The long-haired Dachshund has a beautiful long silky coat, and there are three coat varieties with Dachshunds, and you will see all three coats in both the standard and miniature Dachshund.
The other two coats are wire-haired and smooth-haired. Dachshund fanciers have mooted the possibility that different coat varieties also produce different personalities.
Grooming Your Long-Haired Dachshund
Dachshunds are typically clean dogs to have around, that is, unless they get into the habit of digging. They are ferocious diggers if left alone in the garden or yard for long periods.
Assuming you keep your eye on your Dachshund, then they aren't what you would call high maintenance. The long-haired Dachshund will need more care and attention than a smooth or wire-haired Dachshund.
Even the standard size Dachshund isn't a big dog, so brushing your Dachshund down every day only takes ten minutes or so.
But brushing will remove dead hair and detangle and prevent mats from forming; it will also stop him shedding on your soft furnishings because you're bound to let him snuggle down on your couch.
Ensure you focus on the area around the ears and behind them because they are prone to get knots in that area, leading to painful hair mats that you can only get rid of by cutting them away.
Bathing your long-haired Dachshund isn't something you'll need to do frequently; once every couple of months will be fine unless you forget about the digging warning we mentioned earlier.
Long-Haired Dachshund Temperament
Your long-haired Dachshund will be independent, sometimes stubborn, always fearless, and pretty intelligent. Dachshunds were bred to tunnel down into a badger or fox's lair and prevent them from escaping so hunters could dig them out.
Which means they have a strong prey drive. Woe betide any squirrel that tries to make your garden his home base; your Dachshund will not have it, not at all.
While most Dachshunds are fine with children they have been brought up with, ensure you double-check the breeding lines before going ahead and bringing home a Dachshund. With the wrong background and breeding, they can be snappy around, particularly young children.
There are known personality differences between the different Dachshund coat varieties. Long-haired Dachshunds have a more mellow personality and get on better with children.
Smooth-haired are more stubborn and independent, and the wire-haired has a much more demanding type of personality.
Long-Haired Dachshund Health Issues
All dog breeds, without exception, can suffer from one form of hereditary health issue or another, the same for the long-haired Dachshund.
One significant health issue with Dachshunds is intervertebral disc disease (IVDD); they are upwards of twelve times more likely to suffer from this disease than other dogs.
Between the vertebrae on the dog's spine are discs of fibrous cartilage, and because IVDD is a degenerative disease, the discs can lose their elasticity and become rigid.
Eventually, the discs are no longer capable of acting as functioning cushions between the vertebrae.
One day the dog may jump down from a couch or something else, and the landing causes the disc to bulge or even burst into the spinal cord. This damage creates severe pain for the dog and can lead to nerve damage; it can even lead to paralysis.
Even though long-haired Dachshunds have a slightly lower chance of IVDD, you still need to be ultra-careful. Try not to let them jump down from heights that they cannot cope with, especially when they are puppies and are prone to be a little more reckless.
Another health concern with all varieties of Dachshunds is obesity. This breed is forever hungry and is always in search of food. They'll also eat practically anything they find.
I have known Dachshunds eat a whole box of chocolates and be so ill they cannot even move. The emergency room is the next step to get their stomach pumped.
Long Haired Dachshund Puppies
Healthy long-haired Dachshund puppies are not easy to find, and you will have to research long and hard. You'll see ads for puppies in many places, but I would urge you to avoid most of them.
Search for a reputable or recommended breeder from someone you trust. Of course, you should still check out the breeder yourself and ask for all relevant health certificates for the parents and grandparents of the puppies.
If the breeder will not or cannot supply the documents move on to another breeder.
Summary
Long-haired Dachshunds have the sweetest nature of all the Dachshund family, in my opinion. They will make a fantastic addition to your family, and you will have years of fun and loyalty.
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