Free Crochet Dachshund Dog Bag Charm Pattern & Tutorial

There’s something undeniably charming about a tiny crocheted dachshund dangling from your bag, and if you’re a dog lover, a crochet enthusiast, or both, this project was made for you. This free crochet dachshund dog bag charm pattern and tutorial will walk you through every single step to create the most adorable miniature sausage dog you’ve ever seen. Whether you’re a beginner looking for a confidence-boosting small project or an experienced crocheter who wants a quick, satisfying make, this pattern has everything you need.

Before we dive in, let’s talk about why bag charms have become such a beloved accessory in the crochet community. They’re quick to make, use minimal yarn, make fantastic gifts, and let you show off a little of your personality wherever you go. A crocheted dachshund bag charm is especially popular because the dachshund’s long body and short legs translate perfectly into amigurumi-style crochet. The proportions are fun, the finished piece is compact, and once you’ve made one, you’ll want to make several — in every color you can think of.

So let’s get into it.

What You’ll Need

Before you begin crocheting, gather your materials. Because this is a small project, you won’t need much, which is also what makes it great for using up yarn scraps.

Yarn: You’ll need a small amount of yarn in your chosen dachshund color. Classic dachshund colorways include tan or golden brown, chocolate brown, black and tan, or dapple (a mottled grey and brown). A fingering weight or DK weight yarn both work beautifully here. If you use a heavier worsted weight, your charm will come out larger and chunkier, which some people prefer. A lighter fingering weight gives a more delicate, miniature result.

Hook: Use a crochet hook appropriate to your yarn weight. For fingering weight, a 2.0mm to 2.5mm hook is ideal. For DK weight, try a 3.0mm to 3.5mm hook. As always with amigurumi, go a size smaller than the yarn label recommends to create a tighter fabric that won’t show the stuffing through the gaps.

Stuffing: A small amount of polyester fiberfill stuffing. You don’t need much — just enough to lightly fill the body and head.

Safety eyes: Two black safety eyes, 4mm or 6mm depending on how large you want the face to look. If you’re making this for a young child, embroider the eyes instead using black yarn for safety.

Stitch marker: Just one, to mark the beginning of your rounds.

Yarn needle: For weaving in ends and sewing pieces together.

Scissors: For cutting yarn.

Key ring or lobster clasp: To attach the finished charm to your bag. You can find these at craft stores or online. A lobster clasp with a small jump ring works perfectly, or you can use a simple keychain ring threaded through the charm’s hanging loop.

Optional: A small length of satin ribbon or thin cord for the collar. A tiny bow or a miniature tag adds a charming finishing touch.

Abbreviations Used in This Pattern

This pattern uses US crochet terminology. Here are the abbreviations you’ll encounter:

MR — Magic ring (also called magic circle)
ch — chain
sl st — slip stitch
sc — single crochet
inc — increase (2 single crochets in the same stitch)
dec — invisible decrease (insert hook through the front loops of the next two stitches and complete the single crochet)
BLO — back loop only
st — stitch
rnd — round

All rounds are worked in a continuous spiral unless otherwise stated. Use a stitch marker to keep track of the beginning of each round.

Pattern Notes

This pattern is worked in the round using the amigurumi method, meaning you do not join rounds with a slip stitch (unless specified). Instead, you work in a continuous spiral and use a stitch marker to track your progress.

The gauge for this pattern isn’t critical since you’re making a decorative item rather than something that needs to fit precisely. However, a tighter gauge will give you a firmer, neater result with stuffing that doesn’t peek through.

The dachshund is made in separate pieces — the body, head, ears, legs, and tail — which are then sewn together. This gives you the most control over the final look and lets you position each piece exactly where you want it before committing to stitching it down.

The Pattern

Body

The body is the largest piece and the starting point of the whole project. The dachshund’s long torso is what gives it that instantly recognizable silhouette.

Start with your MR.

Rnd 1: 6 sc in MR. (6 sts)
Rnd 2: inc in each st around. (12 sts)
Rnd 3: sc 1, inc repeat around. (18 sts)
Rnd 4: sc 2, inc repeat around. (24 sts)
Rnd 5: sc in each st around. (24 sts)
Rnd 6: sc in each st around. (24 sts)
Rnd 7: sc 2, dec repeat around. (18 sts)
Rnd 8: sc in each st around. (18 sts)
Rnd 9: sc in each st around. (18 sts)
Rnd 10: sc 1, dec repeat around. (12 sts)
Rnd 11: sc in each st around. (12 sts)

Begin stuffing lightly. You want the body to be firm but not overly stuffed.

