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Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Registrant Name dei_EntityRegistrantName Dunham Funds
Prospectus Date rr_ProspectusDate Feb. 28, 2020
Dunham Monthly Distribution Fund  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Risk/Return [Heading] rr_RiskReturnHeading Dunham Monthly Distribution Fund
Objective [Heading] rr_ObjectiveHeading Investment Objective:
Objective, Primary [Text Block] rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

The Fund seeks to provide positive returns in rising and falling market environments.
Expense [Heading] rr_ExpenseHeading Fees and Expenses of the Fund:
Expense Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts on purchases of Class A shares if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in the Fund. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in How to Purchase Shares on page 89 of the Fund's Prospectus and in How to Buy and Sell Shares on page 88 of the Fund's Statement of Additional Information.
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text] rr_ShareholderFeesCaption Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
Operating Expenses Caption [Text] rr_OperatingExpensesCaption Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Portfolio Turnover [Heading] rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading Portfolio Turnover:
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block] rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 496% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate 496.00%
Expense Breakpoint Discounts [Text] rr_ExpenseBreakpointDiscounts You may qualify for sales charge discounts on purchases of Class A shares if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in the Fund.
Expense Breakpoint, Minimum Investment Required [Amount] rr_ExpenseBreakpointMinimumInvestmentRequiredAmount $ 50,000
Expense Example [Heading] rr_ExpenseExampleHeading Example:
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based upon these assumptions your costs would be:
Strategy [Heading] rr_StrategyHeading Principal Investment Strategies:
Strategy Narrative [Text Block] rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

The Sub-Adviser seeks to achieve attractive absolute returns across a diversified set of equities while actively managing risk to preserve capital, minimize volatility, and maintain liquidity. The Sub-Adviser generally seeks to accomplish this objective by investing in equities (including common stock, initial public offerings (“IPOs”) and other new issues) and equity-related securities (including preferred stock, options and warrants) across a diversified range of industries. The Sub-Adviser may also invest in cash and cash equivalents.

The Sub-Adviser invests in both 1) select long and short equity opportunities (“Long/Short”) and 2) event-driven opportunities with a hard catalyst (“Event-Driven”). The Sub-Adviser believes there are significant knowledge synergies (e.g., sector expertise that helps in understanding and analyzing the Event-Driven opportunities and risks, superior entry/exit levels based on flows) between the two strategies, and maintains a flexible investment mandate across such strategies in order to take advantage of opportunities presented in the market.

Long/Short: The Sub-Adviser invests in highly liquid stocks, predominantly from the Russell 1000® Index universe (large and mid-cap stocks). For the most recent annual reconstitution published as of June 2019, the market capitalization range of companies in the Russell 1000® Index was approximately $1.03 billion to $1.04 trillion, which range will vary daily. Security selection and its weighting in the Fund is determined via an approach that takes into account expected return and the market-related risk of the stock, liquidity, conviction, and the macro picture while using short equity positions on individual stocks or short positions in exchange traded funds (“ETFs”) to maintain an overall low exposure to broad market movements.

Event-Driven: The Sub-Adviser invests in companies undergoing significant corporate events such as mergers and/or acquisitions (“M&A”), tender offers, Dutch auctions, recapitalizations, restructuring and divestitures. Additionally, the Sub-Adviser may participate in index reweights.

The number of positions and their size will depend on each position’s estimated risk adjusted expected return, and the nature of the event (e.g., the number of announced M&A deals, the size and breadth of an index reweight). The overall allocation of the Event-Driven portfolio will also be a function of the opportunity set for the strategy.

The Fund's distribution policy is to make twelve monthly distributions to shareholders. The level of monthly distributions (including any return of capital) is not fixed but is expected to be at or near the level of the prime interest rate ("Prime Rate"). Additionally, the Fund's distribution policy is not designed to generate, and is not expected to result in, distributions that equal a fixed percentage of the Fund's current net asset value per share. Shareholders receiving periodic payments from the Fund may be under the impression that they are receiving net profits. However, all or a portion of a distribution may consist of a return of capital. Shareholders should not assume that the source of a distribution from the Fund is net profit. For more information about the Fund's distribution policy, please turn to "Distribution Policy and Goals" section in the Fund's Prospectus.
Risk [Heading] rr_RiskHeading Principal Investment Risks:
Risk Narrative [Text Block] rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

As with all mutual funds, there is the risk that you could lose money through your investment in the Fund. Although the Fund will strive to meet its investment objective, there is no assurance that it will do so. Many factors affect the Fund's net asset value and performance.

