"Tweenies"

[Mutzie's Mom]

I am fascinated with "tweenies." I've tried researching them, but only come up with their weight and their size being between a mini and standard. I am almost positive that Shepard is a tweenie. He is sooooooo long. He is only 10 pounds, but he's very lean. I also think Mutzie was a tweenie. Her average weight was 14 pounds and she looked fit and healthy at that weight. Her papers stated that she was a mini, but I disagree.

Can you guys tell me more about tweenies? I am really interested! Does it take a mini and a standard to make a tweenie? Or is it a fluke? I am curious and can't wait to learn more about them. What are their lengths? Do you measure from their beak to their butt? I'll measure Shep. Does anyone else have a tweenie?

Thanks!
Sherry & Sheppie

[~Jen~]

Sherry,

Tweenie is just a term used to describe a dog that goes over the mini weight limit (11lbs at 1yr) or is under the standard weight limit of 16lbs. I don't think reputable breeders intentionally would breed for tweenies but in minis they do happen since they are a bred down variety of the standard.
They make just as good of pets as a mini or a standard :)

[Krista]

Tweenie is an unofficial term that we dachshund lovers use when referring to a dog that happens to fall between the standards.

They are not mentioned in the breed standard, and technically they are a departure from the breed standard.

I agree with HM in that I believe reputable breeders would not breed for a tweenie size on purpose, but that even good breeders aiming for 11 pounds or less or 16 pounds or more for the adult size of their breedings will sometimes get dogs in between. One thing I look for in a breeder (one thing of many things) is that their breeding dogs fit into the size category they say they are selling. If they say they are breeding miniatures/standards and their dogs all seem to be tweenies by weight, I'm not going to consider them.

I have a "tweenie" he is 14 pounds, though all of his littermates are about 11 pounds from what I've been told. He was not intended to be this big, but it happened. The breeder knew he'd be over the mini limit and sold him to me as a pet and required he be neutered.

Your guy may or may not end up a tweenie. If he goes over 11 pounds when hes fully grown at a healthy weight, then yes, we'd consider him a tweenie. If he stays at 11 pounds or less, then he'd be a true mini, no matter how long he is.

You are neutering him, so really either way it does not matter. Enjoy him no matter his size. My 14 pounder is cuddling with me right now! Our 11 pound mini is sleeping with my hubby, we love them both!

[Mandy]

We have two "tweenies" also. Henry is on the higher end, closer to 16 pounds, and Jakey is on the lower end at about 13.5 pounds.

Jake's mother was 10.5 pounds and his father was 7.5 pounds. The other puppies in his litter turned out to be smaller, but we had an idea he would be a little bigger from the beginning - he was a little larger and had a sturdier frame. We don't care...both of our guys picked us.

Oh, they also sleep with us, as do fosters when they are here. We love having our "family " bed. <img border="0" alt="[Circle]" title="" src="graemlins/circle.gif" />

[Uschi]

We're now owned by a Tweenie (Ripley) and my previous Dachsie was a Tweenie, too. weenie dog that falls between the breed weight standards. How perfect and cute is that?! <img border="0" alt="[Circle]" title="" src="graemlins/circle.gif" /> ]

My previous dog, Tootsie, was from large miniature parents and ended up being just under 16lbs as an adult. Since she was a rescued pupper, we don't know Ripley's parents, so of course can't make any assumptions on those lines. She currently weighs in at around 15lbs. though.

My experience is that Tweenies are unintentional variances in weight and aren't really "bred" for that size. Also, the length isn't really the determining factor; it's a weight between 11 and 16 lbs. (in the U.S., at least) From what I can tell, Tweenie proportions fall right between minis and standards, just as you might expect. (A little longer and taller than minis, a little shorter and well, shorter than standards <img border="0" alt="[Oh my gosh!]" title="" src="graemlins/eek3.gif" /> )

Tweenies are a Dachshund to the core, only in a not-too little, not-too big package. Being a Tweenie also makes our Ripley just a bit more of a misfit (literally), which makes her even more of a fit into our family! <img border="0" alt="[Flower]" title="" src="graemlins/flower.gif" />

--Jada & the Misfits <img border="0" alt="[Square]" title="" src="graemlins/square.gif" /> Ripley, Kaze & Brendan

[Mutzie's Mom]

Thanks for the Tweenie definition. Mutzie's average weight was 14 pounds. She wasn't that long. Was she still a tweenie or was she just overweight?! <img border="0" alt="[heart]" title="" src="graemlins/heart.gif" /> Now, Shepard is so long, but he's very thin. I don't think he'll ever be over 10 pounds, but he's much longer than Mutzie ever was. I finally found a dachsie who doesn't like people food! All he wants to do is play.

I love those Tweenies!
Sherry

[Tina]

Here in Europe we have lots and lots of tweenies, but they fit well in Continental European measures for standards, only the upper weight limit is critical and dogs weighing 22 lbs or more should not get a certificate in dog-shows. All under that limit are the right size as long as their ribcage circumference is over 35 cms. I have two "tweenies" Little Princess who is smooth-haired and Sanchez who is wire-haired. <img border="0" alt="[hapfac01]" title="" src="graemlins/hapfac01.gif" />