Breeds / Small
Chiweenie puppies
The Chiweenie is a small, alert companion that combines the Chihuahua's loyalty and wariness of strangers with the Dachshund's independent, willful streak and prey drive. It is often vocal and benefits from early socialisation.
The facts
- Size class Small
- A cross of Chihuahua and Dachshund
- Adult weight 2.3 to 5.4 kg
- Adult weight in pounds 5 to 12 lb
- Adult height 15 to 25 cm
- Energy level Moderate
- Grooming Low
- Typical lifespan 12 to 16 years
A cross, not a breed. The Chiweenie is a cross rather than a standardised breed, so size, body shape and temperament vary and can favour either parent, and a first cross of two purebred parents is less predictable than a later generation bred back to one side. Back length is the trait that matters most: a puppy built like the Dachshund carries the same disc disease risk, so keep it lean and discourage jumping off furniture.
What to expect at eight weeks
At eight weeks a Chiweenie puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A small breed puppy at eight weeks is light enough to carry everywhere, which is exactly how you get it socialised before the vaccination course finishes. It will still need four meals a day. Expect moderate energy, in short bursts separated by long naps. Grooming is straightforward, but start handling the coat, feet and ears in week one anyway so it is never a fight later. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything it meets calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of its life.
Health worth knowing about
Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.
- Intervertebral disc disease from the Dachshund side, suspected from back pain, wobbliness or weakness and confirmed by MRI or CT
- Patellar luxation, observed on gait and confirmed on physical examination
- Periodontal disease in the crowded small jaw, found at annual veterinary dental examination
- Collapsing trachea, recognised by a goose honking cough and confirmed on radiographs
- Hereditary eye disease including cataracts, glaucoma and progressive retinal atrophy, found on veterinary eye examination and screened by breeders
- Obesity, tracked by annual weighing and body condition scoring, because extra weight loads a long back
From Chiweenie breed information at https://www.petmd.com/dog/breeds/dachshund. Discuss any of these with your own vet.
Your Chiweenie puppy's first six months
- Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
- Worming and parasite schedule.
- Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Small for a Chiweenie.
- Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 2.3 to 5.4 kg adult range.
- Puppy names and the first week checklist.
Other small breeds
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Not veterinary advice. Breed information is general. Your own dog, and your own vet, always win.