Short Selling Risk – If the price of the security sold short increases between the time of the short sale and the time the Fund covers its short position, the Fund will incur a loss which may be unlimited. Also, the Fund is required to deposit collateral in connection with such short sales and may have to pay a fee to borrow particular securities.

Derivatives Risk – Financial derivatives, such as options, may not produce the desired investment results because they and are not perfect substitutes for the underlying securities, indices or currencies from which they are derived. Derivatives may also create leverage which will amplify the effect on the Fund, which may produce significant losses.

Leveraging Risk – Using derivatives can create leverage, which can magnify the Fund’s potential for gain or loss and, therefore, amplify the effects of market volatility on the Fund’s share price. The use of leverage, such as borrowing money to purchase securities, engaging in reverse repurchase agreements, lending portfolio securities and engaging in forward commitment transactions, will magnify the Fund’s gains or losses.

Options Risk – The Fund may use options to enhance return and or mitigate risk. However, options can fall rapidly in response to developments in specific companies or industries and the Fund’s investments may be negatively impacted by unexpected market conditions.

Merger and Event-Driven Risk – Investments in companies that are expected to be, or already are, the subject of a publicly announced merger, takeover, tender offer, leveraged buyout, spin-off, liquidation or other corporate reorganizations carry the risk that the proposed or expected corporate event may not be completed or may be completed on less favorable terms than originally expected.

Liquidity Risk – Some securities may have few market-makers and low trading volume, which tend to increase transaction costs and may make it impossible for the Fund to dispose of a security position at all or at a price which represents current or fair market value.

Portfolio Turnover Risk – A higher portfolio turnover will result in higher transactional and brokerage costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account.

Money Market/Short-Term Securities Risk – To the extent the Fund holds cash or invests in money market or short-term securities, the Fund may be less likely to achieve its investment objective. In addition, it is possible that the Fund's investments in these instruments could lose money.

Small and Medium Capitalization Risk – The Fund’s investments in smaller and medium-sized companies carry more risks than investments in larger companies. Companies with small and medium size market capitalization often have narrower markets, fewer products or services to offer and more limited managerial and financial resources than do larger, more established companies. Investing in lesser-known, small and medium capitalization companies involves greater risk of volatility of the Fund’s net asset value than is customarily associated with larger, more established companies. Often smaller and medium capitalization companies and the industries in which they are focused are still evolving and, while this may offer better growth potential than larger, more established companies, it also may make them more sensitive to changing market conditions.

IPO Risk – The Fund invests in IPOs at the time of the initial offering and in post-IPO trading. The stocks of such companies are unseasoned equities lacking a trading history, a track record of reporting to investors and widely available research coverage. IPOs are thus often subject to extreme price volatility and speculative trading. These stocks may have above-average price appreciation in connection with the initial public offering prior to inclusion in the Fund. The price of stocks included in the Fund may not continue to appreciate. In addition, IPOs share similar illiquidity risks of private equity and venture capital. The free float shares held by the public in an IPO are typically a small percentage of the market capitalization. The ownership of many IPOs often include large holdings by venture capital and private equity investors who seek to sell their shares in the public market in the months following an IPO when shares restricted by lock-up are released, causing greater volatility and possible downward pressure during the time that locked-up shares are released.

ETF Risk – ETFs are subject to investment advisory and other expenses, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund. As a result, the cost of investing in the Fund will be higher than the cost of investing directly in ETFs and may be higher than other mutual funds that invest exclusively in common stocks. The ETFs in which the Fund invests will not be able to replicate exactly the performance of the indices they track and the market value of ETF shares may differ from their net asset value.

ETFs are subject to specific risks, depending on the nature of the fund. For instance, investing in inverse ETFs is similar to holding various short positions, or using a combination of advanced investment strategies to profit from falling prices. When the value of ETFs held by the Fund decline, the value of your investment in the Fund declines.

