How to Breed Chocolate Dapple Dachshunds

Locate an appropriate male to pair with your female. Only one dog in the breeding pair needs to display the chocolate dapple pattern to produce dapple puppies, and breeding two dappled dogs together can produce a litter with serious health problems such as hearing loss, vision abnormalities and complete absence of eyes. If your female is a chocolate dapple, pair her with a solid-coated male. If you have a solid female, breed her to a dappled stud dog.

Take both dogs to the veterinarian's office for a complete breeding exam. The vet will test their hearing and vision, and will do cultures to rule out transmittable diseases such as brucellosis. The dogs will also be tested for genetic diseases such as hip dysplasia, elbow abnormalities and degenerative back diseases, which are prevalent in the chocolate dapple dachshunds. Dachshunds are low to the ground and pick up infections easily, so he will also examine the female's uterus and make sure she is free of infection prior to breeding.

Watch the female for signs that she is in season. Small breeds such as dachshunds typically come into season approximately once a year, with her first heat at 12 months of age. Wait until the female is at least two years old before breeding, as breeding her before she is fully mature places unnecessary stress on her growing body.

Place the dogs together approximately seven days into her heat cycle. Females are normally receptive for one week, so turn the dogs out together as often as possible to increase the chances of a successful breeding. If the female growls or snaps at the male, she is not yet ready to breed and you should try again in two days.

Count 63 days from the first successful mating, and mark it on a calendar. A dog's gestation period is normally 8 weeks, but small breeds such as the dachshund may whelp as early as day 56 or 57. You vet will perform an x-ray after week 7 to determine how many puppies to expect.

Erect your whelping box 10 days before the scheduled due date, and let the female explore the box. Pad the bottom with blankets or old towels, and clip a heat lamp to one side of the box. A round, plastic kid's pool is large enough to give the litter room to grow, but small enough to make your dachshund feel safe and cozy.

Watch the dog closely for signs of labor. A small, pink-tinged wet spot will appear as the water breaks, and she will pant and pace as her contractions start. Her abdomen will be distended and round, and will pulse with each contraction. She will lie on her side as she pushes, and you should see a small, opaque sac over the nose of each puppy as it enters the world. If the female doesn't break the sac within 30 seconds, gently pull it away from the puppy's nose to prevent suffocation. Puppies should come approximately 10 to 15 minutes apart, and the female will break the cord after each puppy is born. The elongated, narrow pelvis of the breed makes dachshunds prone to natural birthing complications, so call your vet if more than 30 minutes pass between puppies.

Leave the female alone as she cleans both herself and the puppies. Move the heat lamp near the litter, and turn it on, directing the warm beam over the puppies. Dachshund puppies often weigh no more than a few ounces at birth and are extremely susceptible to cold and drafts.

Examine the puppies for color and gender once they've had time to nurse. Chocolate dapple puppies will have a dark brown base coat, with lighter patches of light brown, gray and white scattered over the coat. Tie a small length of different-colored ribbon around the neck of each puppy to identify it and help you keep track of your new chocolate dapple dachshund litter.