Beagle Dachshund Mix: Doxle Breed Information, Facts & More

The hardworking Beagle and the avid digger Dachshund create the Doxle; a combination of both hound dogs. Their boldness, intelligence, and strength are surely their most prized qualities in both breeds. In fact, Dachshunds are frequently compared to Beagles by many owners looking for a family pet. When you combine these popular breeds, you get the Beagle Dachshund mix, often referred to as the Doxle.

The Beagle is often referred to as a hound dog and they are frequently compared to other hound breeds. They have the expert ability to track scents for miles with their impressive nose. The Dachshund is also a hound dog, but they are more known for hunting badgers and digging. Both breeds can both be trained by new dog owners, but both can be stubborn, making them more challenging to train for first-time dog owners.

It’s essential to teach them early not to chase cars or get distracted and wind up in dangerous situations. Doxles are medium-sized dogs and can be housed in small apartments or bigger homes. The more space, the better, but they will be happy in smaller areas as well. Will this hound dog be the perfect companion?  Let’s find out!

Doxle Parent Breeds

A “designer dog” is any mix between two purebred parents. For any mixed breed to be classified as designer, the parents would have to be bred pure for generations up until the point of being bred with another breed. A true purebred dog will have puppies that have the same characteristics and temperament like their parents.

When mixing both the Dachshund and the Beagle, you won’t get a huge dog. Instead, they’ll be of average size, or small. Average size dogs are least likely to have health problems because their short stature doesn’t put stress on their hips.

You won’t find too many variations of coat color or snout shape between the two dogs. Besides the Dachshund being shorter than the Beagle, they look very similar to each other. They’re also both hound dogs, so they will also likely be similar tempered.

Beagle Overview

The Beagle dated back to England and was primarily used as a hunting dog.  Beagles have been around since before the 1500s and their description was primarily targeted at a specific type of hound breed.  The name for each pup would differ depending on the type of game that they would be required to track.  The uniform version of the Beagle we know today came about in the 1800s and was standardized.

This breed came into the US and quickly became a favorite of celebrities and other famous politicians.  They’ve been used a number of times in cartoons and other types of media, including motion pictures.  While they are famous on-screen, they are more suited for chilling out in your lap as a family pet.

This breed is extremely diverse and can be used in a multitude of different ways.  They are often used by military and law enforcement personnel due to their keen scents of smell.  They are extremely intelligent, which means they can be tougher to train for first-time dog owners.  Their temperament will vary from dog to dog, but overall, most Beagles can be headstrong and stubborn.  They are fantastic with kids though and tolerate things that usually other calm breeds will tolerate when it comes to tail pulling and ear tugs.

Beagles make an excellent mix of a family companion with a diligent work ethic.  They have a longer lifespan, anywhere from 12 – 16 years, and they usually weigh around 20-35 pounds.  Some other popular beagle mixes included the Beagle JRT Mix, the labrador beagle mix seen here, and the Beaski which you can see here.

Dachshund Overview

The Dachshund originated in Germany and used as hunting dogs. There have been traces of the breed as far back as the 15th century. Dachshund became popular in the 17th century in Germany and were used for hunting badgers. In fact, Dachshund literally translated to “Badger Dog” in German!

The breed was brought to the U.S. in 1885 and was shortly recognized by the American Kennel Club. The 1930s saw a temporary popularity boost until they were ostracized in World War II for being a German dog. They are now super popular among families, and are often referred to as “wiener dogs.”

The Dachshund is a medium to small-sized breed that has short legs. They look adorable, walking along the ground. They don’t need a lot of exercise, and are quite friendly except to kids and pets. They really like to impress adults. Also, they love to play and will bark if not socialized properly.

Loving, energetic, and endearing lap dogs, they are well known for their tiny stature and watchdog qualities. Yes, even though they’re small, you can expect them to be protective of you and your household. They are long-lived at 12-16 years and get as tall as 8-9 inches for standard and 5-6 for miniature. Dachshunds are also a popular mixed breed, and you’ll often see them mixed with a lab, crossbred with a Corgi or even mixed with a smaller pup like the chihuahua.

