Free Amigurumi Pattern: Dachshund — Step-by-Step Tutorial

If you’ve ever wanted to crochet your own little sausage dog, you’re in the right place. This free amigurumi pattern will walk you through creating an adorable dachshund from nose to tail, complete with those signature long ears, a stretched-out body, and stubby little legs. Whether you’re a beginner who has just mastered the magic ring or an experienced crocheter looking for a fun weekend project, this tutorial is written with enough detail to guide you every step of the way.

So grab your hook, pick your yarn colors, and let’s make the cutest wiener dog you’ve ever seen.

Why Dachshunds Make the Perfect Amigurumi Project

Dachshunds have a shape that almost seems designed for amigurumi. Their elongated bodies, rounded heads, and short limbs translate beautifully into crochet form, and their floppy ears give you a chance to practice a slightly more advanced flat-piece technique. They also happen to be one of the most beloved dog breeds in the world, which means a handmade dachshund amigurumi makes an incredible gift for any dog lover in your life.

This pattern creates a finished dachshund approximately 25–28 cm (10–11 inches) long when lying down, making it a satisfying size that’s neither too fiddly nor too bulky to work with.

Materials You’ll Need

Before you begin, gather the following supplies. Having everything on hand before you start will make the process much smoother.

Yarn: You’ll need a medium weight (worsted, Category 4) yarn in two colors. The main color is for the body, head, legs, and tail — a classic dachshund look calls for tan, brown, or a deep chocolate. The second color is optional but recommended for the belly and inner ears; a lighter cream or fawn works beautifully here. You’ll need roughly 100–150 grams of your main color and 30–50 grams of your accent color.

Hook: A 3.5mm or 4.0mm crochet hook. Using a slightly smaller hook than the yarn label recommends gives you a tighter stitch, which is ideal for amigurumi because it prevents the stuffing from showing through.

Stuffing: Polyester fiberfill stuffing. You’ll need a generous amount since the body of a dachshund is longer than most amigurumi patterns.

Safety eyes: Two 12mm black safety eyes. If you’re making this for a child under three, embroider the eyes instead using black yarn or embroidery floss for safety.

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

Stitch markers: These will be your best friends throughout this pattern. Amigurumi is worked in continuous rounds, and without a marker you’ll quickly lose track of where each round begins.

Scissors.

Optional: A small amount of black or dark brown embroidery floss for the nose detail, and a little blush powder or pink felt for cheeks if you want to add extra character to the face.

Abbreviations Used in This Pattern

This pattern uses standard US crochet terminology.

MR — Magic ring (also called magic circle)
ch — Chain
sl st — Slip stitch
sc — Single crochet
inc — Increase (two single crochets in the same stitch)
dec — Invisible decrease (insert hook through front loops only of next two stitches, yarn over, pull through both loops, yarn over, pull through remaining two loops)
BLO — Back loop only
FLO — Front loop only
st — Stitch
sts — Stitches
rnd — Round

A Note on Working in the Round

All parts of this pattern are worked in continuous rounds unless otherwise stated. Do not join at the end of each round with a slip stitch — simply continue crocheting into the next stitch. Place a stitch marker in the first stitch of each round and move it up as you go. This is standard amigurumi technique and gives you a seamless finish.

Part One: The Head

Start with the head, which is the most satisfying piece to make because it’s where all the personality lives.

Using your main color yarn, make a magic ring.

Round 1: 6 sc into the magic ring. (6 sts)

Round 2: Inc in each st around. (12 sts)

Round 3: Sc 1, inc — repeat around. (18 sts)

Round 4: Sc 2, inc — repeat around. (24 sts)

Round 5: Sc 3, inc — repeat around. (30 sts)

Round 6: Sc 4, inc — repeat around. (36 sts)

Rounds 7–13: Sc in each st around for 7 rounds. (36 sts)

This section shapes the main skull. The head is intentionally rounder than typical dog amigurumi because the dachshund’s face has a broad, dome-shaped crown with a narrower muzzle — we’ll add the muzzle as a separate piece.

Round 14: Sc 4, dec — repeat around. (30 sts)

Round 15: Sc 3, dec — repeat around. (24 sts)

Now is the time to attach your safety eyes. Position them between rounds 9 and 10, with about 8 stitches between them. Push the safety eye through the fabric and lock the washer securely on the inside. If you’re embroidering instead, mark the placement with a pin for now and stitch them later.

