Cocker Spaniel Dachshund Mix is a dog of the designer breed that is often found stranded in some shelters and rescue centers. So, it would be awesome to adopt them, instead of buying them. If you have fallen for the cuteness and beauty of the adorable Dockers, read on to make yourself more aware of what you can expect from this pet and how you can take care of it.
Table of Contents
Overview
The Doxie is a beautiful mixed breed produced as an outcome of breeding between the two most splendid dogs the world has seen- the Dachshund and Cocker Spaniel.
The cocker spaniel dachshund mix results from a cross between two cute dogs having a similar nature and personality, thus leading to the birth of the super adorable Dockers. Oh yes, Dockers, Doxie, and Doxie Spaniel are variants of the name of this mixed breed dog.
The very first Docker that saw the light of earth was in 1999. Just after a few years, it started receiving a massive surge of popularity from dog lovers worldwide.
Do you know what the best thing about the Doxie is? It can live in any kind of environment if its owner is by its side. Can you imagine how lovely it is?
The Dockers are born after a cross between the two most popular hunting dogs of the world. So, it is evident that they will acquire some of the traits of their parents.
The Spaniel Doxie is an excellent jumper by birth and stays active 24/7. They can be the best military and racing dogs. No wonder it is also an ideal watchdog for your home and will guard it valiantly.
Since the Doxie loves to play around, you also need to be quite active and spare considerable time for it if you wish to keep this charming dog as your pet. The Dockers don’t like the fact that their owners have got no time to play with them.
Docker Cross Characteristics Profile
| Size Of The Dockers | Not too big, vary from small to medium |
| Life Expectancy | 11 to 14 years |
| Body Weight | 30 pounds (average) |
| Height | Vary from 9 to 15 inches, when measured at the shoulders |
| Body Coat/Fur Type | May vary from smooth to a bit wiry hair. The hair length varies from short to medium |
| Body Coat/Fur Colour | Solid brown, red, black, white, cream. May also have a combination of two colors on the fur |
| Colour Of The Eyes | Hazel/brown |
| Kind Of Ears | Very floppy |
| Nature & Temperament | Active, witty, smart, loyal, curious |
| Bonding With Owner | Very friendly |
| Bonding With Kids | Not friendly |
| Fur Shedding | Not much varies from low to moderate and occurs mostly during the fall and spring season |
| Legitimate Recognition | Both dachshund and the cocker breed dogs are recognized by the AKC. However, the docker dog has not yet been recognized as a distinct breed. |
What Is a Cocker Spaniel Dachsund Mix?
A cocker spaniel dachshund mix, as the name suggests, is the mixture of two dog breeds of spaniel and cocker. This process of design breeding was first started in North America in the 1990s. The docker dog has a set of very sharp canines. It has got its behavioral feature of sheer determination from the dachshunds and unlimited enthusiasm from the cocker spaniels. The shining, thick body coat of the Doxie adds to its charm.
The parent dogs of the Doxie were bred primarily for hunting and military functions. But, the cross product, Doxie, is bred so that it can become an adorable family pet.
Sadly, this designer breed is often in search of new homes and ends up staying at the rescue centers, waiting for someone to adopt them.
These cute doggies need your love, warmth, and protection. So, avoid buying them, maybe? After all, can there be anything as good as adopting?
Do note that the Spaniel Doxie is the latest breed, so it has not received proper recognition from the AKC. So, you may not be able to get legitimate pedigree papers for the dachshund cocker spaniel mix.
But, there is nothing to worry about! Just a look at this cute dog breed will make you adopt it. The immense love that you will get from this Doxie will melt your heart.
Physical Appearance Of The Dachshund Cocker Spaniel Mix
The first noticeable thing about the docker dog is its cuteness. Its cuteness is nothing less than that of a puppy. Its eyes and gaze are sure to make you fall in love with it instantly.
This mixed breed Doxie has some unique physical features that are noteworthy. It has acquired both the traits of cocker spaniel and dachshund to give birth to a unique look.
The Doxie has long, floppy ears, a black nose, and hazel/brown colored eyes. The average weight of the Dockers is 25 pounds and has a height of 12 inches. Its super soft, furry coat will tempt you to cuddle with this cute furball.
The body coat varies from being wiry, curly to straight. The coat can be of diverse colors- black, brown, red, white, cream, tan and golden.
This designer dog breed has an elongated body with short legs. Its big paws and a super long, furry tail give it a lovely look. Anyway, the Doxie’s most distinguishable physical trait is its thick, dense body coat.
While petting it, you need to ensure if you are looking after its fur regularly. Washing, brushing, and cleaning the thick coat of this adorable Doxie is really important to prevent the fur/coat from degradation or shedding.
Important Pointers To Be Noted Before Adopting A Dachshund Cocker Spaniel Mix
- Since the Doxie dog is an offspring of the hunter or fighting dogs, it often behaves aggressively. If you have any other pets or even toddlers at home, the Doxie may not like it. They may even go bark at the other pets or kids and may attack them. So, you need to supervise them throughout the day so that your children and other pets don’t get injured by the Doxie.
