How to Shave a Black & Tan Dachshund

Dachshunds come with three types of coats: short-haired, wire-haired and long-haired varieties of both standard and toy breeds. Short-haired dachshunds require little grooming to maintain the coat, but owners of long-haired and wire-haired varieties sometimes want to clip the dog's fur shorter in the summer or to reduce the amount of daily coat care. Professional groomers can be expensive. With the investment in a good set of clippers, a few other grooming tools and a little time, you can shave your dachshund's coat at home.

Things You'll Need

  • High-quality clippers
  • Clipper blades
  • Clipper lubricant
  • Metal dog comb
  • Dog brush
  • Curved dog grooming scissors
  • Dog shampoo
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Instructions

    • 1

      Remove all mats in the dog's coat. Use a comb to gently pull mats up and then slowly cut them off at the roots with curved dog grooming scissors. Be careful not to pull or cut the dog's skin. Remove all mats before bathing the dog; bathing a dirty, matted dog will only create more mats and make existing mats more difficult to remove.

    • 2

      Bathe the dog with dog shampoo. You can use flea shampoo if desired, but don't use flea dip on the dog before clipping; chemicals in the dip will ruin your clippers.

    • 3

      Dry the dog completely. Use a blow dryer or air-dry the dog completely before clipping.

    • 4

      Brush out the dog's entire coat.

    • 5

      Use professional grooming clippers. High-quality clippers are safer, work better and quicker and will last longer than cheaper models. Better quality clippers work faster and create less noise, friction and heat to make the job safer and more pleasant for you and your dog.

    • 6

      Choose a blade to trim the dog's body hair. There are lots of clipper blades available. Blade numbers indicate the length the hair will be after clipping; the higher the blade number, the shorter the hair. The No. 10 blade is the most common blade used for dachshunds and comes standard with most clippers. It will leave the dog's hair about 1/16 inch long. If you want the dog's hair left a little longer, a No. 5 blade is a good choice. It will leave the coat 1/4 inch long.

    • 7

      Turn clippers on and let the dog become familiar with the sound before beginning. If it's the dog's first time being clipped, it may be startled by the noise. Hold the clippers near the dog's head to adjust it to the sound. Lay the body of the clippers on the dog's body to familiarize it with the vibration.

    • 8

      Start clipping from behind the dog's ears and down the back. Move the clippers in the direction the hair grows, using long, smooth strokes. The blade should be flat against the dog. If clippers are held at an angle, it will irritate and possibly cut the dog's skin.

    • 9

      Have clipper lubricant handy. Clippers create fiction and heat. Lubricant needs to be applied regularly throughout the process to prevent burning the dog. Check the clipper blade regularly throughout the process to make sure it's not getting too hot. When the blade is hot to the touch, turn off clippers and apply lubricant to cool them before proceeding.

    • 10

      Continue the process over the dog's body. Roll the dog onto its back if you wish to trim the belly. Pay particular attention and go slow when clipping around the dog's genitals. Also be sure not to nick the dog's nipples.

    • 11

      Leave hair on the dachshund's ears, legs and tail long or use scissors if you want tail, ear and leg feathers trimmed shorter. Don't use clippers on ears, tail or backs of legs.

    • 12

      Brush out any loose hair that may remain stuck to the dog's coat.