Distribution Policy Risk – The Fund’s distribution policy is not designed to generate, and is not expected to result in, distributions that equal a fixed percentage of the Fund’s current net asset value per share. Shareholders receiving periodic payments from the Fund may be under the impression that they are receiving net profits. However, all or a portion of a distribution may consist of a return of capital (i.e., from your original investment). Shareholders should not assume that the source of a distribution from the Fund is net profit. Shareholders should note that return of capital will reduce the tax basis of their shares and potentially increase the taxable gain, if any, upon disposition of their shares.

Stock Market Risk – Stock markets can be volatile. In other words, the prices of stocks can fall rapidly in response to developments affecting a specific company or industry, or to changing economic, political or market conditions. The Fund’s investments may decline in value if the stock markets perform poorly.

Securities Lending Risk – The risk of securities lending is that the financial institution that borrows securities from the Fund could go bankrupt or otherwise default on its commitment under the securities lending agreement and the Fund might not be able to recover the loaned securities or their value.
Risk Lose Money [Text] rr_RiskLoseMoney As with all mutual funds, there is the risk that you could lose money through your investment in the Fund.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading] rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading Performance:
Performance Narrative [Text Block] rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The following bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of Class N Shares of the Fund from year to year and by showing how the Fund's average annual returns compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. The sales charge is reflected in the average annual total return table. Past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how a Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at no cost by visiting www.dunham.com or by calling toll free (888) 3DUNHAM (338-6426).
Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text] rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns The following bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of Class N Shares of the Fund from year to year and by showing how the Fund's average annual returns compare with those of a broad measure of market performance.
Performance Availability Phone [Text] rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone (888) 3DUNHAM (338-6426)
Performance Availability Website Address [Text] rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress www.dunham.com
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text] rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture Past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how a Fund will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading] rr_BarChartHeading Class N Shares Annual Total Return for Years Ended December 31
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block] rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock

During the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a quarter was 5.19% (quarter ended September 30, 2010) and the lowest return for a quarter was -6.10% (quarter ended September 30, 2011).
Performance Table Heading rr_PerformanceTableHeading AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURN For the periods ended December 31, 2019
Performance Table Does Reflect Sales Loads rr_PerformanceTableDoesReflectSalesLoads The sales charge is reflected in the average annual total return table.
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate After-tax returns are estimated, and are based on the highest historical individual federal marginal income tax rates, and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes; actual after-tax returns depend on an individual investor's tax situation and are likely to differ from those shown.
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred If you own shares of the Fund in a tax-deferred account, such as an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan, this information is not applicable to your investment, because such accounts are only subject to taxes upon distribution.
Performance Table One Class of after Tax Shown [Text] rr_PerformanceTableOneClassOfAfterTaxShown After tax returns for Class C and Class A shares, which are not shown, will vary from those of Class N shares.
Performance Table Narrative rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock

