Before I committed to being a breeder of Miniature Longhair Dachshunds, I spent quite a while researching and finding out all the information that I could.  I have made it my priority to only breed the healthiest and best quality dogs possible but that still does not mean I can eliminate all the common issues within these breeds.  Our puppies have a one-year health guarantee… please keep in mind that a health guarantee is a not a promise that a genetic issue will never occur.  It is a promise that tells you exactly what I plan to do for you if an issue arises.  Just like with people, sometimes two healthy adults bred together can produce a puppy that is not.  Even if you do not plan to breed, as a pet owner you must be fully aware that despite our best efforts to produce only the healthiest puppies through selective breeding and long term evaluations that we cannot prevent all defects within these breed from popping up.  You as a Buyer must be fully prepared to endure the long term care and vet expenses that come with owning these wonderful and truly unique dogs.”

I have always been a Dachshund lover, but I totally fell head over heels in love with the Longhair Dachshunds. Maybe it’s because of their more laid back, calm and reserved nature… From the three different coat types of Dachshunds, the Longhair Daxies seem to be the sweetest-natured, quietest and most outward loving. If you like to cuddle with your dog, you will love having a Longhair Dachshund as they love to cuddle and snuggle under the covers (if you let them). The Longhair Dachshunds differ from the short haired Dachshund as they were originally bred from small longhaired Spaniels to create long, flowing hair.  Their fur is soft and silky, and grows longest on their ears, neck, chest and legs.  The longest fur grows on their tail and fans out like a flag.  They come in a variety of colours, like black, chocolate, cream, dapple etc..   They love swimming – like a Spaniel – and they are excellent with children.  They get along well with other dogs and cats, but they do love hunting, so if you are a chicken-lover with the most beautiful free-range chickens, the chance is very good that your lovely, so innocent Daxie will proudly come showing off his latest victim… that could be your Hendriena show-chicken…

They love being with their humans, following their every step and also love to travel. If you are gone most of the time and don’t have time to train your pet or bring your pet with you, a dachshund may not be the best fit for your lifestyle.

Health

It is our main focus to breed puppies without potential health risks.  Although each puppy’s genetic makeup (regarding health issues) is perfect, it does not mean that every single puppy we breed, is to perfection.  Nothing in the world is perfect (although it could’ve been nice) but we do strive to breed healthy pups.  What stays important to us, is to produce the best quality dogs of each specific breed we love.

All breeds of dogs are prone to certain health issues (just like humans). The number one health concern of any Dachshund is their backs.  With their long bodies and short legs, Dachshunds are genetically prone to several musculoskeletal conditions. The most serious of these is intervertebral disc disease, which causes the vertebrae to weaken and possibly protrude into the spinal canal. You can help reduce the potential for spinal stress by:

• Maintaining your dog at a healthy weight with a well-balanced diet;
• Discouraging your dog from jumping off furniture or regularly travelling up and down flights of stairs; and
• Supporting your dog when holding them to keep the spine horizontal.
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It is very interesting that this disease is more common under the Shorthair Dachshund than the Longhair Dachshunds.  I suspect it’s because the Longhaired Daxies were bred a bit different than the Shorthaired Daxies.  In all these years having Longhaired Daxies, we have never encountered this problem with one of our dogs.

Dachshunds are also prone to problems with their joints, thyroid, hips, knees, weight and skin.

Pes Varus:  This is a condition that affects the hind legs of a puppy and causes them to bow. Breeders have no available DNA testing for this problem and puppies do not show symptoms until 4-6 months.  This problem is definitely a genetic problem, which makes it very difficult for us (as there are not DNA test available for this disease).  The only thing we, as breeders, can do, is to avoid breeding from bloodlines where the problem occurs.  We can unfortunately not guarantee new owners that this problem will not occur.  

The Longhair Dachshunds are also prone to degenerative eye disease that causes blindness, called Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA). All our breeding dog’s PRA have been tested to make sure we breed healthy pups.  We can guarantee that your Longhair Dachshund will not go blind (except age-related blindness).

Grooming

Longhaired Dachshunds are easy to groom, they go through as low-maintenance grooming breed. They should be combed and brushed at least twice a week. Mats can develop behind the ears and need to be untangled by hand. They don’t need to be bathed very often, once every three months or so, should be more of than enough.