What Are the Three Coat Varieties for Dachshunds?

The dachshund is known for its short legs and long back. The dog was bred this way, in Germany, to flush badgers out of their burrows and fight them to the death. The dachshund is recognized in the standard and miniature sizes. The miniature is a grown dog 11 pounds or under, while the standard weighs between 16 and 32 pounds. There are three dachshund coat varieties: smooth-haired, long-haired and wire-haired.

  1. Long-Haired Dachshund

    • A dachshund's long back makes it subject to spinal problems.

      The coat of a long-haired dachshund should be silky and glossy, with feathering on the legs and tail. The hair should be a little longer under the neck, on the chest, belly, ears and behind the legs. The coat shouldn't be too profuse, have equally long hair everywhere, be curly or have a parting on the back. The hair on the tail should be the longest on the body and form a flag. The long-haired dachshund can come in many colors, but the nails and nose should be black.

    Smooth-Haired Dachshund

    • Dachshunds live 12-15 years.

      The coat of the smooth-haired dachshund should be glossy and held close to the body. It shouldn't be too long or thick. A brushy or hairless tail is considered a fault. The dachshund's coat can be any color. A patch of white on the chest is considered a fault unless the dog is a dapple, which means a dark base color with lighter colored areas. The nose and nails of the dog must be black.

    Wire-Haired Dachshund

    • The dachshund is friendly but can be headstrong.

      The outer coat of a wire-haired dachshund should be harsh, uniform, tight and short, with a softer and shorter undercoat. There should be no soft hair on the outer coat at all, especially on the top of the head. The hair also shouldn't be "wild," wavy, curly or sticking out. The dog should have a beard and eyebrows, and the hair on the ears should be almost smooth. The tail should be robust and taper to a point, and shouldn't have a flag. All colors are permissible but the most often seen is wild boar, which gives the coat a nice grizzled effect. The nose, nails and eye rims should be black.

    Care and Grooming

    • The wire-haired dachshund should have a professional trimming twice a year. The smooth haired dachshund should have regular brushing and combing, and then a rubdown with a damp cloth. The long haired dachshund should be combed and brushed every day.