The Dachshunds are a popular breed, stipulated as 3 coat varieties and divided again by 2 sizes making this a busy breed for judging. Europe has many more categories and indeed a whole group devoted to Dachshunds. The long haired coat is the one I receive the most questions about, but all have their needs and issues
Starting with THE LONG HAIRED DACHSHUND, the standard for Australia calls for a soft coat whereas the American does not mention it. Both however, do state the coat can be straight or slightly wavy and both stipulate that it ought to be shiny or glistening.
He is a lively, little fellow, built for work and his coat though soft is thick and should protect against the ravages of bushes and cold and heat. It also should be rainproof. This extraordinarily intelligent dog has a job to do so you have a job to do too – to ensure his coat is correct and he is able to get on with his job.
The outward overall appearance of the coat should not be too heavy but somewhat close lying with longer hair under the neck and underparts and behind legs and a tail forming a flag. It has been compared in coat appearance to somewhat like an Irish Setter.
THE SMOOTH HAIRED part of the standard calls for it to be short and smooth and only hair on underside, coarse in texture.
THE WIRE HAIRED requires short straight harsh coat with dense undercoat though hair on ears almost smooth.
FOR ALL 3 COAT VARIETIES – I have seen a number of this breed with a powdery dandruff (dander)/scurf. It takes away that glistening shiny appearance that is a breed characteristic especially for the Long Hair and the Smooth. I have had great results with Plush Puppy Sensitive Skin Shampoo which addresses itch, scurf, dandruff, psoriasis and/or sensitive skin. Naturally sourced and laced with Arnica, Lichen and other herbal extracts, it is gentle to the skin.
The Arnica addresses the redness and soreness, the Lichen sorts out the fungal problems such as dandruff and scurf and the herbs are for promotion of good new skin and coat. Use at 3:1 (3 parts water to one part shampoo) to start with till the problem abates and dilute further to a maximum of 10:1 for maintenance.
FOR THE LONGHAIRED COAT the ideal is for a soft coat and for those without dandruff/dander use Plush Puppy All Purpose Shampoo which is the range’s shine shampoo. Dilute 3:1 for show and up to 10:1 for maintenance. The question of conditioning is one that is decided on the present condition of the coat, so, if the coat you are working with is hard, then you will need to soften it with a softening agent such as Plush Puppy Silk Protein Conditioner which is acid balanced. Dilute at a ratio of (5:1) – some like to use the conditioner straight from the container without dilution but for ease of working with a dog’s coat and ensuring complete dispersion through the whole of the coat, I always dilute wet products. This way I don’t get too much in one area and not enough in another. I also usually have only one free hand when bathing a dog. The other is clutching its neck to stop it bouncing out of the bath! Mix everything prior to starting and have everything in closed neck squeeze bottles so when the dog throws a tantrum in the bath you don’t lose all your products. You can tell I have breed renegades!
FOR THE SMOOTH HAIRED DACHSHUND use Plush Puppy All Purpose Shampoo diluted 5:1 for maximum shine. No conditioner but do use Plush Puppy Seabreeze Oil diluted as below.
FOR THE WIRE HAIRED DACHSHUND dilute the shampoo dramatically. The less froth and bubbles, the less the coat will soften. I like to use a very low foaming shampoo on harsh coated breeds such as Plush Puppy Az Iz Shampoo with just a few squirts into a large bucket of warm water or a couple of squirts only into a hydrobath tank. If you see a lot of bubbles after adding this then you have put in too much – add more water! Lots of bubbles equate to static, soft coats and fly away hair.
No conditioner for this variety of coat either, and use Seabreeze Oil diluted as below. This will keep the coat in good healthy vigour without softening.
To harshen up the coat especially if too soft, once the coat has been oiled and dried, apply Plush Puppy Powder Puff Terrier by flicking a small amount onto the coat. I like to dip a brush into the tub of powder and give it a couple of taps on the inside of the tub and then flick through the coat, repeating as many times as needed. Believe me, if a wire coat is what you want, this is what you will get!!! You can when drying add Plush Puppy Ruffy Tuffy Coat Spray before drying for extra strength to the coat and still apply the Powder Puff Terrier too, once dried, if you wish.
