Dachshund side carries a real risk of disc disease, and that one fact shapes how you exercise, feed and handle this dog for its whole life.
What is a Dachsador?
The Dachsador is a designer cross between a Dachshund and a Labrador. You’ll also see it sold as a Doxador, Doxidor, Weinerdor or simply a Lab Dachshund mix. It isn’t a recognized breed, so there’s no standard for size, coat or color. Every litter is a bit of a gamble.
Here are the quick facts as I’d summarize them:
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Parent breeds | Labrador Retriever and Dachshund |
| Height (inches) | About 10 to 20 at the shoulder |
| Weight (lbs) | About 25 to 50 |
| Lifespan (years) | About 12 to 15 |
| Coat | Short and dense, sometimes wiry or longer |
| Energy | Moderate to high |
| Good with kids | Usually, with supervision |
| Good for first-time owners | Yes, if you can manage a stubborn streak |
All mix figures are estimates. They’re based on the parent breeds’ AKC standards, and a Dachsador can land anywhere between the two.
Owners tend to describe the same package: Lab friendliness and appetite, Dachshund independence and nose. Some dogs are more one than the other. That’s the honest truth with almost every mix I write about.
Where the Lab Dachshund mix comes from
There’s no recorded founder or breed club for the Dachsador. It most likely appeared in the US during the designer-dog boom that followed the Labradoodle in the 1990s and 2000s. Because the parents are so different in size, many litters are produced by artificial insemination with the Lab as the mother, which makes accidental crosses rare.
The two parent breeds have very different jobs behind them.
The Labrador came from fishing dogs in Newfoundland and was refined in Britain as a gun dog that retrieves birds, often from cold water. Labs were America’s most popular dog breed for 31 years straight, and they’re still number 2 on the AKC list.
Their cooperative nature and trainability made them the go-to choice for guide and service work.
The Dachshund is a German hunting dog. The name means “badger dog”, and the short legs and long body were bred on purpose so it could dig into a burrow and face a badger underground. Dachshunds are brave, loud and independent, and they sit at number 6 in the AKC’s Dachshund breed ranking. They come in standard and miniature sizes in the US (Germany also has a smaller “kaninchen” or rabbit size), and the size of the Dachshund parent has a big effect on the size of the pups.
Size and appearance
Image credit: sweetcinnamon_the_dachsador / Instagram
To me, most Dachsadors look like a slightly stretched, short-legged Lab. Some have proper Dachshund legs and a long, low back. Others have longer legs and look closer to a small Lab mix. You often can’t tell which way a puppy will go until it’s a few months old.
This is how the parents compare, using AKC figures, with my estimate for the mix:
| Breed | Height (inches) | Weight (lbs) | Lifespan (years) | My take |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dachshund (standard) | 8 to 9 | 16 to 32 | 12 to 16 | Big dog in a small body |
| Labrador Retriever | 21.5 to 24.5 | 55 to 80 | 11 to 13 | Buck sits at 78 lbs |
| Dachsador (estimate) | 10 to 20 | 25 to 50 | 12 to 15 | Lap size for some, not all |
A miniature Dachshund parent (11 lbs and under) pulls those numbers down. Ask the breeder for the weights of both parents, because that’s a better guide than any chart.
Color
Dachsadors often take after the color of the Labrador parent: black, yellow or chocolate. Dachshunds come in many more colors and patterns, including red, black and tan, cream, brindle and dapple. So you may see a black dog with tan points, a red dog, or a brindle coat. Dapple (merle) patterns can turn up if the Dachshund parent carries the gene. Two merle parents should never be bred together, because double merle puppies have a high risk of deafness and eye problems.
Coat and grooming
The coat depends on which kind of Dachshund was used: smooth, longhaired or wirehaired. Most Dachsadors end up with something like the Lab’s dense double coat, shorter and sometimes a bit coarser.