Rnd 12: dec around. (6 sts)

Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing. Close the remaining opening by running the tail through the front loops of the remaining stitches and pulling tight. Weave in the end.

The finished body should look like a small oval or rounded cylinder — elongated compared to a typical amigurumi ball. That elongated shape is the essence of the dachshund charm.

Head

The head is worked in a similar way to the body but with slightly different proportions to give the dachshund its characteristic long snout.

Start with your MR.

Rnd 1: 6 sc in MR. (6 sts)
Rnd 2: inc in each st around. (12 sts)
Rnd 3: sc 1, inc repeat around. (18 sts)
Rnd 4–6: sc in each st around. (18 sts) — 3 rounds
Rnd 7: sc 1, dec repeat around. (12 sts)

Before closing, attach safety eyes between rounds 4 and 5, spacing them about 4–5 stitches apart. Stuff the head lightly before closing.

Rnd 8: dec around. (6 sts)

Fasten off and close the opening the same way as the body. Leave a long tail for attaching to the body.

Snout

The snout is a small flattened circle that you stitch onto the front of the head to give the dachshund its signature elongated muzzle.

Start with your MR.

Rnd 1: 6 sc in MR. (6 sts)
Rnd 2: inc in each st around. (12 sts)
Rnd 3: sc in BLO around. (12 sts)

Fasten off, leaving a long tail. You’ll flatten this piece slightly and sew it to the lower front of the head. The BLO round in Rnd 3 creates a subtle edge that helps the snout sit slightly raised against the face.

Using black yarn or embroidery thread, stitch a small nose onto the tip of the snout — a simple Y-shape or a few straight stitches create a sweet little nose.

Ears

The ears are worked flat as two identical oval shapes. Dachshunds have those gorgeous long, floppy ears that hang down beside their faces, and even at this small scale, the ears make a huge difference to the final look.

Ch 5.

Row 1: sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc 2, inc in last ch. Working back along the opposite side of the foundation chain: sc 2, inc. Sl st to join if desired. (10 sts)
Row 2: sc around. (10 sts)

Fasten off, leaving a tail for sewing. Make two ears.

Attach the ears to either side of the head, folded slightly forward so they drape naturally like a real dachshund’s ears. Position them about 2–3 rounds from the top of the head, just above eye level.

Legs

The dachshund has four short little legs, and true to breed, they should be stubby and close to the ground. Make four identical legs.

Start with your MR.

Rnd 1: 6 sc in MR. (6 sts)
Rnd 2: inc in each st around. (12 sts)
Rnd 3: sc in BLO around. (12 sts) — this creates the paw definition
Rnd 4–6: sc in each st around. (12 sts) — 3 rounds

If desired, add a tiny bit of stuffing before closing. For the legs, light stuffing or no stuffing both work well — unstuffed legs have a softer, more floppy look which is very cute.

Fasten off, leaving a tail for sewing. Make four.

Tail

The tail is a tiny curved tube. It’s small but it matters — a little upturned tail adds so much personality to the finished charm.

Start with your MR.

Rnd 1: 4 sc in MR. (4 sts)
Rnd 2–5: sc in each st around. (4 sts) — 4 rounds

Fasten off, leaving a tail for sewing. Leave this piece unstuffed so it curls naturally.

Hanging Loop

To turn your finished dachshund into a bag charm, you’ll need a hanging loop. This is simply a crocheted chain long enough to thread through a key ring or lobster clasp.

Join yarn to the top center of the body or head (wherever you’d like the charm to hang from — the back of the neck is a popular choice).

Ch 15 (or more for a longer loop). Sl st to join into a ring, then sl st back along the chain to reinforce it. Fasten off and weave in the end. Thread your key ring or lobster clasp through the loop before joining it, or thread it through afterward with a jump ring.

Assembly

Once all your pieces are made, the fun part begins — putting your little dachshund together. Lay all the pieces out in front of you and take a moment to visualize the final dog before you start stitching.

Start by attaching the snout to the head. Position it on the lower front of the head, centered, and stitch it down securely using the yarn tail. Make sure the snout is fully attached all the way around its edge so it doesn’t gap away from the face.

