A dachshund’s personality comes through in its silhouette: a long body, short legs, hanging ears, and a nose that reaches forward. This little crochet version keeps those recognizable features and adds a striped scarf for a cozy finish.
The photographed dog uses brown yarn with a white muzzle, black nose, and pale blue-and-white scarf. The light details stand out against the darker body, making the face easy to read even at this small scale.
This guide accompanies the Crochetnotes video tutorial near the end of the article. Use the demonstration for the exact rounds and construction. The notes below focus on the decisions that help the finished dog look balanced: yarn consistency, stuffing, placement, and tidy attachments.
Choose Yarn That Makes the Small Pieces Manageable
For a first version, choose yarn with clearly visible stitches. Dark brown can be harder to read than cream or tan, so good lighting is especially helpful around the head and tiny legs.
Use yarns of similar thickness for the main crochet pieces. Mixing a heavy body yarn with a much finer muzzle yarn can change the face proportions, even when you follow the same instructions.
The public video description does not specify an exact yarn weight or hook size. Check the opening demonstration and choose a hook that produces close, even stitches with your yarn.
Supplies to Prepare
- Yarn for the dog’s main color.
- White or another contrasting yarn for the muzzle.
- Black yarn or embroidery thread for the nose.
- Coordinating yarn for the scarf.
- A suitable crochet hook.
- Filling for the stuffed sections.
- Scissors, a yarn needle, and a stitch marker.
- Your chosen eye materials.
- Optional hardware for a bag charm or keychain.
Decide whether you want a hanging charm or a small display piece before finishing. That choice affects where you will need an attachment loop.
Preserve the Long-Body Proportion
The body is the feature that makes this dog read as a dachshund rather than a general puppy. Follow the shaping in the tutorial and compare the outline as you work.
Where filling is required, add it gradually. Small portions are easier to distribute through a narrow section than one large clump.
Check the shape from the side and from above. The fabric should look evenly supported, without a hard bulge in one area or an empty section that collapses when handled.
If filling starts to show between the stitches, first check whether you have packed in too much. For a future version, a different hook-and-yarn combination may give a closer fabric, but pulling individual stitches tighter after stuffing can distort the piece.
Give the Face a Clear Direction
The white muzzle and black nose create a strong focal point in the photographed dog. Their placement helps establish which way the head faces.
Before completing the attachments, check the face from the front and both sides. Follow the tutorial’s positioning, then make small adjustments while the pieces are still easy to move.
Keep the nose attachment neat and avoid pulling embroidery so tightly that it dents the muzzle. If your eye materials require access to the inside of the head, plan their placement before closing that section.
Compare the Ears and Legs Before Attaching Them
Small differences become noticeable when matching pieces sit beside each other. Keep track of the rounds or repeats used for each ear and leg, and compare the pieces before assembly.
For the ears, check both their size and their attachment height. The lower sections should have room to hang beside the face rather than being pulled tightly against the head.
For the legs, look at the whole arrangement before securing the first one. Check the spacing from the front, back, and underneath. A leg that looks correctly placed from one side may sit noticeably farther inward when viewed from the other.
If you want the dog to rest on a desk, test the arrangement on a level surface. Its ability to sit steadily will depend on the finished proportions and placement; do not force the pieces into an awkward position just to make it stand.
Let the Scarf Complement the Face
The pale blue-and-white scarf adds contrast to the brown dog. It is also a useful place to personalize the project without changing the main shaping.
Arrange it so the muzzle and front legs remain visible. A bulky wrap can hide the neck area and make the head appear disconnected from the body.
For a hanging charm, check whether the scarf or its ends could catch on other items. Secure the finishing details as appropriate for your intended use.
Other combinations include cream and red, mustard and navy, or sage and ivory. Keeping one scarf color light can help the stripes remain distinct against a dark dog.
Inspect the Joins Before Trimming the Ends
Once the pieces are assembled, turn the dog slowly and inspect every connection. Look behind the ears, under the muzzle, around the legs, and at the tail base.
Check for exposed yarn tails, loose loops, and joins that pull the fabric out of shape. Make corrections before trimming the remaining ends.
The head-to-body connection deserves particular attention. It should support the head without relying on the scarf to hide a loose attachment.
Assembly is where the individual crochet pieces begin to look like a dachshund.
For a balanced result:
- Pin the head to the front of the body.
- Check that the muzzle points forward rather than downward.
- Position the four legs while the dog rests on a flat surface.
- Pin the ears and compare their height.
- Add the tail at the center back.
- Sew every section with small, secure stitches.
- Hide all yarn ends inside the body.
- Wrap the striped scarf around the neck.
Take a final look at the dog from the front, sides and top before completing every seam. Moving a pinned piece is much easier than removing finished stitches.
Optional Keychain Finish
To turn the dachshund into a keychain, attach a strong loop of yarn or a small metal clasp to the upper center of the body.
Pass the attachment yarn through several body stitches rather than securing it to only one stitch. This distributes the weight and helps prevent the fabric from stretching.
If you plan to hang the dachshund from a bag, reinforce the loop before hiding the yarn ends.
For a desk ornament or shelf decoration, simply leave off the hardware.
Common Problems and Easy Fixes
The body looks lumpy
Add stuffing in several small pieces and distribute it with the blunt end of your crochet hook.
The legs are uneven
Pin all four legs before sewing and test the dog on a flat surface.
The muzzle points upward
Reduce the amount of stuffing and sew the lower edge more securely against the head.
The ears look different
Count the stitches and rounds in both ears. You can also lightly shape them with your fingers before attaching them.
Stuffing is visible
Use a smaller hook, tighter tension or a thicker yarn. Avoid adding excessive stuffing.
The scarf hides the face
Make the scarf slightly narrower, shorten the ends or position the knot toward one side.
Make Your Dachshund Unique
Once you understand the construction, it is easy to personalize this little dog.
You could try:
- Chocolate brown with tan details
- Black with a rust-colored muzzle and legs
- Cream with a pastel scarf
- Grey with a bright striped scarf
- A small embroidered heart on the body
- A collar instead of a scarf
- An initial charm attached to the keychain loop
You could even crochet several dachshunds with different scarf colors as small gifts for dog lovers.
Watch the Complete Video Tutorial
The complete video shows the body, head, muzzle, ears, legs, tail and assembly process step by step. It is especially helpful for understanding the shaping and positioning of the small pieces.
If you make your own sausage dog, leave a comment on the video and tell me which colors you chose. 🐾
Visit Crochetnotes Studio for more free crochet tutorials, handmade gift ideas and beginner-friendly projects.
Project, photographs and video tutorial by Crochetnotes. Please do not reproduce or redistribute the complete instructions, images or video as your own.
Made with yarn, shared with love. 🧶💗
Watch every stitch up close
Pair these written notes with the complete video tutorial.
Made with yarn, shared with love. 🧶💗