After-tax returns are estimated, and are based on the highest historical individual federal marginal income tax rates, and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes; actual after-tax returns depend on an individual investor's tax situation and are likely to differ from those shown. If you own shares of the Fund in a tax-deferred account, such as an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan, this information is not applicable to your investment, because such accounts are only subject to taxes upon distribution. After tax returns for Class C and Class A shares, which are not shown, will vary from those of Class N shares.
Dunham Monthly Distribution Fund | IQ Hedge Market Neutral Total Return Index  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Index No Deduction for Fees, Expenses, Taxes [Text] rr_IndexNoDeductionForFeesExpensesTaxes (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel IQ Hedge Market Neutral Total Return Index
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 8.53% [1]
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 2.62% [1]
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 2.87% [1]
Dunham Monthly Distribution Fund | Morningstar Multialternative Category  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel Morningstar Multialternative Category (return before taxes)
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 7.58% [1],[2]
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 1.50% [1],[2]
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 2.87% [1],[2]
Dunham Monthly Distribution Fund | Class A  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a % of offering price) rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice 5.75%
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a % of the original purchase price for purchases of $1 million or more) rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice 0.75%
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends and other Distributions rr_MaximumSalesChargeOnReinvestedDividendsAndDistributionsOverOther none
Redemption Fee rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption none
Exchange Fee rr_ExchangeFeeOverRedemption none
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 1.15% [3]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets 0.25%
Dividend Expense on Securities Sold Short rr_Component1OtherExpensesOverAssets 1.24%
Remaining Other Expenses rr_Component2OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.23%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets 0.05% [4]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 2.92%
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 853
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 1,427
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 2,024
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 $ 3,631
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel return before taxes
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (1.36%) [1]
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 0.57% [1]
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 2.93% [1]
Dunham Monthly Distribution Fund | Class C  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a % of offering price) rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a % of the original purchase price for purchases of $1 million or more) rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice none
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends and other Distributions rr_MaximumSalesChargeOnReinvestedDividendsAndDistributionsOverOther none
Redemption Fee rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption none
Exchange Fee rr_ExchangeFeeOverRedemption none
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 1.15% [3]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets 1.00%
Dividend Expense on Securities Sold Short rr_Component1OtherExpensesOverAssets 1.24%
Remaining Other Expenses rr_Component2OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.23%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets 0.05% [4]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 3.67%
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 369
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 1,123
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 1,897
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 $ 3,924
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel return before taxes
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 3.90% [1]
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 1.01% [1]
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 2.79% [1]
Dunham Monthly Distribution Fund | Class N  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a % of offering price) rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a % of the original purchase price for purchases of $1 million or more) rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice none
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends and other Distributions rr_MaximumSalesChargeOnReinvestedDividendsAndDistributionsOverOther none
Redemption Fee rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption none
Exchange Fee rr_ExchangeFeeOverRedemption none
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 1.15% [3]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets none
Dividend Expense on Securities Sold Short rr_Component1OtherExpensesOverAssets 1.24%
Remaining Other Expenses rr_Component2OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.23%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets 0.05% [4]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 2.67%
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 270
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 829
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 1,415
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 $ 3,003
Annual Return 2010 rr_AnnualReturn2010 9.85%
Annual Return 2011 rr_AnnualReturn2011 0.13%
Annual Return 2012 rr_AnnualReturn2012 9.98%
Annual Return 2013 rr_AnnualReturn2013 4.99%
Annual Return 2014 rr_AnnualReturn2014 3.65%
Annual Return 2015 rr_AnnualReturn2015 (2.94%)
Annual Return 2016 rr_AnnualReturn2016 4.42%
Annual Return 2017 rr_AnnualReturn2017 4.35%
Annual Return 2018 rr_AnnualReturn2018 (0.38%)
Annual Return 2019 rr_AnnualReturn2019 4.93%
Highest Quarterly Return, Label rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel the highest return
Highest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate Sep. 30, 2010
Highest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn 5.19%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel the lowest return
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate Sep. 30, 2011
Lowest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn 6.10%
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel return before taxes
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 4.93% [1]
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 2.03% [1]
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 3.83% [1]
Dunham Monthly Distribution Fund | Class N | return after taxes on distributions  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel return after taxes on distributions                              
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 4.52% [1]
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 0.96% [1]
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 2.72% [1]
Dunham Monthly Distribution Fund | Class N | return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 3.03% [1]
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 1.27% [1]
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 2.68% [1]
[1] On April 1, 2017, the Fund's principal investment strategy was materially changed. Therefore, the Fund's performance prior to that date may have been different had the current principal investment strategy been in place.
[2] The Morningstar Multialternative Category is generally representative of mutual funds with static allocations to alternative strategies and mutual funds that tactically allocate among alternative strategies and asset classes. The gross short exposure in these mutual funds is generally greater than 20%.
[3] The Sub-Advisory Fee is a fulcrum fee with a base or fulcrum of 60 bps (0.60%) and can range from 0.22% to 0.98%, based on the Fund’s performance relative to the IQ Hedge Market Neutral Total Return Index, the Fund’s benchmark.
[4] Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses are the indirect costs of investing in other investment companies. The operating expenses in this fee table may not correlate to the expense ratio in the Fund's financial highlights because the financial statements include only the direct operating expenses incurred by the Fund, not the indirect costs of investing in other investment companies.