Breeders began pairing Dachshunds and Chihuahuas in the late 1990s, most likely in North America, and demand soon soared.

The American Toy & Terrier family. Small dogs of the Americas. Genetic studies suggest some may keep traces of ancient New World dogs beneath later European ancestry.

This mix combines the Chihuahua and the Dachshund. Mixed litters vary, so a puppy can take after either parent in size, coat and temperament.

Loyal, playful and sometimes yappy.

Voice

A vocal dog that will announce visitors and noises.

With kids

Good with respectful kids when raised with them.

Other dogs

Can be selective about dog friends; introduce slowly.

Home

A natural apartment dog.

Exercise. Moderate: daily walks and active play, such as a game of fetch. Puppies do better with several short sessions than one long walk, and older dogs need gentler outings.

Training. Trains at an average pace. Reward-based methods and a regular routine work best.

Short, smooth coat: a weekly once-over with a rubber curry mitt or bristle brush and an occasional bath. Light shedding.

For every dog: trim nails when you can hear them click on the floor, brush teeth daily if you can (a few times a week still helps), and clean ears about once a month, drying them well after baths and swims.

Daily calories

About 210–400 kcal for a healthy adult

Dry food

Roughly 0.5–1 cups a day at ~400 kcal per cup

Puppies eat four small meals a day at 6 to 12 weeks, drop to three somewhere between 3 and 6 months, and move to two meals a day from about 6 months.

Tiny breeds can be prone to low blood sugar, so keep young puppies on regular small meals.

Keep treats, including training treats and table scraps, under 10% of daily calories.

Calories use the resting-energy formula from the Merck Veterinary Manual (70 × body weight in kg^0.75) times a maintenance factor of 1.4 to 1.8, so very active or working dogs may need more. Cups assume about 400 kcal per cup; check your food's label. Treat any feeding chart as a starting point and adjust to body condition.

Typical lifespan is 12–16 years. Conditions reported in the breed:

Ask breeders for health-test results from the parents (hips, eyes, and DNA tests where relevant), and schedule yearly vet checkups.

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• Hill's: Chiweenie (opens in a new tab)
• AKC: Puppy feeding fundamentals (opens in a new tab), bloat (opens in a new tab), treats (opens in a new tab) and grooming (opens in a new tab)
• Merck Veterinary Manual: Nutritional requirements of small animals (opens in a new tab)

Ratings for energy, shedding and the like are our own summaries, informed by these sources. Breed facts were checked in October 2026.