A woman who bought what she thought was a mini dachshund puppy was left gobsmacked when the pooch continued to grow – as she couldn’t believe what she brought home instead
A lot of care needs to be taken when buying or adopting a dog. People who want to bring a pet into their homes are encouraged to adopt from shelters rather than buy from breeders, but no matter how you get your animal, you should make sure you’ve done plenty of research into the breed you’re getting to ensure you can care for it properly.
One woman got the shock of her life when she brought home what she thought was a mini dachshund, as she couldn’t believe what it grew into as it got older. Jessica Collins shared a video on TikTok in which she explained she bought her puppy, Winston, from a breeder and was told he was a mini dachshund.
In the early images of her picture slideshow, Winston could easily be held in one hand by Jessica, as the puppy was tiny and very cute. This should have continued to be possible if the dog was actually a miniature dachshund, as the dog breed typically weighs between 10 and 12 pounds on average.
But just a few pictures later, Winston could be seen stretched out from Jessica’s shoulders to her knees and is now what Jessica describes as “jumbo-sized”.
It turns out that Winston is not a mini dachshund at all.
Jessica later discovered from the breeder that Winston’s mother is a mini dachshund, but his father is a standard version of the popular dog. This means that while there was a chance Winston could have been a mini like his mother, it was never a guarantee, and he has instead grown to be a full-size dachshund.
Dachshunds were initially bred in Germany in the 15th century to hunt badgers, and quickly became one of the world’s most popular dog breeds, with the American Kennel Club ranking them 6th in their 2024 list.
Mini dachshunds, meanwhile, didn’t start appearing until the 19th century and were bred in response to people wanting a smaller and more companionable version of the dog as hunting became less popular.
The mini version of the dog is almost identical to the standard, but where standards stand between seven and 12 inches and weigh up to 30 pounds, minis are usually only between four and seven inches tall, with weights of up to 12 pounds.
Winston, however, apparently exceeds even the standard dachshund. Jessica claims he’s a whopping 18kg (39 pounds) currently, which puts him above the average weight of a full-size dachshund dog.
Despite her dog not being the small size she expected, Jessica still loves Winston with all her heart – and commenters on her viral video were quick to tell her how precious he is, too.
One person said: “He’s a stunning boy, though!”
Another added: “I always forgot how big standard ones get! I don’t understand why we don’t see them more! They’re beautiful.”
Some commenters questioned the way Jessica was holding Winston in some of the photos, expressing concerns that she may be unknowingly hurting his back. Dachshunds are more susceptible to disc herniation because of their long spines, but Jessica has clarified she no longer holds him like that.
She responded: “He’s not allowed upstairs or to jump on furniture. The photos of me holding him are from when he was young. He’s too heavy to lift up now!”