Round 16: Sc 2, dec — repeat around. (18 sts)

Begin stuffing the head firmly. You want it to hold its shape without feeling rock-hard — about the consistency of a ripe peach.

Round 17: Sc 1, dec — repeat around. (12 sts)

Round 18: Dec around. (6 sts)

Cut yarn, leaving a tail. Thread through remaining 6 stitches, pull tight to close, and weave in the end.

Part Two: The Muzzle

The muzzle gives your dachshund that distinctive long-nosed look. Work this in your main color or in a slightly lighter shade if you want definition.

Round 1: MR, 6 sc. (6 sts)

Round 2: Inc in each st. (12 sts)

Round 3: Sc 1, inc — repeat around. (18 sts)

Rounds 4–6: Sc around for 3 rounds. (18 sts)

Do not stuff the muzzle. Leave a long yarn tail. Use a yarn needle to sew the muzzle to the front of the head, centered below the eyes. The flat opening of the muzzle should face toward the head. Pin it in place before stitching to make sure the placement looks right from all angles.

Once attached, use black embroidery floss or black yarn to stitch a small oval or heart-shaped nose onto the top front of the muzzle. Bring the needle through from inside the head so the knot is hidden.

Part Three: The Ears

Dachshund ears are one of the most iconic features of the breed — long, floppy, and velvety. In this pattern, the ears are worked flat and then attached to drape naturally down the sides of the head.

Make two ears. Using your main color (or a combination of main color on the outside and accent color for the inner ear), chain 5.

Row 1: Starting in the second chain from the hook, sc across. (4 sts) Ch 1, turn.

Row 2: Inc, sc 2, inc. (6 sts) Ch 1, turn.

Row 3: Inc, sc 4, inc. (8 sts) Ch 1, turn.

Rows 4–8: Sc across. (8 sts) Ch 1, turn.

Row 9: Dec, sc 4, dec. (6 sts) Ch 1, turn.

Row 10: Dec, sc 2, dec. (4 sts) Ch 1, turn.

Row 11: Dec, dec. (2 sts) Ch 1, turn.

Row 12: Dec. (1 st) Fasten off.

If you want to add an inner ear panel in your accent color, make the same shape in your lighter yarn and whip stitch the two pieces together with wrong sides facing before attaching to the head. This creates a lovely two-tone ear.

Attach the ears to either side of the head, roughly at rounds 6–7, positioning them so they fall naturally forward and down from the top sides of the skull. A few stitches along the top edge of each ear is enough to secure them.

Part Four: The Body

The body is the star of the dachshund amigurumi. It’s long and tubular, which is what makes this breed so charming to crochet.

Round 1: MR, 6 sc. (6 sts)

Round 2: Inc in each st. (12 sts)

Round 3: Sc 1, inc — repeat. (18 sts)

Round 4: Sc 2, inc — repeat. (24 sts)

Round 5: Sc 3, inc — repeat. (30 sts)

Round 6: Sc 4, inc — repeat. (36 sts)

Rounds 7–30: Sc around for 24 rounds. (36 sts)

This long tubular section is what gives the dachshund its iconic silhouette. If you want a chunkier dog, add an extra round or two. If you prefer a slightly more svelte sausage dog, reduce by a couple of rounds.

Round 31: Sc 4, dec — repeat. (30 sts)

Round 32: Sc 3, dec — repeat. (24 sts)

Begin stuffing the body. Be generous — you want the body to feel plump and hold its shape well. Use small pieces of fiberfill and pack them in gradually, pushing stuffing to fill the far end of the body first.

Round 33: Sc 2, dec — repeat. (18 sts)

Round 34: Sc 1, dec — repeat. (12 sts)

Round 35: Dec around. (6 sts)

Add any final stuffing, then fasten off and close as you did with the head. Leave a long tail for sewing the head on.

Part Five: The Legs

The dachshund has four short, sturdy legs. Make four identical legs. These are worked in your main color.

Round 1: MR, 6 sc. (6 sts)

Round 2: Inc in each st. (12 sts)

Round 3: In BLO, sc around. (12 sts) This creates the definition of the paw.