Beagle and Dachshund (Doxle)

Similar to most designer dogs, the origins of this breed are unknown. The Doxle was likely bred around the time most designer breeds came to be, the ’90’s and early ‘2000’s. When looking up the history of the breed, it was likely that this mix occurred to produce a dog with a great sense of smell, since both are hound dogs known and used for hunting.

The Doxle is a relatively new breed and hasn’t been studied in length like their purebred parents, but this breed will likely have the same temperament as both the Beagle and Dachshund. The Beagle was bred for overall hunting above ground, while the Dachshunds expertise is more for underground rodents and, of course, badgers.

Both the Beagle and Dachshund are hunters to their core. They have an excellent sense of smell and will be great dogs for tracking humans and animals. They are also courageous to the point of being rash, which can get them into some unfortunate situations.

Although they aren’t hard to train, one thing to note is that they need to be taught not to run off or chase cars. This can get to the point of being dangerous because both breeds will follow a scent to the point of hurting themselves. Keep a leash on at all times!

Appearance & Grooming

Your Doxles appearance will depend on the parent, and there is a variant of colors available. If your Doxle takes after the Dachshund, you could have a black, gold, chocolate, cream, tan or blue Doxle. If they take after the Beagle, you could have a tri-colored pup of chocolate tri, lemon and white, white and chocolate, red and white as well as others.

The size of the Doxle will vary, but they’ll fall between 16 and 30 pounds and could be as tall as 15 inches. Their ears will be floppy, and their snout could be small or medium-sized. It depends if the Dachshund is of standard or toy-sized.

Doxles come in three coat varieties, so their grooming needs will vary. They could be long-haired, short-haired, or medium coated. If they are smoothed and short-coated, once per week is more than enough. If they are long, once per day.

Make sure to trim their nails frequently, as their large nails could easily scratch up the furniture. It’s also uncomfortable for large dogs to have their nails scrape across the ground. Brushing their teeth ‘isn’t necessary, but likely appreciated once your dog gets used to it.

Training

The Doxle takes after their parents as active, high energy, and intelligent. Dachshunds are known for their hard-headedness and independence, so if the Doxle takes after that parent, you’ll have a more difficult time training them.

Positive reinforcement is the best method with any dog. Do not try to slap them or scold them when they do something wrong as your pup will grow to resent you and make them harder to train. Giving them treats or toys for a job well done will train them up fast.

Obedience training should be done as soon as ‘they’re puppies so they can tell the difference between what you consider right or wrong. Dogs look up to their alphas for guidance and are less likely to disobey if they see you as an authority.

Most medium-sized dogs are easy to train to pee outside due to their larger than the average bladder. They can also handle being alone for a longer than average between potty breaks. If they are a miniature dog, more potty breaks are required. Take care to socialize them when they’re young, so they will grow to trust people.

If you plan to harness train your doxle, it’s extremely important to start early.  These little pups have a higher prey drive based on how they were bred, and they love to pull if they see something exciting.  Getting a harness that’s made specifically for the longer body shape is important.

Exercise & Living Conditions

Although the Doxle is a high energy dog, they don’t require 2 hours of exercise, but they still need to be taken out to play. They enjoy going out to the dog park, a large backyard to play in, and multiple rounds of fetch.

You’ll need to exercise them daily for a minimum of an hour a day. It’s recommended to take them out twice daily. They require a lot of space, a lot of time and a lot of attention. It would be a bad idea to adopt this breed if you can’t fulfill their exercise requirements.

Doxles won’t do well staying outside for extended periods of time. They don’t have coats equipped for winter months either, despite them being outdoor workers. We always recommend not to leave them outside overnight, because they could get sick. Always get your pup a nice warm place to stay – preferably in the bed beside you.

