The miniature dachshund is a small hound dog breed from Germany with either a short, wirehaired, or longhaired coat and a long, low body. These dogs are simply the smaller variety of the dachshund dog breed, with the larger variety being the standard dachshund. Mini dachshunds typically weigh 11 pounds or less while standard dachshunds weigh 16 to 32 pounds on average. The breed is generally spunky and playful, and they make for an alert little watchdog.