They’re not hypoallergenic, and most shed moderately to heavily. If your dog inherits the Lab’s heavy shedding, expect clumps of undercoat in spring and fall. With Buck, spring coat blowing fills about two grocery bags with undercoat in one afternoon of brushing and drying, so I don’t take shedding lightly.
My grooming kit for this coat would be:
- A rubber curry brush for the bath
- A slicker brush or undercoat rake, used once or twice a week (daily in shedding season)
- Nail clippers or a grinder, because short-legged dogs often don’t wear their nails down on walks
- Ear cleaner, especially if your dog has the Dachshund’s long, floppy ears
- A dog toothbrush
I’d check those ears weekly. Long ears plus a water-loving Lab side can mean ear infections after every swim.
Temperament and personality
Image credit: sydney_the_dachsador / Instagram
I’d describe most Dachsadors as affectionate, playful and very attached to their people. The Lab side brings friendliness and a strong wish to be included. The Dachshund side brings a big personality, a loud bark and a mind of its own.
Here’s how the parents compare on the traits owners ask me about most:
| Trait | Labrador | Dachshund | The Dachsador |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friendliness with strangers | Very high | Reserved | Friendly to wary |
| Barking (AKC score, 1 to 5) | 3 | 5 | Often on the vocal side |
| Independence | Low | High | Moderate |
| Prey drive | Moderate | High | Moderate to high |
| Digging | Some | A lot | Expect some holes |
Barking is the trait that surprises Lab people most. The AKC gives Dachshunds its top barking score, while Labs sit in the middle. Many Dachsadors make good little watchdogs, which is charming until the fifth delivery van of the day.
Prey drive matters too, and I wouldn’t ignore it. Dachshunds were bred to chase and dig after small animals. Some Dachsadors live happily with cats, but I’d be careful with rabbits, hamsters or guinea pigs, and I’d always introduce a new cat slowly.
Some Dachshunds can be protective of food, toys or their people. Early socialization and calm, reward-based handling around the food bowl help a Dachsador grow up relaxed.
Dachsador health starts with the back
Dachsadors are often described as healthy, and many are. But “mixed breeds are always healthier” is a myth. Large UK research from the Royal Veterinary College found designer crossbreeds weren’t healthier overall than their parent breeds. A mix can inherit problems from both sides.
Intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) is the big one. According to the American College of Veterinary Surgeons, chondrodystrophic breeds such as the Dachshund account for the vast majority of disc ruptures, and Dachshunds alone make up 45 to 70% of cases. Signs often show between ages 3 and 6. A Dachsador with short legs and a long back may carry some of that risk.
This is the health watch list I’d keep for a Dachsador:
| Condition | From which parent | Watch for | When to call the vet |
|---|---|---|---|
| IVDD (disc disease) | Dachshund | Hunched back, yelping, wobbly back legs | Same day. Weakness or dragging legs is an emergency |
| Hip and elbow dysplasia | Labrador | Stiffness, bunny hopping, limping | When it lasts more than a day or two |
| Obesity | Both | No visible waist, ribs hard to feel | At the next checkup |
| Progressive retinal atrophy | Both | Bumping into things at night | When you notice it |
| Ear infections | Both | Head shaking, smell, redness | Within a few days |
| Epilepsy | Both (reported) | Seizures, collapse, paddling | Right away for a first seizure |
I’m not a vet, and that table isn’t a diagnosis. If your Dachsador ever cries out when picked up, refuses stairs suddenly, or walks drunk on its back legs, get it seen the same day. Disc problems treated early have much better outcomes.
Ask any breeder for health testing on both parents: hips and elbows (OFA or PennHIP) for the Lab, an eye exam, and a PRA DNA test. For the Dachshund, ask about back problems in the parents and grandparents.
Protecting a long back
Most of these are daily habits, not big changes:
- Keep the dog lean. Every extra pound loads the spine.
- Use ramps or steps for the couch and bed, and block stairs if your vet suggests it.
- Lift with two hands, one under the chest and one under the rear, never by the front legs.
- Use a harness instead of a collar on walks to protect the neck.
