It is a known thing that there are a lot of dog breeds that come with very interesting color patterns and combinations when it comes to their coat.
Australian Shepherd coat colors are known around the world. They have a very interesting appearance, and because of that, they are quite popular. There are other dog breeds that also come in very amazing color combinations, but they are sometimes thrown a bit in the shadow.
One of those dog breeds is the Dachshund breed, or as some people like to call them… wiener dogs.
One of the interesting color patterns that a Dachshund comes in is piebald. People might not know what a piebald Dachshund looks like by the name, but don’t worry – we will provide you with all the explanations and pictures.
What Is A Piebald Dachshund?
When you read the term ‘Piebald Dachshund’, it might not ring a bell as to what that might be. Some people might think it has something to do with personality or some people might think that it is connected to appearance, but do not know exactly what.
Piebald Dachshund puppies and adult dogs are Dachshunds that have a specific coat coloration and coat pattern.
There are a lot of interesting things that are connected to this color pattern. You can never know exactly how this dog will look when it comes to the shape, placement, and shade of the coloration, but you can have a general idea.
What we want to emphasize is that ‘piebald’ is not the name of the color of this dog, but, in fact, the color pattern.
This is caused by the recessive piebald gene, and both of the parents need to have this gene in order to produce a puppy that will have the piebald pattern.
This pattern is not only reserved for Dachshunds. The piebald pattern can occur in other dogs like the Boxer, the Greyhound, the Basset Hound, the Bull Terrier, and the Beagle.
What Does A Piebald Dachshund Look Like?
When it comes to their general appearance, they look exactly like regular Dachshunds. They have a long body and short legs. Their shiny and short coat is the same. The main difference is the color pattern of the coat, but the coat type is the same.
You need to know that there are also long-haired Doxies, but when it comes to the Piebald pattern, the short-coated ones will have it more often.
There is a funny thing that is connected to the piebald pattern. When you look at this dog, you will probably think that the white color is the base and the brownish color and patterns are the ones that appear and can come in different shapes and sizes.
The truth is actually the reverse. These dogs have something that is called the white spotting gene. The white patterns are the ones that appear on top of the main color. When the main color is darker, you will be able to see the spots more.
Since these white patches are not only small spots, but big patches, you might think that white is the main color.
However, the main colors can be different shades of brown, cream, black, tan, and fawn.
These pooches will have a white tip on their tail, and their paws will be white in most of the cases.
When it comes to size, they are the same as the regular Dachshund. Piebald doxies can grow to be 8 to 10 inches tall, and can weigh anywhere between 16 and 32 pounds. There are also miniature Dachshunds, and they grow 6 inches tall, and weigh around 11 pounds.
They will not have blue eyes that are reserved for the Dapple Doxies. Their eyes are brown, and can be either lighter or darker.
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What Causes The Piebald Pattern?
We mentioned that there is a recessive piebald gene that both parents should have in order to produce piebald puppies. This gene is also called the Sp gene.
This gene is very important because if only one parent has it, then there is a slighter or even an impossible chance that there will be any piebald puppies produced.
The parents that have and carry this gene can produce a whole litter that will have piebald markings.
This gene is considered to be a genetic abnormality, and this is the reason why some people do not accept the piebald marking as something that should be a normal part of the breed standard.
A lack of pigmentation is something that can describe this in the easiest way. The standard Dachshund does not have any white coloration, so introducing the piebald one might be too much for some people.
You might be able to see that some breeders are claiming that this is a rare dog breed, but do not get fooled. This is a standard Doxie with a lack of pigment on some parts of its body. Since they have become popular because people seem to like this coloration on the dog, breeders might try to state many things to make a profit.
Are Piebald Dachshunds Rare?
When it comes to colors and color patterns, it can sometimes be hard to get a certain look. Some dog breeds will not come with color patterns – only with the main colors. These dogs can never have patterns no matter how hard the breeders might work on them.
When it comes to Dachshunds, they have a lot of colors and quite a lot of color patterns. Popularity is the main thing of whether or not a certain color pattern will be hard to find.
The piebald pattern has become more and more popular over the years, so the demand has gotten higher. It might not be hard to find them, but it depends from breeder to breeder.
Since we have already seen that the piebald pattern is made because of the recessive piebald gene, breeders can easily get a piebald puppy or avoid one if they do not want to breed them.
This is specific because not every pattern will have the ease to be produced.
But, there are things that you need to keep an eye on and be careful about. The location of where you live is also important when it comes to finding a certain breed with a certain color.
Some locations might have a couple of breeders that are breeding piebald Doxies while other places might have none.
You also need to know that the piebald ones should never be more expensive than the others; for example, black and tan Doxies.
A dachshund’s coat should never be the reason to skyrocket the price of the pooch. They are all the same, and you should consider this as a type of scam.
The American Kennel Club (AKC) has accepted the piebald pattern on this dog, but it has specific rules about it.
If you live in the UK, we have some bad news. The UK Kennel Club is very strict with the white coat of a Doxie. They do not accept the piebald pattern as a pattern that is suited for this purebred dog breed.
Breeding A Piebald Dachshund
This might be a sensitive topic. Something that we will be talking about later on is health issues that can be connected with this coloring of the dog. Because of that, a lot of people think that breeding these pooches can be a bit immoral.
This is something that people need to be educated on a bit more. People tend to sometimes pick a dog because of its appearance, especially its coat coloration. This is something that can seem like the person is not in it for the dog, but just so they can show off to other people that they have a dog that looks interesting.
