A week or two ago, we posted a short blog about life with a new puppy. We received several comments with questions about the photo as her coloring is unusual for a dachshund.
This is Cielo, a Double Dapple Dachshund (say that three times fast!). The Dapple color is really a pattern of spots. They can come in different color schemes, like silver and black, or brown with darker brown spots, etc. It is fairly unique in the Dachshund world.
The Dapple gene is dominant. What does that mean? It means that if you breed a dapple to a more standard color scheme, you will have a great chance of getting dapple puppies. However, one thing you do NOT want to do is breed two Dapples together. Because the gene is dominant, if two are bred together the dominant genes sort of cancel each other out. That is why, on Cielo, she has a lot of white.
The problem, though, with two dominant genes is that a lot of recessive stuff tends to come out in Dachshunds, including some pretty heavy birth defects. Double dapple puppies have been known to be born blind and/or deaf. Sometimes they are missing eyes, or are mentally under-developed. So if you have a dapple or know anyone who has a dapple, make sure not to breed with another dapple! You'll still get dapple puppies if you breed with a more standard color. The owner of Cielo's parents did not know this about Dapples, and bred two together. That's what makes Cielo a Double Dapple. Several of her siblings had birth defects, but still found very loving homes. The good news about Cielo, the flying Double Dapple Dachshund, is that she is healthy as can be! It's impossible to tell if she has any vision issues, as she is crazy as heck. She is fearless, loves to play, she's incredibly smart (or should I say cunning), and is so adorable it's hard to leave for work in the morning.
Oh -- and, she will be spayed, so sorry -- there will be no puppies from this one. It's also important that when we breed dogs to make sure we are doing so in a way that produces HEALTHY puppies genetically. If there is any question, ever, then the dog should be spayed/neutered.
Thanks for the comments!
Nic
8 comments:
What a beautiful little dog. I can see why it might be hard to leave her to go to work.
Thanks for explaining about the dapple or double dapple. Interesting reading.
Beautiful dog -
Very interesting and thank you for sharing this information. I have seen dapple dogs with white on them but did not know how they got that way and why they were so dang expensive because of their coloring. It seems to me that the people who breed double dapples only care about the money and not about the consequences it may have on the individual puppies - Shame on them!!!
Thanks for the information. My doxie doesn't have any large patches of white. She is a black and tan with very little grey and black coloring. her eyes are both brown and blue. She is such a sweet girl I hope she will not leave before it is her time. She seems to have clear and acute vision; I am not sure about her hearing.
What a beautiful little doxie -
Hi I would like to see about adopting a deaf double dappy doxie..I raise doxies. And I have a deaf boy that would love to have a dog the same as him. Deaf..He loves all my animals..If you could please contact me I would appreciate it. Thank you..Pam
pamelar57@comcast.net
I am very interested in this dog, very cute. please contact me at
Surfergirl1989_223@hotmail.com
thank you
I have a double dapple and he is blind AND deaf! But, he is very healthy. I rescued him from an illegal breeder and we shut her down. She planned on killing him! I am lucky to have found him.
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