- The Doxie is way too fond of their owners and loves to stay in proximity to them. They will always need your constant company. Leaving them alone at home with no one to take care of them while you go to work is not going to happen because they don’t like it. Making them stay alone at home pushes them into a stage of stress and anxiety. As a result, fatal diseases affect it. So, if you stay busy for most of the time and feel that you won’t get much time attending to it, give your decision on adopting it a second thought.
- The Docker dogs are pretty stubborn and will like to break the rules initially. However, with proper training methods, you can make him grow obedient to you.
Temperament Of Cocker Spaniels & Dachshund Mix
The temperament of a Doxie can be assessed by taking into account the distinct differences between the parent cocker and dachshund.
The Dockers are great at socialization and are very friendly. They are fond of getting stroked by their owners. Oh, and cuddles! They admire their owner and love cuddling with them.
The Dockers are highly enthusiastic and lively. They will jump, move around the entire house rather than just sitting in a corner. We all know that dogs are the most loyal creatures. But, do you know that the Doxie breed dogs are overtly loyal to their owners.
If you have decided to adopt a spaniel doxie, you need to give time to them by going morning or evening walks with the dog and playing with them. They don’t like getting ignored, so make sure that you make them feel loved and secure.
The dachshund cocker spaniel mix loves to live life independently. So, training them and making them obey your orders might seem impossible at first. However, by imparting proper training for a considerable period, you can make them pay heed to your orders.
Keep your kids and other pets, such as rabbits, birds, and pets, away from the Doxie for the first few days. It often gets irked by their presence and may try to attack them.
After all, it has inherited the chasing attribute and aggressive nature from its parents. This won’t be a problem once they get adjusted to your family because they will start bonding with your kids and other pet animals.
Food & Diet Of Cocker Spaniel Dachshund Mix
Since the spaniel doxie is a small to medium-sized dog, its energy levels vary moderately to high. They will put on weight if overfed, so setting up a proper feeding schedule and sticking to it is essential.
Always feed them with high-quality dog foods because there can’t be any compromise on your puppy’s food quality.
First, start feeding them with a cup of food that is rich in proteins and vitamins per day. The food can either be dry or wet. You can gradually increase the food servings until you reach the point when you offer 2 cups of food per day for your matured and adult Docker.
Dry kibble prepared from meat of supreme quality will make the breed dog elated with joy. Include vegetables, too, in the diet chart of your puppy.
Avoid offering them too much gluten and processed food products. As your puppy Docker starts growing up, its food and nutrient requirements will also change. Then, you will have to switch to a different kibble item.
Avoid keeping the food out unless it is mealtime to avoid the Doxie from overeating. Supply the meals regularly. You may use a gravity feeder if your Doxie has the habit of eating at a rapid pace. Oatmeal, chicken, veggies, turkey, etc., are good food choices for your Doxie.
Exercise Requirements Of The Dachshunds-Cocker Spaniel Mix Dog
Do you know that these 30 pounds-Doxie breeds dogs are supercharged with energy? Right from when they are little puppies, they possess the ability to walk for miles.
Imagine how great it is to walk for such long distances from such an early stage! You must make it a point to take them out on a walk and encourage them to exercise. This will help them to stay away from anxiety and obesity.
Make it a point to bring them to walking sessions for about 45 minutes per day. Engage in playing sessions with your cute pup. Fetching a ball or a toy, playing tug-of-war, catching a ball, jogging as a kind of exercise are healthy activities for your pup.
Doxie dogs are great for socialization. Tend to them and take care of them by taking them on a walk to some nearby parks.
Play with them, and walk with them to ensure they stay healthy and fit. For a healthy dog of breed mixes belonging to the age group of 7 to 12 years, specifying an exercising period of 45 to 60 minutes per day is a good habit.
Training The Docker Dogs
The Docker dogs are way too fond of their owners, but they are pretty aggressive at the same time. Moreover, they are pretty stubborn, so they won’t be following your orders initially.
These docker mix-breeds need to undergo regular training sessions to grow fond of their pet parents and the other family members present in the house.
With proper training, your Doxie pups will use their intelligence and wit in taking care of your home and even your children and other family members in moments of crisis. Is there any better watchdog than a Doxie?
Grooming Your Doxie
The dachshund cocker spaniel mix is not a very high-maintenance dog, but you may have to spare fortune for its grooming to a moderate extent. Being a pet parent, it falls in the purview of your duty to look after its coat color and body fur.
If the Doxie has got exceptionally long, flowing, thick fur, and derives the dense coat of the cocker spaniel, it will likely shed more. So, you need to do regular brushing and sometimes even stripping or trimming.
However, if the Docker inherits more traits from its dachshund parent, it won’t lose much of its fur. In such a case, you can do a little brushing twice or thrice a week to prevent the formation of too many tangles.
The dog’s body hair needs to be washed and shampooed in moderate amounts. Bathing them more frequently than required may lead the skin oil to get depleted and thus triggering the emergence of skin diseases.
