The Hidden Cost of Trend Breeding
What Every Puppy Buyer Should Know Before Choosing a Dachshund
Dachshunds have become enormously popular in recent years. With that popularity has come an extraordinary variety of colours, patterns and descriptions, many of which are heavily promoted as “rare”, “exclusive” or “exotic”.
For somebody new to the breed, it can be incredibly difficult to distinguish between clever marketing and responsible breeding.
Terms such as blue, Isabella, lilac, platinum and even “pink” are increasingly common online, often with a premium price attached. What is discussed far less frequently is the genetics behind these appearances, whether they are recognised within the breed, and whether there are health or welfare considerations associated with producing them.
Colour itself is not the problem.
The problem begins when producing a particular colour or appearance becomes the objective of a breeding programme, rather than one consideration among many.
At Deliciaedax, we believe breeding decisions should begin with the dog as a whole: health, temperament, conformation, movement, pedigree, genetic compatibility and the qualities a proposed pairing could contribute to the next generation.
We also believe puppy buyers deserve enough information to understand what they are actually buying, rather than being persuaded by a fashionable name or the suggestion that rarity automatically means quality.
This page is not intended to criticise people who already own dogs of these colours. They can be wonderful, deeply loved family pets, and the circumstances of their breeding are no reflection on the people who love them.
Our concern is with breeding decisions, not individual dogs.
The aim of this page is simply to explain some of the genetics, health considerations and breeding practices behind the trends prospective owners are increasingly likely to encounter, so that they can make an informed decision when choosing their puppy.
When Colour Becomes the Priority
There is nothing wrong with having a preference for a particular colour or pattern. The concern arises when producing that colour becomes more important than the quality of the dogs being bred.
A considered breeding programme should look at the whole dog: health, temperament, conformation, movement, pedigree, genetic compatibility and the strengths and weaknesses of both individuals within a proposed pairing.
Colour is only one small part of that picture.
Problems can arise when breeding decisions are repeatedly narrowed around producing a specific appearance, particularly where unusual colours or combinations attract greater demand and higher prices. Selecting primarily for one characteristic can reduce the importance placed on everything else that should influence a breeding decision.
Some colour-associated genes also carry known health considerations or require particular care when planning matings. Understanding the genetics behind the dogs being bred is therefore far more important than simply producing a colour because it is unusual or commercially desirable.
At Deliciaedax, we enjoy the variety found within the breed, but colour will never be the reason a pairing exists. The dogs themselves have to make sense first.
Unethical Colours in dachshunds
Colour, Dilution & Responsible Breeding
Colour is one of the most immediately noticeable characteristics of a Dachshund, but it should never be one of the most important reasons for producing a litter.
At Deliciaedax, our preference is for established, breed-standard colours and patterns. We do not breed dilute colours, and we do not select breeding dogs with the aim of producing increasingly unusual or extreme pigmentation.
This is a deliberate part of our breeding philosophy.
Dilute Colours
In Dachshunds, the dilution gene alters the intensity of eumelanin, changing black pigment to blue and chocolate pigment to Isabella.
These colours are sometimes advertised using alternative or more marketable names, particularly within the pet market.
The concern surrounding dilution is not simply that the colours are non-standard. Dilute pigmentation in dogs can be associated with Colour Dilution Alopecia (CDA).
CDA is a hereditary condition affecting the hair follicles and is seen predominantly in dogs with dilute pigmentation. Clinical signs can include:
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Progressive hair thinning or loss
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Poor coat quality
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Dry or flaky skin
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Recurrent skin problems
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Follicular abnormalities
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Not every dilute Dachshund will develop CDA, and producing a dilute puppy does not mean that dog will inevitably experience skin or coat disease.
However, the association is sufficiently established that we personally see no reason to deliberately introduce or perpetuate dilution within our breeding programme.
Our breeding dogs are therefore DNA tested for the D locus where appropriate, allowing us to understand whether dilution is present or carried within our lines.
What About “Pink” Dachshunds?
More recently, extremely pale Dachshunds have appeared online under descriptions such as “pink”, “platinum”, “albino” and other exotic-sounding names.
These terms should be approached carefully because they are not necessarily recognised genetic descriptions and may be used to describe dogs with very different underlying genetics.
A pale coat, pink nose or light eyes does not automatically mean that a dog has albinism.
True albinism involves disruption to normal melanin production and is distinct from ordinary coat colour variation and the dilution associated with the D locus.
Where pigmentation is unusually reduced, understanding the actual genetics responsible is considerably more important than the marketing name attached to the puppy.
Pigment Is More Than Appearance
Melanin contributes to normal pigmentation of the coat, skin and eyes and has biological functions beyond determining what colour a dog appears to be.
Certain genetic conditions causing significant pigment reduction can be associated with increased sensitivity to sunlight and abnormalities affecting the eyes or other tissues.
The exact risks depend upon the genetic cause.
For this reason, we believe deliberately selecting for extreme pigment loss without understanding the underlying genetics is difficult to justify simply because the resulting appearance is unusual.
Rare Does Not Necessarily Mean Desirable
The language surrounding colour can make puppy buying unnecessarily confusing.
Terms such as “rare”, “exclusive” and “exotic” are marketing descriptions. They tell you very little about the quality, health or breeding behind an individual dog.
Some colours genuinely occur less frequently. Others are uncommon within established show and preservation lines because they fall outside the breed standard or because breeders have made conscious decisions not to select for them.
Rarity alone should never command greater importance than health, temperament, construction or pedigree.
A puppy is not better bred simply because its colour is difficult to find.
Colour Should Follow the Dog
We love colour and pattern as much as anybody. Dachshunds occur in a wonderful variety, and some of our own dogs are dapple, brindle, shaded red, black & tan, chocolate & tan and cream.
The distinction for us is that colour does not come first.
When considering a breeding dog or planning a litter, we look at the whole dog: health, temperament, construction, movement, pedigree, genetic diversity and what that individual could contribute to the next generation.
Only then does colour enter the conversation.
We also DNA colour test our breeding dogs where it provides useful information. This allows us to understand recessive genes that may not be visible from appearance alone and to make more informed decisions about future pairings.
Choosing a Breeder
Rather than judging a breeder solely by the colours they produce, prospective owners should look at the breeding programme as a whole.
Ask about health testing, temperament, pedigree and the reasoning behind a particular mating. Look at the breeder's adult dogs and, where possible, previous generations they have produced. Ask what they are trying to preserve or improve and how they follow the health of the puppies they breed.
A knowledgeable breeder should also be comfortable discussing the limitations of their own programme. There is no perfect dog, perfect pedigree or completely risk-free mating.
Good breeding is not about claiming otherwise.
Our Approach at Deliciaedax
We want the Dachshunds we breed today to contribute positively to the generations that follow them.
For us, that means preserving recognisable breed type, maintaining genetic diversity, prioritising health and temperament, and making breeding decisions based on considerably more than appearance.
Trends will inevitably come and go.
Our responsibility is to the breed that remains after them.