- Skip repeated jumping games and frisbee leaps.
That list matters more than any supplement. Glucosamine and omega-3s are popular for joints, and Buck has been on a daily joint supplement since his elbow diagnosis, but please talk to your own vet before adding one.
Exercise and training
Image credit: dachsadorbuddy / Instagram
Most adult Dachsadors do well with about 45 to 60 minutes of activity a day, split into two or three sessions. Short-legged dogs tire sooner than they look, and they don’t need marathon hikes. They do need daily walks, sniffing time and games that work the brain.
A rough plan by age looks like this:
| Age | Daily exercise | Good activities | Avoid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Puppy (to 12 months) | Several short play sessions | Sniff walks, gentle play, training games | Stairs, jumping off furniture |
| Adult | 45 to 60 minutes | Walks, scent games, fetch on flat ground | Repeated jumping, rough play with big dogs |
| Senior (8+) | 30 to 45 minutes | Slower walks, swimming if your vet agrees | Long, steep hikes |
If your dog has a Lab’s build and longer legs, it can handle more. If it has a classic Dachshund back, keep the activities low and level. The physical build of a Lab is a useful comparison when you’re judging what your dog is built for.
Many Dachsadors inherit the Lab love of water. Swimming is great low-impact exercise for the back, but short legs make some dogs weak swimmers. A life jacket and shallow, calm water are a good start.
Training tips
I find Dachsadors smart, but they don’t always see why they should do what you ask. Lab-heavy dogs often train like a Lab, eager and food driven. Dachshund-heavy dogs can be stubborn, especially with house training and recall.
From my experience with retrievers, food rewards and short sessions beat long drills every time, and that goes double for a Dachshund cross. Reward-based positive reinforcement training works far better than harsh corrections, which tend to make independent dogs dig their heels in.
These are the habits I’d train first:
- A solid recall, practiced on a long line before you trust it off leash
- “Quiet”, because this mix often barks a lot
- Calm handling of the back, paws and ears
- Crate training, which I think every puppy needs
- “Leave it”, for when the nose finds something gross
Scent games and nose work suit this mix especially well, since both parents have excellent noses.
Living with a Dachsador
Image credit: luna_dachsador / Instagram
Kids and other pets
Dachsadors are often great with older children who know how to be gentle. With toddlers, I’d supervise every interaction. That’s for the dog’s sake as much as the child’s: a small child picking up a long-backed dog the wrong way can cause a back injury. Teach kids to sit on the floor and let the dog come to them.
In my view, most get along with other dogs, especially if they’re raised together. Rough play with a much bigger dog is risky for that back, though.
Apartments and space
I think many Dachsadors adapt well to apartments because of their size, as long as they get daily walks and mental work. The barking can be the bigger problem with close neighbors. Stairs are the other thing to think about. A third-floor walk-up isn’t ideal for a dog with a fragile back.
A crate or a quiet bed in a corner gives them a retreat. Plenty of owners also put a dog ramp beside the couch from day one, so the dog never learns to leap off it.
Feeding a Lab Dachshund mix
Image credit: tucker_the_dachsador / Instagram
I wouldn’t look for a special diet for a Dachsador. A complete and balanced food for their life stage, measured by weight, is the right base. What they do need is portion control. Both parents love food, and many Labs carry a gene variant (POMC) linked to bigger appetites, according to research from the University of Cambridge.
Here’s how I’d keep a Dachsador lean:
- Weigh or measure every meal, using the food label as a starting point
- Count treats, and keep them under about 10% of daily calories
- Use part of the daily kibble as training rewards
- Check the waist and ribs every couple of weeks
- Ask your vet to score body condition at every visit
Buck taught me this lesson around age six. He started gaining weight on the same portions, and a higher-protein, lower-calorie food split into three smaller meals brought him back to 78 lbs in about four months. A Dachsador’s back makes that kind of attention even more important.