Health

As with most designer breeds, the Doxle is less likely to have health problems due to the mix of two purebreds canceling out most health problems’  they’ll get when they’re older. This doesn’t mean they’re immune, so make sure to watch their weight and feed them a healthy diet.

Dachshunds are prone to musculoskeletal conditions, such as intervertebral disc disease. They are also prone to obesity because of their small size, so make sure to feed them smaller portions. Patellar luxation, eye problems are ear infections are also at risk of developing.

Beagles are at risk for hypothyroidism, eye conditions, obesity, glaucoma, corneal dystrophy, and factor VII deficiency. These issues also come in old age, so it’s best to take care of them while they’re young to prevent issues in the future.

Nutrition

Doxles need a proper diet of mostly protein and fat with low carbs. A Doxle mixed puppy should have a diet of 22% protein, while the adult should have 18% according to the American Feed Control Officials. It’s also recommended to feed your Doxle whole meats like fish, beef, and chicken.

Doxles are also prone to obesity because of their small size, so feeding them smaller portions throughout the day, along with adequate exercise will go a long way in improving the health of your pet.

As Family Pets

Doxles are smart and capable hunting dogs, but are they the perfect pup for your family?  There are a number of important things to think through regarding how the Doxle will act as a family pet before you bring them home.  Let’s look at what you can expect when you add them to your family.

• The Doxle is funny, cheerful, and intelligent.
• They love attention but don’t require much room, but the more, the better.
• Grooming requirements are low to high. Might need to be brushed once per day.
• Doxles aren’t normally shedders.
• Exercise requirements are average at an hour per day.
• Energetic and ready to please, you’ll need to play with them a lot.
• A personality that’s mainly happy, smart, but a little stubborn.
• Health problems are minimal due to the mix but watch for mobility issues.
• Find a breeder that can show you the parent’s health issues.

Now that you know a little more about what to expect when you walk through the door with your new pup, do you think the Doxle is the perfect companion for you? Keep reading to find out where to find one!  Keep in mind that a breeder isn’t the only way to go.  You can find Doxles at rescues if you look for them regularly!

Breeders & Puppy Prices

Finding a breeder that specialized is Dachshund and Beagles will be easy. With Dachshunds and Beagles being some of the most popular family pets, a good breeder won’t take long to find. A well-bred Doxle could cost you $500-$1000, which means they can get expensive. The cheaper pups will likely not have papers for their breeding dogs (watch out for backyard breeders), while the higher-priced ones will.

Always research the breeders you want to buy from as you don’t want to be sold a sick puppy (unless you have the funds to make them better). Doxles are more likely to have health issues than other mixed breeds. If you aren’t interested in buying from a breeder, searching for a rescue in your area is another option. Contact your local Beagle and Dachshund clubs for local breeders and rescues.

Doxle Rescues

Dachshunds and Beagles are surrendered often, and it’s usually because owners have a hard time training them. Make sure you’re prepared to engage with these two breeds regularly and frequently. If you don’t have the time for them, they will develop personality issues.

This option is cheaper, with the only negative not knowing the parents of the dog. Still, these pets will need loving homes and will be great companions whether ‘they’re purebred or not. If you are looking for the chance to own a Doxle at a fraction of the cost, check out the Dachshund Rescue of North America or the Beagle Rescue sites to find out if they may have the Doxle available as a rescue pup.

Final Thoughts

Doxles are the perfect dog for hunters, as they have an impressive sense of smell and tracking abilities. They also make great companions for families due to their smaller size and even temperaments.  Training early is important as this mixed breed does have a stubborn streak.

As long as you plan to give them a lot of exercise and training, the dachshund beagle mix can be a perfect pup for your family. If appropriately trained, they won’t be as stubborn or scared around strangers.  We’d recommend enlisting a proper trainer at an early age, or attending puppy classes to get your dog used to his or her environment.  Overall, the Doxle is a great pup, and if you have patience it will be a great addition to your family!