Color patterns like brindle and merle are something that is quite normal for some breeds, but breeders usually do not just breed those types of dogs. If a dog carries the merle gene, they might end up with a merle puppy.
When it comes to piebald, we have already seen that these dogs can easily be produced. But, even if they can easily breed a piebald puppy, is that the reason why they should do it?
The best advice that we can give is that when you are searching for your Dachshund puppy, do not do it for the color, and do not look for breeders who are only focused on a certain color.
If you end up finding a breeder who has a piebald Doxie puppy within the litter, then that would be amazing, and you can consider yourself lucky.
Are There Any Health Problems Connected To The Piebald Dachshund?
The sad truth about this color pattern is that it comes with certain health issues. The main thing to state is that nothing fatal is connected, but you need to know that these pooches will probably have some health complications that can deteriorate the quality of the dog’s life.
Something that you can expect the most is that your piebald dog will suffer from deafness. There are a lot of cases of piebald Dachshunds becoming deaf.
The ones that have a white body, or, in other words, have a lot of white coloration throughout their body, will have a higher chance of becoming deaf, and the deafness comes early on.
Who would have thought that white fur would in any way be connected to deafness, but unfortunately, in this case, it is.
The piebald Dachshund’s health is something that can be a sensitive topic for some people. We are here to list and to inform you about some potential health issues that these dogs can suffer from. Some of these are not something that your dog will get 100%, but you need to keep an eye on them, and be prepared if they do happen.
– Autoimmune thyroiditis
– Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD)
– Pes Varus
– Cancer
– Congenital Deafness
– Lafora’s disease
– Progressive Retinal Atrophy
– Vision problems
– Obesity
A healthy dachshund can have a lifespan of anywhere from 8 to 13 years. However, with piebald Doxies, there is a higher risk that their lifespan will be shorter.
Can A Piebald Dachshund Have Its Entire Body White?
A piebald Dachshund should never have its entire body white. This is not considered normal even when they have some spots on their head. This is something that is called extreme piebald.
If you find a breeder who is claiming that they are breeding extreme piebalds, you need to run away from them. This type of breeding is considered to be extremely cruel, and no kennel club accepts these dogs or this type of breeding.
We saw that the base coat colors are fawn, black, cream, and tan. If you see a piebald with blue or Isabella color as the coat base, you need to know that this is also not good, and it is considered cruel if someone is breeding these dogs.
It is considered cruel because it comes with a lot of health issues that can not be avoided, and deliberately breeding and buying these dogs is not okay.
You can also have two or more color patterns on one dog. A double dapple, a dapple piebald, or even a dapple brindle piebald is something that can be quite unique and look beautiful.
If you want one of these dogs, you need to make sure that you find a reputable breeder who knows what he or she is doing. If it is not done in the proper way, the pooches might have some health issues.
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What Is The Difference Between Piebald And Dapple Dachshunds?
Dapple is also a color pattern that a lot of people love with this breed, and it is also quite popular, just as the piebald pattern. There are different types of Dachshunds, but these two are truly the most popular in this day and age.
The merle gene is the gene that is responsible for the dapple pattern. This gene is a dominant gene – not recessive like the piebald one. These pooches will have random patches on their body that are lighter than the main color. These lighter colors can be brown or even blue.
That is the main difference because we saw that the piebald pattern will always have white coloration while the dapple one can be white, but in most cases, it is a lighter shade of a specific color.
The thing about dapple Dachshunds is that you should not breed two doggies that have this gene. You will get a double dapple, and this can cause the dog to have many health issues.
This means that only one parent should have a dapple gene, which is also called a single dapple.
These pooches can have blue eyes while the piebalds can not have – they only have brown eyes. Dapple dogs can also have a pink nose, and we need to tell you that they are super cute with a pink nose.
When you put a dapple and a piebald dog next to each other, in some cases, you will be able to notice the difference, but there are also examples when the difference is not that obvious, and people might confuse the two or think that it is the same pattern.
FAQs
As we mentioned before, these dogs have the same coat type as the regular Dachshund. Since they shed, you can expect that the piebald ones will shed as well.
This might be a problem for people who have dog allergies. Every Dachshund, no matter the coat color or pattern, will shed.
The thing that you need to know is that mixing two patterns might look beautiful and eye-catching, but most kennel clubs do not accept them.
If you do not plan on showing your dog, then you might get a Doxie with two patterns, but you need to know that they are extremely hard to find.
You can not register a Doxie that has more than one pattern, and you need to keep that in mind.
To Sum It All Up
The most important thing we would like to emphasize is that you should never pick a dog based only on its appearance, or, to be more precise, its coat color and pattern. Of course, some dogs will look more interesting, but this should not be the main reason for you getting a dog.
A piebald Dachshund is truly interesting to look at, and we understand why a lot of people want to get a hold of this divine pooch.
Breeding piebald Doxies can have some controversy connected to it. Some people might think that this is not the best idea since these pooches might have a higher risk of getting sick and having health issues that can deteriorate the quality of the dog’s life.
Others think that it is amazing that you can breed dogs of a certain color, especially when the demand is big like with these doggies.
We hope that by reading this article, you found out a lot about these dogs, and that you are aware of everything connected to them. Some people might get a bit scared of getting them while others might fall in love with them even more.
If you decide on this dog breed with these color patterns, then we wish you all the best. Find your pooch as soon as possible, and live many, many happy years together.
