Mini Dapple Dachshund Price And Why Are These Dogs More Expensive?

Last Updated on May 18, 2022 by Marco

Doxies come in dozens of coat types, each with its separate price range. In this article, we’ll look into the mini dapple dachshund price and why are these dogs more expensive than other dachshunds. Is it the dapple (or merle) genotype that ramps up their price or the fact that they are of the miniature size variety? Or is it both? Or is it just a matter of these dogs being much rarer than other dachshunds?

What Is The Standard Mini Dapple Dachshund Price?

Giving a single number here is impossible as the mini dapple dachshund price can fluctuate by hundreds and even thousands of dollars per puppy. The average price range you’ll see goes from $400 to $1,500 but mini dapple dachshunds can cost even north of $2,000 from certain breeders.

Why Is The Average Mini Dapple Dachshund Price Range So Wide?

Dapple dachshunds occupy a very weird place in the list of dachshund coat types. On the one hand, genetically speaking, the dapple (or merle) Mm genotype isn’t rare or recessive. If these dogs were left to reproduce freely, there would be many more dapple dachshunds prancing around the world.

Why Is The Average Mini Dapple Dachshund Price Range So Wide

Learn more about: How Much Are Dapple Dachshund Puppies?

However, if we do that, there would also be many more double dapple (MM genotype) dachshunds as those are the offspring of two dapple dachshunds. And double dapples – while beautiful in their own right with even whiter coats – have increased health risks for stuff such as blindness and deafness.

How does this relate to the single (Mm) dapple dachshund’s price?

Well, it means several things:

  • The breeding of single (Mm) dapple dachshunds is frowned upon by some breeders and kennel clubs as it can lead to the accidental breeding of double dapple dachshunds later on – this makes dapple dachshunds artificially rarer and therefore more pricey than other dachshund coat types
  • On the other hand, because breeding or even owning a dapple dachshund is viewed as risky and ill-advised, that “stigma” of sorts brings their price down
  • Dapple dachshunds can be irresistibly pretty, however, which makes some want-to-be Doxie owners ready to pay extra
  • The fact that miniature dachshunds are more expensive than standard dachshunds is also a factor in the mini dapple dachshund price
  • Where you live will also obviously matter as there are huge price fluctuations between different regions, states, and countries
  • The place or type of breeder you’re buying from also matters – more on that below

Where Should You Get Your Mini Dapple Dachshund From?

With all of the above being said, the single biggest factor in the mini dapple dachshund price equation is probably the breeder/store/shelter you’re getting your dog from. Let’s go over the 4 main options here:

  1. Pet stores or puppy mills – these places are, unfortunately, the most common places for the breeding and purchasing of puppies. They are also responsible for most of the genetically-passed health problems in dachshunds and other dog breeds. That’s because puppy mills exercise very poor breeding practices, hence why they can afford lower prices too. Buying a dog from a pet store or a puppy mill means that you’ll most likely pay for that lower initial price with vet bills down the line and you’ll be supporting an amoral breeding industry.
  2. Non-commercial breeders – this includes other dog owners with non-spayed and non-neutered dogs. You can find them online or even in your personal circle. As with puppy mills, they offer lower prices on average but exercise very poor practices.
  3. Reputable breeders – these are the people that should, in an ideal world – be the only ones breeding dogs. Their prices are higher as they do everything possible to breed healthy dogs.
  4. Shelters and rescues – such places don’t breed dogs but help rehome discarded animals. You can sometimes find mini dapple dachshunds there and their prices will be lower than those of reputable breeders, however, they will also have various health profiles. There’s nothing wrong with adopting a sickly animal, of course, as long as you’re not supporting the puppy mill industry that bred it. Just make sure that you ask for detailed health information so that you know what to expect. Puppies from shelters can be given away for free too, but a mini dapple dachshund will usually have a low nominal price tag to help cover the shelter’s expenses.

So, as you can see, the mini dapple dachshund price can vary quite a lot because of this dog’s unique coat type and genetics. The most important factor price-wise, however, is where you get your dog from.

dachshund price can vary quite a lot because of this dog’s unique coat type and genetics

Read more about: Impressive Long Haired Blue Merle Dachshund

FAQs

What is the difference between dapple and merle?

From a genetic standpoint – there is no difference. Both dapple and merle dogs have an Mm genotype – they have a single M (merle) dominant allele and an m (non-merle) allele. MM genotypes are double-merle or double-dapple whereas mm genotypes are non-merle.
The reason we typically use the term dapple for dachshunds instead of merle is that the Mm genotype in dachshunds expresses itself through white spots on the dog’s non-white coat. In contrast, other dog breeds with the Mm merle genotype have darker spots on their lighter coat. Both the merle and the dapple coat types are caused by the same gene, however, and both have the same risk – doubling the MM merle genotype results in a mostly white dog with huge risks for blindness and deafness.

Is a dapple Dachshund rare?

It is rare but that’s despite the M allele in the Mm dapple dachshund genotype being dominant. The reason behind the dapple dachshund’s rarity isn’t because the M allele is recessive, however – on the contrary, it is dominant. Instead, dapple dachshunds are relatively rare because breeders are trying not to breed them too much.
That, in turn, isn’t because there’s anything wrong with dapple dachshunds – they are perfectly nice and healthy dogs – but because accidentally or intentionally breeding two dapple (Mm) dachshunds together can lead to double dapple (MM) dachshunds being born in their litter. And the MM double dapple dachshund does have health issues such as increased risks for blindness and deafness. So, to avoid such accidents, many breeders and kennel clubs avoid breeding even “normal” single dapple (Mm) dachshunds.

How do you get a dapple Dachshund?

Dapple dachshunds are bred from other dapple dachshunds, like any other dog. Presumably, at one point in the past, a genetic mutation caused the Mm merle genotype that causes the pretty dapple/merle coats of dachshunds and other dogs. That’s similar to how we got people with blonde hair some ~11,000 years ago.
But, if you want a dapple dachshund today, you’ll just need to breed another dapple (Mm) dachshund with a non-dapple (mm) dachshund. However, you should be very careful not to accidentally breed two dapple (Mm) dachshunds together as there will be a huge risk of a double dapple (MM) offspring. And these even whiter dachshunds come with significantly increased risks of blindness and deafness.