In the summers, you may have to apply medicated sunscreen to the nose, ears, and other areas of the dog’s body where not much fur is present. It is better to keep their body coat covered by using appropriate winter garments during the winter season.
The ears of Docker are prone to infection. Make sure to keep a check on its ears to see if any redness, irritation, or foul smell is being noticed. Purchase a good toothbrush for your pups and make it a point to brush its teeth early in the morning, at least twice or thrice a week.
You can clip and cut the dog’s nails belonging to mixed dachshunds and cocker parents only if the nails have grown exceptionally long.
Pay careful attention while cutting the nails, and don’t cut the puppies’ nails too short. This is because the lower part of its nails and paws is highly sensitive due to blood vessels and nerves.
Health Conditions & Diseases Of The Spaniel Doxie
Generally, the dachshund cocker spaniel mix dog is quite healthy and has quite a long lifespan because it is a product of designer breeding, so all thanks to the breeders for giving it an overall good health condition. Sadly, that doesn’t certify that the docker is not prone to any disease.
The diseases that are common in the breeds of its parents are most likely to afflict the Docker puppies. To help you understand the dangers that could strike your pet, we have come up with this disease list. In this way, you will be able to look for symptoms in your pet and get them treated as early as possible.
- Seborrhea
Your dog is prone to this skin disease called Seborrheic Dermatitis that affects its health to a great extent. If you see that the docker is vigorously scratching its body and a foul smell is coming from it, know that the dog has contracted seborrhea.
A sticky, wax-like substance forms in the docker’s ears, armpits, underbelly, and elbows, and the skin turn dry and flaky. As soon as you perceive the docker contracting the disease, don’t delay in consulting a vet for proper treatment.
- Hip Dysplasia
Dockers that are more like a cocker spaniel in appearance may get afflicted with hip dysplasia right from the stage when they are just puppies.
This disease leads to great pain in the deformed hip joint, thus making them walk in a weird fashion. Consult a vet so that the disease gets cured by conducting surgery and therapy.
- Acanthosis Nigricans
If the docker acquires a majority of the attributes from the dachshund parent, its health may get afflicted by the disease of Acanthosis Nigricans.
Its symptom is the creation of a darkened patch in the skin, devoid of any hair or body fur, and can be spotted mainly in the leg or groin. The reason for this ailment can be hormonal fluctuations and allergies. Consult a vet immediately, without any delay.
- Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism is a common disease that affects the health of those Docker dogs that bear more similarity to the cocker spaniels. Its symptoms include lethargy, weight gain, and body hair loss in the docker breeds. If diagnosed early, it can be cured completely.
- Retinal Dysplasia
The most dangerous aspect of retinal dysplasia is that it doesn’t come without symptoms and may lead to blindness in the docker breeds all of a sudden.
Therefore, make sure to bring your docker for eye check-ups periodically. This disease commonly occurs in those dogs that inherit traits more from a cocker spaniel.
- Diabetes
Since its Dachshund parent’s health often gets affected by diabetes, it is not unusual for your Doxie to acquire this disease.
The symptoms include frequent urination, eating and drinking less, and losing weight. Once you spot these symptoms, immediately go to the vet. Proper insulin injections may be given to Docker daily to cure the condition.
- Intervertebral Disc Disease or IVDD
If you notice that your Docker is unable to jump or run properly and is howling out in pain, know that IVDD may be the underlying cause for it.
This happens if a spinal disc gets slipped or crushed somehow, and if not cured immediately, it might lead to paralysis.
Estimated Cost Of Owning A Docker Dog
Collar & Other Items
The amount you need to spend on buying a collar, leash, crate, and carrier for your Docker will be around $185.
Medical Tests
While petting a dog, going for medical tests, if any symptom arises, is an obvious and common thing to do. By considering the vet consultation charges, microchipping, blood tests, CT scans, deworming, spaying, and shots, you may have to spare a fortune worth $270.
Considering pet insurance, regular check-ups, and protection from fleas and bugs, the annual medication costs can be accounted for about $460 to $560.
Non-Medical Costs
Under this section, other expenditures such as dog foods, toys, occasional treats, license, training items, and grooming products such as shampoo, brush, etc., may amount up to $680 to $780.
Distinction Between Male & Female Docker Dogs
Since the physical features of a dachshund cocker spaniel mix depend upon which of the parents it has acquired most of the traits from, it often gets difficult to understand if it is a male or female. Well, so you can quickly identify if a Docker is male or female by taking into account its height and weight.
The male Docker has a height of 11 to 15 inches and a weight of 25 to 30 pounds. On the other hand, the female docker dogs may grow to a height of 9 to 13 inches and have a weight of 20 to 25 pounds.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Do Docker Dogs Shed?
Docker dogs’ thick, dense and soft coats tend to shed at a moderate rate, especially in the fall and spring.
How long does a cocker spaniel dachshund mix dog live?
A cocker spaniel dachshund mix dog may live for 12 to 14 years.
Where does the spaniel doxie come from?
The spaniel doxie comes originally from Germany.