Next, attach the head to the body. The head should sit at one end of the elongated body, slightly toward the top so the dachshund looks like it’s holding its head up. Use the yarn tail from the head and stitch it firmly in place, going through the stitches of both pieces several times for a secure join.

Now attach the ears. Fold each ear slightly and pin it in place before stitching. The ears should frame the face and hang downward, which is absolutely characteristic of the breed. Stitch each one securely through a few stitches of the ear and into the head.

Attach the legs. The front two legs go near the head end of the body, roughly in the middle of the underside, and the back two legs go near the tail end. Position them so your dachshund can “stand” flat on a surface with all four legs pointing downward and slightly outward for stability. Because the body is rounded, the legs naturally splay out a little, which looks adorable. Stitch each leg through several loops of the body for a firm hold.

Attach the tail at the opposite end of the body from the head. Stitch it upward at a slight angle so it curls up like a happy dog’s tail.

Finally, if you’d like to add a collar, wrap a tiny piece of ribbon, yarn, or cord around the neck area and tie it into a bow. A small bead or button in a contrasting color can serve as a collar charm. This extra detail takes only a minute and makes the finished piece look even more polished.

Finishing Touches and Tips

Weave in all your remaining yarn ends carefully. Because this is a small piece, loose ends can become visible quickly, so take your time with this step. Use your yarn needle to bury the tails inside the stuffed sections wherever possible.

Give your dachshund a gentle block if needed. Because of the small scale, blocking isn’t usually necessary, but if any of the pieces look slightly uneven, a quick press with a damp cloth can help smooth things out.

Once your key ring or lobster clasp is attached through the hanging loop, your dachshund bag charm is complete and ready to use.

Color Variations and Customization Ideas

One of the best things about making your own crochet bag charm is the endless customization. Here are a few ideas to inspire you.

If you want to make a classic black and tan dachshund, use black yarn for the main body and head, then switch to tan for the legs, underside, eyebrow dots, and inner ear areas. You can achieve this by stitching small patches of tan yarn over the black at the finished stage, or by changing colors within the rounds if you’re comfortable with color changes.

For a chocolate dachshund, a deep warm brown with tan markings gives a rich, realistic look. Pair it with amber-colored safety eyes for extra warmth.

A dapple dachshund is a more advanced option — you can achieve the mottled look by using a variegated or speckled yarn in grey and brown tones. The randomness of the yarn color creates a surprisingly realistic dapple effect with no extra effort on your part.

For a purely whimsical approach, make your dachshund in a completely non-realistic color. Pastel pink, lilac, sky blue, or rainbow-striped dachshunds make wonderful gifts for people who love a playful aesthetic.

You can also customize the face expression by experimenting with eye placement. Eyes placed further apart and higher on the head create a more cartoonish, wide-eyed look. Eyes placed closer together and lower give a more realistic appearance. A few small embroidered eyebrow dots in a slightly lighter color than the main yarn adds enormous expressiveness to such a tiny face.

Ideas for Using and Gifting Your Dachshund Bag Charm

Beyond the obvious use as a bag charm, your crocheted dachshund has plenty of other applications. Attach it to a zipper pull on a pencil case or backpack. Hook it onto a set of keys. Tie it to a gift as a decorative topper instead of a bow — especially sweet if the recipient is a dachshund owner. String several of them together for a quirky garland or bunting. Sell them at craft fairs, where dog-themed crochet items are perennially popular.

If you’re a dachshund owner yourself, this charm is a lovely way to carry a little reminder of your dog wherever you go. You can customize the colorway to match your actual dog, which makes it even more meaningful.

These charms also make beautiful stocking stuffers, birthday gifts, and teacher appreciation gifts. Because they’re so quick to make once you’ve got the pattern down, you can batch-make them in an evening. After your first dachshund, you’ll find the second goes significantly faster as your hands learn the rhythm of the rounds.

A Note on Sizing

The finished dachshund using DK weight yarn and a 3.0mm hook will measure approximately 7–8cm (about 3 inches) long, which is a perfect charm size — substantial enough to be visible and appreciated on a bag, but compact enough not to be unwieldy.

If you want a larger ornament rather than a charm, simply go up in yarn weight. Using worsted weight yarn and a 4.0mm hook will give you a dachshund of about 12–14cm, which makes a lovely desk ornament or stuffed toy for a small child (just use embroidered eyes instead of safety eyes for children under three).

Troubleshooting Common Issues

If your body or