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Dachshund life timetable
What a healthy weight looks like from eight weeks to adult, for each size. Slide the age, enter the weight and see where your dog sits.
Chart your dog
The shaded band runs from a lean to a sturdy healthy weight for that age. The line is the middle. This is a modelled guide from breeder and veterinary growth charts, not a diagnosis: body condition (below) matters more than the number.
Weight band by age
| Age | Lean end | Middle | Sturdy end |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 weeks | 1.5 kg (3.3 lb) | 2.0 kg | 2.6 kg (5.8 lb) |
| 12 weeks | 2.7 kg (5.9 lb) | 3.6 kg | 4.7 kg (10.3 lb) |
| 16 weeks | 3.7 kg (8.2 lb) | 5.0 kg | 6.5 kg (14.4 lb) |
| 20 weeks | 4.7 kg (10.3 lb) | 6.3 kg | 8.2 kg (18.1 lb) |
| 26 weeks | 5.7 kg (12.6 lb) | 7.7 kg | 10.0 kg (22.1 lb) |
| 32 weeks | 6.9 kg (15.1 lb) | 8.7 kg | 10.8 kg (23.9 lb) |
| 40 weeks | 7.4 kg (16.3 lb) | 9.4 kg | 11.7 kg (25.8 lb) |
| 12 months | 7.7 kg (17.0 lb) | 9.8 kg | 12.2 kg (26.9 lb) |
| 15 months | 7.9 kg (17.4 lb) | 10.0 kg | 12.5 kg (27.5 lb) |
| 18 months | 7.9 kg (17.4 lb) | 10.0 kg | 12.5 kg (27.5 lb) |
| Age | Lean end | Middle | Sturdy end |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 weeks | 0.7 kg (1.6 lb) | 1.0 kg | 1.2 kg (2.7 lb) |
| 12 weeks | 1.3 kg (2.8 lb) | 1.7 kg | 2.2 kg (4.9 lb) |
| 16 weeks | 1.8 kg (3.9 lb) | 2.4 kg | 3.1 kg (6.8 lb) |
| 20 weeks | 2.3 kg (5.0 lb) | 3.0 kg | 3.9 kg (8.6 lb) |
| 26 weeks | 2.8 kg (6.1 lb) | 3.7 kg | 4.8 kg (10.5 lb) |
| 32 weeks | 3.3 kg (7.3 lb) | 4.2 kg | 5.2 kg (11.4 lb) |
| 40 weeks | 3.6 kg (7.9 lb) | 4.5 kg | 5.6 kg (12.3 lb) |
| 12 months | 3.7 kg (8.2 lb) | 4.7 kg | 5.8 kg (12.8 lb) |
| 15 months | 3.8 kg (8.4 lb) | 4.8 kg | 5.9 kg (13.1 lb) |
| 18 months | 3.8 kg (8.4 lb) | 4.8 kg | 5.9 kg (13.1 lb) |
| Age | Lean end | Middle | Sturdy end |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 weeks | 0.5 kg (1.1 lb) | 0.7 kg | 0.8 kg (1.9 lb) |
| 12 weeks | 0.9 kg (1.9 lb) | 1.2 kg | 1.5 kg (3.4 lb) |
| 16 weeks | 1.2 kg (2.7 lb) | 1.6 kg | 2.1 kg (4.7 lb) |
| 20 weeks | 1.5 kg (3.4 lb) | 2.0 kg | 2.7 kg (5.9 lb) |
| 26 weeks | 1.9 kg (4.1 lb) | 2.5 kg | 3.3 kg (7.2 lb) |
| 32 weeks | 2.2 kg (4.9 lb) | 2.8 kg | 3.5 kg (7.7 lb) |
| 40 weeks | 2.4 kg (5.3 lb) | 3.1 kg | 3.8 kg (8.4 lb) |
| 12 months | 2.5 kg (5.6 lb) | 3.2 kg | 4.0 kg (8.7 lb) |
| 15 months | 2.6 kg (5.7 lb) | 3.3 kg | 4.0 kg (8.9 lb) |
| 18 months | 2.6 kg (5.7 lb) | 3.3 kg | 4.0 kg (8.9 lb) |
Where males and females differ, the table shows the wider of the two. Pick a sex in the chart above for a tighter band.
Body condition, 1 to 9
Judge by hand and eye. Run your palms along the ribs: you should feel them under a thin layer, not see them from across the room. From above there should be a waist behind the ribs. From the side the belly should tuck up. Aim for 4 or 5.
1. Emaciated
Ribs, spine and hip bones are visible from a distance; no fat can be felt.
What to do: See a vet promptly; weight loss this severe needs a cause found.
2. Very thin
Ribs easily visible, minimal fat.
What to do: Book a vet check and discuss feeding.
3. Thin
Ribs easily felt with no fat cover.
What to do: Ask your vet whether to increase food.
4. Lean
Ribs felt easily with a thin fat cover.
What to do: Good for most dachshunds; keep steady.
5. Ideal
Well proportioned; ribs felt with slight fat cover.
What to do: Keep this. A lean, spine-friendly weight.
6. Slightly heavy
Ribs felt with some pressure; waist is less clear.
What to do: Trim treats and measure meals; recheck in 2 to 4 weeks.
7. Heavy
Ribs hard to feel under fat; waist gone.
What to do: Start a vet-guided weight plan.
8. Obese
Ribs cannot be felt; heavy fat cover and a rounded belly.
What to do: See your vet: extra weight adds strain to the back and joints.
9. Severely obese
Massive fat deposits over the chest, spine and base of the tail.
What to do: Vet-supervised plan now; gentle exercise only.
Extra weight raises the risk of spinal trouble. Read obesity, then make the home safer. If you see any warning sign, go to red flags.
How we work it out
Band points come from typical adult weights for each size and a growth-fraction curve, with straight-line steps between ages. Calorie starting points use resting energy (70 times body weight in kg to the power 0.75) multiplied by a life-stage factor, as set out in the WSAVA nutrition guidelines. Treat both as a start and adjust with your vet.
Sources
- Global nutrition guidelines, energy requirements (general reference), WSAVA
- Review of Hansen type I intervertebral disc disease, PMC
- Inherited and acquired risk factors for IVDD in dachshunds (DachsLife), PMC / BMC
Our growth bands are modelled and indicative only.
Facts are cited and rewritten in our own words. All sources and how we use them.