Round 4: Sc 1, dec — repeat around. (8 sts)

Rounds 5–10: Sc around for 6 rounds. (8 sts)

Stuff the legs lightly — just enough to give them a little body without making them stiff. You want them to splay naturally when the dachshund lies down. Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.

Sew the front two legs to the underside of the body near the front, and the back two legs near the rear. Placing them slightly outward rather than directly underneath gives a more natural, relaxed pose and enhances that short-legged, low-to-the-ground look.

Part Six: The Tail

The tail is small but important — it adds so much character. Dachshunds carry their tails with a confident little curve.

Round 1: MR, 6 sc. (6 sts)

Rounds 2–8: Sc around for 7 rounds. (6 sts)

Do not stuff the tail. Flatten slightly and sew it to the back end of the body, angling it upward slightly to give it that perky, wagging look.

Assembling Your Dachshund

Now comes the truly satisfying part — putting your dachshund together.

Start by positioning the head onto the open end of the body. The head should sit slightly forward, as if the dog is looking ahead with interest (which is very on-brand for a dachshund). Pin it in place and take a good look from all angles before you commit to sewing. Using your yarn needle and a long length of yarn in your main color, sew the head firmly to the body using whip stitches all the way around the join. You want this attachment to be very secure since the head takes a lot of handling during play or display.

Next, attach the muzzle if you haven’t already, then add the ears. Check the overall symmetry of the face — step back and look at your dog from a small distance to see how the features read together.

Sew on the four legs, spacing the front pair and back pair evenly. The belly of the dachshund should sit close to the ground, so position the legs with this in mind rather than angling them downward as you might for a different breed.

Finally, sew on the tail and weave in all remaining yarn ends.

If you’re adding blush or cheek color, use a cotton swab and a tiny amount of matte blush powder, brushing it in soft circles onto the cheeks. This step is purely optional but gives your dachshund an irresistible rosy warmth.

Tips for a Better Finish

There are a few techniques that consistently make amigurumi look more polished, and they’re worth mentioning here.

The invisible decrease is worth practicing before you start this pattern if you haven’t used it before. Unlike a regular decrease that creates a visible bar on the outside of your work, the invisible decrease (worked through the front loops only of two consecutive stitches) lies flat and almost disappears into the fabric. It makes a meaningful difference to the finished look of the head and body.

Tension matters more in amigurumi than in almost any other crochet project. If your tension is too loose, you’ll see the white stuffing peeking through the gaps in your stitches, which breaks the illusion of a solid, finished toy. If you find this happening, try going down half a hook size.

Always leave longer tails than you think you need when fastening off pieces. It’s much easier to trim excess yarn than to realize you’ve run out of tail halfway through sewing a seam.

When stuffing, add it gradually as you close up each piece rather than waiting until the very end. This is especially important for the body, where you want the stuffing evenly distributed throughout the length rather than bunched at the closed end.

Customization Ideas

One of the best things about free amigurumi patterns is how easily they can be personalized. Here are a few ideas to make your dachshund uniquely yours.

Classic dachshunds come in a range of coat colors and patterns. A tan and black dachshund (a classic “black and tan”) would use black as your main color with tan yarn for the legs, muzzle, eyebrow spots, and inner ears. A dapple dachshund could be suggested by using a marled or variegated yarn. A red dachshund would use a warm cinnamon or rust color throughout.

You can also dress your dachshund by crocheting a simple sweater or bandana. Dachshunds in tiny sweaters are practically a cultural institution, and a small rectangular piece worked in a contrast yarn makes an adorable scarf that ties around the neck.

For a miniature version, use fingering weight (Category 1) yarn and a 1.75mm or 2.0mm hook. The finished dog will be roughly half the size and makes an adorable keychain or bag charm.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does this pattern take to crochet? For an average crocheter, this project takes between 6 and 10 hours spread across a couple of sessions. The long body rounds go quickly once you’re in a rhythm.

Can I sell finished items made from this pattern? Yes! You’re welcome to sell handmade amigurumi made from this pattern. Please do not resell or redistribute the pattern itself.

My dachshund’s head looks too big. What went wrong? It’s likely that the head just needs firmer stuffing to match the body, or the body needs slightly more rounds. Because dachshunds have proportionally smaller heads relative to