10 Rarest Dachshund Colors in the World

Dachshunds or wiener dogs are one of the most popular dog breeds in the world. This cute little sausage dogs come in a wide variety of colors in three coat types: wire haired, long haired, and smooth haired. Dachshunds also have several different types of markings/patterns and can be born with various combinations of colors, coat type, and markings. In general, the rarest Dachshund colors are any non-red solid color or unique marking caused by recessive genes. While the rare Dachshund colors on this list are beautiful, keep in mind that some of them are a result of unethical breeding practices, which cause lethal health problems in the Dachshunds.

Wild Boar

Reason for Rarity: Only occurs on wire haired Dachshunds
Coat Type(s): Wire Haired
Average Price: $500 to $3,500

Wild Boar is a fairly rare coloring in wire haired Dachshunds. Like their namesake, Wild Boar Dachshunds have coarse hair that is a mix of gray, black, and brown. They can have a red, blue, chocolate, or black base. However, the Wild Boar pattern is because each hair has multiple colors on it. A Wild Boar Dachshund cannot be identified as a true Wild Boar until a puppy is at least six months old. This is because many puppies labeled as Wild Boar lose the unique coloring and actually have a red coat with no pattern.

Sable

Reason for Rarity: Only occurs on long haired Dachshunds
Coat Type(s): Long Haired
Average Price: $800 to $1,500

Sable is a fairly rare color that only occurs in long haired Dachshunds. These rare long haired Dachshunds have black-tipped hairs and usually come in red sable. However, sables can be black and tan or any other color combination. The hairs on a Sable Dachshund are multi-colored instead of being a mix of different solid-colored hairs. It is often very difficult to identify a true Sable Dachshund because the multi-colored hairs are hard to pick out from far away and can look like shading or a blend of different colored hairs.

Blue and Tan

Reason for Rarity: Recessive gene needed in both parents for blue color
Coat Type(s): Smooth Haired, Long Haired, and Wire Haired
Average Price: $400 to $1,500

In general Blue Dachshunds are pretty rare, but the rarest variation of this color type is the Blue and Tan. This rare color combo is a diluted version of the common black and tan. The blue coloring is a blueish-gray and the tan markings are in the typical places. Blue and Tan Dachshunds cannot have any black markings on their body. Fans of Blue and Tan Dachshunds say that the coloring and markings should resemble those of a blue Doberman.

Brindle Piebald

Reason for Rarity: Needs one brindle and one piebald parent
Coat Type(s): Smooth Haired, Long Haired, and Wire Haired
Average Price: $1,000 to $1,500

As its name suggests Brindle Piebald Dachshunds are born when one brindle and one piebald Dachshund are bred together. Brindle Dachshunds have stripe coat markings, while piebald Dachshunds have unique dark speckles and patches on a white coat. So, Brindle Piebalds have coats that feature a mixture of these two different patterns.

English Cream

Reason for Rarity: Must have British Cream ancestry
Coat Type(s): Long Haired
Average Price: $2,000 to $5,000

English Creams are some of the cutest and fanciest looking Dachshunds out there. Authentic English Cream Dachshunds are very rare because they must have real British Cream lineage. There are many similar looking long haired Dachshund colors that are often mistaken for English Creams. The coats of English Creams are cream or a light golden brown color, which is a result of the recessive chinchilla gene, which makes Dachshunds blonde. All true English Creams will have long, smooth, silky coats.English Cream Dachshunds come in two varieties: shaded cream, which means they have some sort of dark shading on their coat or clear creams, which are born with very light blonde hair that may darken a bit as they age.

Albino

Reason for Rarity: Rare genetic mutation
Coat Type(s): Smooth Haired, Long Haired, and Wire Haired
Average Price: $1,000+

Albinism is a fairly rare genetic mutation, in any animal species, that causes a complete lack of pigmentation. So, of course, Albino Dachshunds are very rare and shouldn’t be confused with all white Dachshunds, which usually have color in their noses and eyes. Albino Dachshunds have a uniformly white coat, pink paw pads, and pink skin around their eyes. Unfortunately, Albino Dachshunds are photosensitive and are at higher risk for sunburns and skin cancer. 

Fawn (Isabella)

Reason for Rarity: Both parents need recessive genes for dilution
Coat Type(s): Smooth Haired, Long Haired, and Wire Haired
Average Price: $400 to $3,500

Fawn or Isabella Dachshunds have light brown or fawn colored coats that are a result of both parents carrying a recessive gene that causes the dilution of the chocolate color. Solid fawn Dachshunds have no tan or cream points and are the rarest of the fawn variations. The eyes, nose, and tail of fawn dachshunds are gray. Because the fawn color is caused by color dilution, fawn Dachshunds can have some skin issues, such as Color Dilution Alopecia (CDA). This can cause hair loss, baldness, and weakened skin. However, for the most part, fawn Dachshunds are just as healthy as Dachshunds with more common colors. 

Chocolate

Reason for Rarity: Both parents need recessive genes
Coat Type(s): Smooth Haired, Long Haired, and Wire Haired
Average Price: $700 to $1,500

Another very rare solid Dachshund color is chocolate or a solid brown. Like solid black Dachshunds, true chocolate Dachshunds do not have any tan or cream markings. Chocolate Dachshunds can only be produced if both parents are chocolate-colored or they are carriers of the recessive genes needed to trigger the chocolate coloring. Solid chocolate Dachshunds will have brown to light brown eyes, tail, and nails. A true chocolate Dachshund will only ever have a light brown to dark brown nose, and never a black nose.

Double Dapple

Reason for Rarity: Breeding causes extreme health problems
Coat Type(s): Smooth Haired and Long Haired
Average Price: $400 to $1,500

Double Dapple Dachshunds are not only rare, they are considered incredibly unethical to breed. This is because Double Dapples happen when two dapple parents, which carry the merle gene, are bred together. The merle gene causes the dapple pattern and Double Dapples carry two copies of the gene, resulting in debilitating, even lethal, health problems. While the merle gene results in a beautiful coat pattern, it is also associated with the development of the visual and auditory systems.  Some of the health problems that Double Dapple Dachshunds face include: being born with malformed or no eyes; congenital blindness; glaucoma; abnormal ear lobe shapes and sizes; deafness; or the complete absence of ear lobes. For these reasons, the American Kennel Club (AKC) and other regional regulators refuse to acknowledge Double Dapples and discourage people from breeding them. 

Solid Black

Reason for Rarity: Both parents need recessive gene
Coat Type(s): Smooth Haired, Long Haired, and Wire Haired
Average Price: $1,500 to $4,000

While black is one of the main base colors of Dachshunds, solid black is the rarest Dachshund color in the world. This is because a solid black coat is achieved when both parents have the same rare recessive gene. Usually Dachshunds with black genes also have the genes for tan points. Due to this, black and tan Dachshunds are one of the most common color combinations for the breed. For a Dachshund to be identified as solid black, there must be no tan markings anywhere on their body. Solid black Dachshunds also have dark eyes, black noses, and black nails.

This article originally appeared on Rarest.org. 

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