Dachshund Grooming

The Dachshund--also called the Doxie, the Wiener Dog, the Earth Dog, the Bassotto, or the Teckel, among others--has three coat varieties: Smooth (short), Wire-Haired (medium-length and stiff), or Long-Haired (long and flowing). Depending on the coat type, overall Dachshund grooming can range from moderate to frequent.

Here you'll find all sorts of details on caring for the Dachshund coat, including plenty of info on brushing and bathing, and how to hand-strip a Wire-Haired Dachshund's coat. You'll also find out how to maintain these dogs' teeth, ears, and paws, and you can learn about several Long-Haired Dachshund haircut styles.

Get answers to all your questions about Dachshund grooming in the following sections!

Dachshund grooming--Long hair, Wire hair, or Smooth--isn't too time-consuming overall. Of course, each coat variety has slightly different coat maintenance needs:

• Smooth: Smoothhaired Dachshunds need the least amount of coat care. They generally need brushing only once or twice per week with a bristle brush or grooming glove. Shedding for this coat type is moderate year-round. Haircuts aren't required at all.
• Wire-Haired: Grooming a wirehaired Dachshund takes some additional steps. Wire-Hairs need to be brushed 2-3 times per week with a slicker brush; shedding is seasonal, meaning they'll shed more heavily in the spring and fall. Haircuts aren't necessary, but Wire-Hairs need their coats stripped every 3-4 months.
• Long-Haired: Grooming a longhaired Dachshund requires the most work. They'll need to be brushed and combed 3-4 times per week with a pin brush and greyhound comb. Shedding is also seasonal; with their long, flowing coats, numerous hairstyles are possible.

Baths for all three coat types are only necessary every three months or so--unless, of course, your Doxie gets especially dirty or stinky!

And while it's possible for owners to learn all Dachshund grooming needs themselves, it's a good idea--regardless of your Doxie's coat variety--to take the dog to a professional groomer at least once.The groomer can give the dog a nice makeover, and provide tips on how to groom a Long-Haired Dachshund at home.

Caring for these little dogs' coats will also require the use of some Dachshund grooming tools: depending on coat type, a bristle brush or grooming glove, a slicker brush, or a pin brush and greyhound comb are musts. Owners will also need canine shampoo. With some coat types, additional optional tools are a stripping knife, clippers, canine conditioner, and a hair dryer.

Dachshund brushing needs to happen once weekly for Smooths, 2-3 times weekly for Wire-Hairs, and 3-4 times weekly (if not daily) for Long-Hairs. Wire-Hairs and Long-Hairs will also shed more heavily during the spring and fall shedding seasons, so daily brushing will be needed then.

The best brush for a longhaired Dachshund is a pin brush; the best brush for a Wirehaired Dachshund, a slicker brush; and for a Smooth, a bristle brush or grooming glove. Owners of Wire-Hairs and Long-Hairs will also need a greyhound comb.

How to brush a Dachshund: before your Dachshund brush, wet the coat with water mist from a spray bottle. Then for all coat types, go though the coat section by section with the brush or glove, moving in the direction of hair growth. If you encounter a mat or tangle (on Wire-Hairs and Long-Hairs), first try working through it with your fingers, then continue working it out with the comb.

For Long-Hairs, it's also useful to go through the longer hair on the chest, legs, and underbelly with the comb.

Hand-stripping a Wire-Haired Dachshund will need to happen every 3-4 months to keep the coats looking their best. Internationally, some refer to the practice as "stripping Bassotto" (Italy) or "stripping Teckel" (Germany), as these are the terms for the breed in those countries.

Hand-stripping a wire coat can be quite a time-consuming process, but it can be done at home with some practice. Some people like to use a stripping knife, as it's easier and faster--the problem is, using a knife can damage the coat. Hand-stripping using your fingers is the preferred method, and is described below.

To strip with your fingers: first give the coat a good brushing. Then pick a small section of hair, part it to the side with one hand, and use the thumb and forefinger of your other hand to grasp a tuft of hair near the roots. Tug gently on the tuft of hair; if any are dead, they'll come out easily. Discard the dead hairs in a bag or something similar, then move on to the next small section.

Go through the entire coat in this manner. It will take a while (up to an hour)--but your Doxie's coat will look fantastic! Finish with another quick brush-through to neaten the coat again.

Do Dachshunds smell? They can, especially if they're overdue for a bath! Dachshund bathing, regardless of coat type, will need to happen about every three months, unless the dog gets particularly dirty and an "emergency bath" is needed.

It's important when bathing a Dachshund to use canine shampoo (and for Long-Hairs, canine conditioner too). Shampoo made for humans has a different pH and will irritate a dog's skin. Higher-quality shampoos will be good for your Doxie's coat regardless of its type. The best shampoo for Dachshund dogs includes brands like Earthbath, Hartz Groomer's Best, and 4-Legger--many of which offer conditioner as well. Using these for your Dachshund shampoo will make your Dachshund smell extra clean and fresh.

