Draw a Dachshund: Elongated Body and Drooping Ears

Object Drawing Lessons

This lesson teaches a side-profile dachshund drawing built on three defining shapes: an elongated torso, short leg tubes, and long drooping ears. You will use a simple convention: the torso length is measured from chest to rump, and leg height is measured from the ground to the belly line. Ear length is measured from the top of the head to the lowest ear tip. All numerical values here are hypothetical examples for practice, not standards. Draw lightly, check proportions with a ruler or marked strip of paper, then refine outlines.

Practice materials: Printable downloads are not available for this lesson yet. Use the instructions and four exercises below.

Reference illustration

Use the stated measurements and conventions for each exercise.

Set the proportion convention

Use one unit for all measurements. A convenient hypothetical example is a torso length of 8 units, leg height of 2 units, and ear length of 3 units. These are chosen values for practice, not breed standards. The key relationship is that the torso is much longer than the leg height, and the ears hang well below the jaw line.

Measure the actual paper or drawing space you have. If your paper is 20 cm wide, choose a torso length that fits with room for the head and tail. For example, a 10 cm torso, 2.5 cm legs, and 3.5 cm ears would fit a 20 cm wide sheet with margins. Label your chosen values as hypothetical examples on your practice sheet.

1. Draw a horizontal belly line and mark chest and rump points.
2. Measure torso length between those points and record it.
3. Measure leg height from the ground line to the belly line.
4. Measure ear length from the top of the head to the lowest ear tip.
5. Compare the three measurements and adjust before adding detail.

Build the elongated torso and short legs

Start with a long rounded rectangle for the torso. The top line is the back; the bottom line is the belly. Keep the back gently curved, not perfectly straight. The chest end is slightly deeper than the rump end. This gives the dachshund its characteristic long, low body.

Add four short leg tubes. In side profile, show two front legs and two back legs, with the far legs slightly offset or partially hidden. Each leg is a narrow tube from the belly line to the ground line. Keep leg height short relative to torso length. Paws are small rounded shapes at the ground line.

1. Draw the torso as a long rounded shape with a gentle back curve.
2. Mark the belly line and ground line.
3. Draw near front leg and near back leg as short tubes.
4. Add far legs with slight offset to show depth.
5. Check that leg height is much shorter than torso length.

Shape the head and long drooping ears

The head is a rounded wedge at the chest end of the torso. The muzzle is moderately long and slightly tapered. Place the eye above the muzzle line. The ear starts near the top of the head and hangs down in a long, soft curve. Ear length should reach below the jaw and often toward the chest.

Draw the near ear as a long drooping shape with a gentle fold. The far ear can be partially visible behind the head. Keep the ear width moderate; the length is the defining feature. Avoid pointed or upright ears, which would suggest a different breed.

1. Draw a rounded wedge for the head at the chest end.
2. Add a tapered muzzle and place the eye above it.
3. Draw the near ear from the top of the head, curving down past the jaw.
4. Add the far ear partially behind the head.
5. Check ear length against your recorded measurement.

Refine, check, and finish

Refine outlines by smoothing the torso, legs, and ears. Keep the body low and long. Add a tail that follows the back line and tapers. A simple collar or ground line can help show scale, but keep details minimal so proportions remain clear.

Use a check method: measure torso length, leg height, and ear length on your drawing with the same unit. Compare ratios. For the hypothetical example, torso should be about four times leg height and ear length about one and a half times leg height. Adjust any shape that breaks these relationships.

1. Smooth outlines and erase construction marks.
2. Add tail and minimal details.
3. Re-measure torso, legs, and ears with the same unit.
4. Compare ratios and adjust as needed.
5. Label your chosen hypothetical values on the practice sheet.

Worked example

A practice sheet uses a hypothetical torso length of 12 cm, leg height of 3 cm, and ear length of 4.5 cm. Check the ratios and state whether the drawing follows the convention.

Four practice exercises

Common mistakes

• Making the torso too short, so the dog looks like a generic dog. Re-measure torso length and extend it until it is clearly much longer than leg height.
• Drawing legs too long, which raises the body and loses the low profile. Shorten leg tubes so leg height is a small fraction of torso length.
• Drawing ears too short or upright. Lengthen the ear curve so it hangs below the jaw, and keep the ear soft and drooping.
• Using different units for torso, legs, and ears. Choose one unit and measure all three features with it before comparing.

Self-check rubric

• Torso length is clearly much greater than leg height, using one consistent unit.
• Legs are short tubes from belly line to ground line, with far legs offset or partially hidden.
• Ears are long and drooping, measured from head top to lowest tip, reaching below the jaw.
• Head is a rounded wedge with a tapered muzzle and eye above the muzzle line.
• Outline is smooth and construction marks are removed.
• Chosen numerical values are labeled as hypothetical examples, not standards.
• Valid alternatives in ear width, fold, tail shape, and minor outline style are accepted if the length and droop convention is met.

Questions and answers