The Proper Haircut for a Long-Haired Dachshund

The dachshund breed has three main coat types: long-haired, wire-haired and smooth-coat. The long-haired dachshund is the most high-maintenance of the three; he needs daily grooming. Luckily, trimming requirements for each, even the long-haired, are minimal. How much hair you take off is based on personal preference, as with any long-haired breed.

The long-haired dachshund has a fine outer coat and a short, fluffy undercoat that require daily brushing. Start brushing him at the nape of his neck with a pin brush with no balls on the ends. Continue down his back and along his sides. Pay close attention to the long, fine hair that grows on the dachshund’s legs and sides. Debris tends to accumulate in this area since it is closest to the ground.

Since the long-haired dachshund tends to roll in anything stinky, picking up debris in his long hair, a good bath about once a month helps keep him smelling fresh. Pick a natural shampoo that will not strip his coat, like an aloe or oatmeal shampoo. Wet his entire coat and add a line of shampoo down his back. Massage, don’t rub, the shampoo into the outer coat and undercoat. Rinse your dog with warm water until it runs clear. Add a spray-on conditioner to his coat and blow-dry it with the dryer on the lowest setting. Brush his coat in small sections with your pin brush while drying him until both coats are completely dried.

One plus side to owning the long-haired dachshund is that this breed requires minimal trimming. The coat grows in a natural pattern that provides the proper haircut. Simply comb the hair straight down and trim the ends around his sides and on his chest with a pair of scissors. Hold the scissors at a downward angle and remove about a half-inch from the long hair on the legs and around each foot. Turn each foot over and trim the long hair between his paws. Have a professional groomer trim the hair around his genitals and his ears. Also, get the groomer to clip his toenails, and ask for toenail-trim training, if you want: Since the long-haired dachshund’s nails grow quickly, you may have to take him every other week to have them trimmed.

Use hair clips and section off the long hair when brushing to help reach the undercoat. Run a comb over your four-legged friend’s coat after brushing it to check for any remaining mats and stimulate blood flow. Place cotton balls in your dachshund’s ears before bathing him to keep water out, since the long-haired dachshund is prone to ear infections. Only wash your dachshund once or twice a month. Washing too often removes the natural oils on the dachshund’s skin and may cause it to dry out.