How AZ Doxies Uses Science and Testing to Support Healthier Backs
At AZ Doxies, we are dedicated to producing dachshunds that are not only beautiful and true to type, but also bred with health in mind. One of the most serious conditions in the breed is Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD). To address this, we combine our own breeding philosophy with knowledge from worldwide research, including disc calcification screening, CDDY genetic testing, and international studies.
IVDD occurs when the discs between the vertebrae degenerate and rupture. In dachshunds, this can happen earlier and more often than in other breeds, causing pain or even paralysis.
No breeder can promise a dachshund will never develop IVDD. But with careful breeding, research-driven screening, and responsible ownership, the odds can be improved significantly.
0 calcified discs – excellent spine health, very desirable for breeding.
1–2 discs – low risk, acceptable for breeding.
3–4 discs – moderate risk, breed cautiously.
5+ discs – high risk, not recommended for breeding.
This scoring approach has been successfully used in Scandinavian breeding programs for decades, where selecting dogs with fewer calcifications has helped reduce IVDD rates in the population over time.
Demonstrate that calcification is heritable and that breeding from dogs with fewer calcifications reduces IVDD risk across generations.
Confirmed that x-rays, when performed under standard protocols, are a reliable, repeatable method for identifying calcifications — practical enough for large-scale breeder use.
We don’t base our program solely on any single study or system, but these findings support what we already practice: using disc scoring to guide smarter breeding choices.
CDDY (chondrodystrophy) is a genetic change found in almost every dachshund. It’s what gives the breed its unique short legs and long back. But CDDY also accelerates disc degeneration and increases IVDD risk.
CDDY shortens the legs and makes the back appear longer, adding spinal stress.
Without CDDY, dachshunds wouldn’t look like dachshunds. With it, we must be mindful of IVDD risk.
Although nearly all dachshunds carry CDDY, testing confirms results, supports research, and allows us to explain risks clearly to our families.
Where CDDY tells us about a dog’s genetic predisposition, disc x-rays tell us what’s happening in the real world. Together, they give the clearest picture of IVDD risk.
Sullivan’s work at Auburn University shows how calcification counts correlate with CDDY genotype. Dogs with fewer calcifications and fewer copies of CDDY show lower lifetime risk.
Our approach: We use CDDY results alongside calcification scores, temperament, structure, and OFA health clearances before deciding whether a dog should be bred.
When you choose an AZ Doxies puppy, you can trust that:
The parents have been genetically tested for CDDY.
Their spines were x-rayed at 24–48 months, scored for calcifications, and only low-score dogs are bred forward.
Our program is informed by international research but tailored to the needs of our lines and families.
You will receive guidance on how to keep your dachshund’s back healthy at home — keeping them lean, using ramps, avoiding high jumps, and building safe strength.
We don’t follow trends; we follow evidence. By referencing global research while applying our own thoughtful selection, we are working to lower IVDD risk, preserve dachshund type, and give families the healthiest puppies we can.
Our philosophy is simple: responsibility, transparency, and balance. Science supports our choices, but the heart of our program is a lifelong love for dachshunds and their future.