FOR ALL 3 COAT VARIETIES – If your dog’s coat is perfect and well done if it is, then use the Plush Puppy Seabreeze Oil mixed at a ratio of 1 tbsn to 1 gal/4lt water. Use this mix all over the body and do not rinse out – it will keep the coat in waterproof type mode and help the moisture content plus give incredible shine. I like to use this for show day bath too but you may if you wish, dilute further depending on the thickness of the coat. For males, use the Seabreeze Oil between shows, undiluted, directly to the groin area to prevent breakage on the pee area featherings.
Seabreeze Oil is a good protector from the ravages of the yard. However, in summer use Plush Puppy Sunshade for any chocolates or dilution colours – wiping from the hand a good amount every second day to areas prone to sun bleaching. Dark reds in this breed will rarely sun bleach.
FOR THE LONG HAIRED COAT – Plush Puppy Revivacoat is a magical preventative for coat breakage on ears, featherings and fringing. Great leave in moisturiser and never makes the coat greasy. Apply direct or diluted – if diluting, use 1 golfball amount to 1 cup water and spray on. Do this daily.
When the coat is dropping and it is decision time on whether to show or not to show, use Plush Puppy Volumising Cream. Dilute 1 tbspn to 1 cup water and apply liberally with a Plush Puppy Spray bottle or other suitable sprayer and leave in. Do not rinse. This will coat each hair effectively making much ado about very little. Great for ears! When preparing for show day, firstly bath, then oil or condition, apply coat assistance with either Volumising Cream for more coat, Plush Puppy Blow Dry Cream to flatten the coat if it is too boofy and spoiling the outline at a ratio of 1 tbspn to 1 cup water, or, Plush Puppy Swishy Coat. This great product will help to smooth the furnishings/featherings and keep excess wave out of the coat. Mix at 1 tspn to 1 cup water. For that straighter appearance use the Plush Puppy Pin Brush, which is an oval cushioned pin brush – no knobs, till ¾ dry and switch to the Plush Puppy Anti-Stat Brush, oval cushioned ½ bristle ½ plastic brush for smoother finish. This ensures the coat is not stretched and broken and the desired finish is achieved.
You can use the various products concurrently in various areas of the coat or on their own. Once you have done the hard yard on this coat there is little to do at the show leaving you time to relax and socialise. Nothing worse than getting in a spin at a show with 9,000 things to do and never enough time to do it. Simply give the dog a light brush with the pin brush on the longer lengths and then the Plush Puppy Anti-Stat Brush. Apply Plush Puppy Protein Coat Balm to prevent the fly-aways – invaluable on a windy day when everything just snarls and tangles. Between shows, use Plush Puppy OMG Coat Spray for disentangling. If using the Concentrate, dilute around 30:1 i.e. 30 parts water to one part OMG.
For final finish, another light application of Protein Coat Balm and a light spray of Plush Puppy Shine & Comb. You can apply this either direct or onto your Anti-Stat Brush or onto your hands and wipe over. You don’t need much – just enough to bring out the lustre and depth of colour. I also like a sprinkle of Plush Puppy Pixie Dust first thing when I arrive at the show onto the Anti-Stat Brush. You do this lightly and against the growth of the coat allowing the powder to sink and the shimmer to stay behind. This leaves just a pinprick of shimmer to catch the light. If you can see the shimmer when you apply it then you have used too much. This dog is not the glitter fairy! Then you do your Protein Coat Balm and Shine & Comb.
FOR THE SMOOTH COAT – final finish for this dog is a light spray of Plush Puppy Shine & Comb sprayed into the air about 30 cms (12 inches) above the top line, allowing the mist to fall and wipe your hand over the coat to smooth and see the shine!
FOR THE WIRE HAIR COAT – show day, just ensure that coat is as wire coated as you want and add Powder Puff Terrier lightly and brush well into the coat and blow dry excess out if you need to though applied discreetly you won’t! Remember, a little goes a long way.
So now this little full hearted character is ready to go. His standard is full of superlatives from the very obedient to the extraordinarily intelligent. His job may well be to beat about the bush but yours won’t be with this straightforward routine. I love a dog that can do something and this well balanced confident little dog is surely capable. Glamour is an extra and maybe just the something extra you have been looking for.
CHERYL LECOURT