How to bathe a Dachshund: prior to your Dachshund bath, give the dog a good brushing. Your Doxie might be small enough to bathe in the kitchen sink; otherwise, a bathtub (hopefully with a spray nozzle attachment) or an outdoor plastic pool using a garden hose will be fine. Wet the coat thoroughly, then apply a small portion of Earth Dog shampoo to the dog's back. Lather well, working downward and outward as you go. (And don't forget the legs, underbelly, and tail!) Clean the dog's face and head with a washcloth, then rinse the coat completely. For Long-Hairs, repeat the entire process with conditioner.

Next use one of your Dachshund bath towels to dry the dog. (With long-haired coats, you can continue with a hair dryer on its lowest heat setting, brushing the coat out as you dry.) Finish by giving the coat another quick brush-through to make it look clean and neat.

Bath-time is also a good opportunity for cleaning Dachshunds' ears. For details on how to clean Dachshund ears, see the Other Care section below.

Smooth Dachshunds' coats are too short for any hairstyle other than natural. And Wire-Haired Dachshunds, while they can be clipped, look their best if the coats are hand-stripped every few months (see Plucking & Stripping above).

With their flowing coats, though, numerous Long-Haired Dachshund haircut styles are possible. From the short, low-maintenance shaved Dachshund, to longer "old-style" Dachshund 'dos, to artistic styles (a lion mane for a Dachshund, anyone?), groomers are capable of sculpting lots of Long-Haired Dachshund grooming styles. A few of the most popular:

• Puppy Cut: The Dachshund puppy cut makes the coat low-maintenance--though most of that beautiful coat is removed. The coat is clipped short (to 1-2 inches) all over. Some like to leave the hair on the ears, chest, underbelly, and legs a bit longer. Can be done at home with some practice.
• Show Cut: This cut leaves the coat mostly at full length, and is obviously the style preferred by people who show their dogs. The hair is simply trimmed and evened out over the entire coat; some groomers like to use thinning shears on the thick hair on the chest, underbelly, and legs to make it flow better. Best done by a groomer.
• Lion Cut: This intricate style makes your Doxie resemble a tiny King of the Jungle. The hair on the head, neck, chest, front torso, and front legs is left at full length, while the rear torso, rear legs, and tail is clipped short. A hair "pom" is often sculpted at the end of the tail. Definitely needs a professional groomer.
• 3-Layer: Also called a 3-Stack, this creative style sees the hair on the head, neck, and chest cut to a horizontal line about shoulder length; the hair on the body and underbelly is cut to a line 3-4 inches from the ground; and the leg hair is cut to a line just above the ground. The overall look gives the impression of three distinct levels, or "layers." Must be done by a groomer.

Your Dachshund will also need its paws maintained on a regular basis.

• Nails: If Dachshund nails click on hard surfaces, it's time for a trim. How to cut Dachshund nails: use standard clippers for trimming Dachshund nails as close to the toes as possible. Take care not to cut into the nail's quick (the blood vessel running through it), though, as doing so can make the nail bleed and be painful. (BONUS: Creative-minded owners can leave the nails a bit longer, and add some fabulous Dachshund nail art or Dachshund nail decals!)
• Toe Hair: If the hair between your Doxie's toes gets too long, it'll collect dirt and debris and even get infected. Use scissors to trim the hair short if needed.
• Paw Pads: Your Doxie's paw pads can become dry and cracked, especially if the dog walks a lot on hot asphalt or snow and ice. Apply canine paw pad moisturizer to the dog's pads weekly, to keep them soft, moist, and healthy.

Your Doxie will need further care in these areas:

TEETH:
How many teeth does a Dachshund have? Like other breeds, adults have 42 teeth (compared with 32 for humans). And if you've ever wondered, "Why do Dachshunds have bad breath?" it's because, like humans, the Dachshund bad breath is caused by not brushing their teeth! Owners need to brush Dachshund teeth 2-3 times per week with a regular toothbrush--but be sure to use canine toothpaste (available at pet stores or online), as the kind made for humans can make dogs sick if they swallow it. Regular brushing will leave Dachshund breath smelling fresh and clean.

EARS:
If Dachshund ears aren't cleaned periodically, they can collect dirt, grass, and other debris--which could lead to infections and even hearing loss. Cleaning a Dachshund's ears will need to happen monthly, using canine ear cleaning solution. Be sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions, but the usual process is to squirt some solution into the ear canal, close the ear flap, and massage the ear for a few seconds to work in the liquid. The dog will probably shake its head vigorously--this is normal--then you can use a cotton ball (never a Q-Tip!) to wipe out any remaining solution.