On supplements, omega-3s (fish oil) can help skin and coat, and glucosamine and chondroitin are popular for joints. Evidence for joint supplements is mixed, so get your vet’s input on whether your dog needs one and which product.
Is a Dachsador right for you?
This is the honest version I’d give a friend.
A Dachsador is a good fit if:
- A small to medium dog with a Lab’s friendly face appeals to you
- You’re home a fair bit
- Daily walks suit you better than long runs
- Managing weight, stairs and jumping for life sounds fine to you (I’d call it non-negotiable)
- Some barking doesn’t bother you
Skip it if:
- Your dream is a running partner for long mountain trails
- Home has lots of stairs and carrying the dog isn’t realistic
- Thin apartment walls mean you need a quiet dog
- Very small children will be around the dog without supervision
My guess is most people who regret a Dachsador underestimated either the barking or the back care. Neither is hard. Both are daily.
Finding a Dachsador through a rescue or breeder
Image credit: alice_the_dachsador2 / Instagram
Adoption first
I’d always start with rescues. Lab mixes and Dachshund mixes both turn up in shelters, and Dachshund-specific rescues sometimes take in Dachsadors. Ask the staff about the dog’s history, health, how it handles being picked up, and how it behaves with kids and cats.
Expect a settling-in period. I’d give it time. A rescued dog may need a few weeks before its real personality shows.
Choosing a breeder
If you go to a breeder, be picky. Dachsadors aren’t a recognized breed, so there’s no breed club to vet breeders for you. Puppy prices for designer mixes like this often run from around $800 to $1,500, but price says nothing about quality.
A good breeder will:
- Show health test results for both parents (hips, elbows, eyes, and PRA DNA for the Lab)
- Be honest about back problems in the Dachshund line
- Let you meet the mother, and ideally the father
- Never breed two merle (dapple) dogs together
- Ask you plenty of questions and take a puppy back if it doesn’t work out
Based on my research, the biggest red flag is a breeder who can’t tell you how big the Dachshund parent is, or who has puppies available every month. If you’d like more on Lab bloodlines, the rest of LabraJoy has guides on Lab colors, sizes and health.
FAQ
How big does a Dachsador get?
Most Dachsadors grow to about 10 to 20 inches tall and 25 to 50 lbs. Size depends on the parents, especially whether the Dachshund was standard or miniature. Dogs with more Lab in them are taller and heavier. Ask a breeder for both parents’ weights to get a better estimate.
Do Dachsadors have back problems?
Dachsadors can develop back problems, especially intervertebral disc disease, if they inherit the Dachshund’s long back and short legs. Keeping them lean, using ramps, avoiding repeated jumping and lifting them properly lowers the risk. Wobbly back legs or pain when picked up need a vet visit the same day.
Are Dachsadors good family dogs?
Yes, Dachsadors are usually affectionate, playful family dogs. They do best with older, gentle children and owners who are home often. Supervise them with toddlers, since rough handling can hurt a long back. They can be vocal and stubborn, so plan on consistent, reward-based training.
How long do Dachsadors live?
Dachsadors usually live about 12 to 15 years. The Dachshund’s typical lifespan is 12 to 16 years and the Lab’s is 11 to 13, according to the AKC. Keeping your dog lean, active and up to date with vet visits gives it the best chance at a long life.
Do Dachsadors shed?
Yes, most Dachsadors shed moderately to heavily, especially in spring and fall. They aren’t hypoallergenic. Brushing once or twice a week, and daily during shedding season, keeps the hair under control. Longhaired or wirehaired Dachshund genes can change the coat type.
Are Dachsadors easy to train?
Dachsadors are smart and food motivated, but some inherit the Dachshund’s stubborn streak. Short, fun sessions with treats work best. House training and recall can take longer than with a Lab, so be patient and consistent.
My final word
If I were bringing one home, I’d buy a ramp before I bought a toy. That one habit protects a Dachsador’s back for years, and the rest of the job is just what any Lab person already does: walks, treats in moderation, and a lot of time on the couch together.
