What Not to Trim on a Longhaired Dachshund

A longhaired dachshund in profile showing the long ear feathering, tail flag and underside coat that breed standards require

On a longhaired dachshund the coat is longest exactly where the dog sits closest to the ground: under the neck, on the forechest, along the underside, on the ears and behind the legs. That is the American Kennel Club’s own description. So the question of what not to trim on a longhaired dachshund has a … Read more

Dachshund Size Classes Are Set by Chest, Not Weight

A title card stating that chest measurement, not body weight, decides a dachshund size class under FCI Standard No. 148

The FCI sets dachshund size classes by chest measurement in centimetres, while the American Kennel Club and the Royal Kennel Club set them by body weight. That split is why the same dog can register as a miniature in one country and fall outside the class in another. FCI Standard No. 148, published 2021-05-25, names … Read more

Can You Carry a Small Dog on National Park Trails?

A small longhaired dachshund sitting in a backpack carrier next to a national park trailhead sign

In most United States national parks, no. The National Park Service applies pet rules to a dog whether that dog walks or is carried, and Yellowstone National Park names arms, strollers, backpacks and carriers in writing. A five kilogram miniature dachshund gets no size exemption. This guide covers the federal leash limit, what a campground … Read more

Bandage-Style Dog Shoes: Our Honest Review

If you’ve seen those bright, paw-print disposable boots wrapped around a dog’s feet like little bandages and wondered whether they actually work, we can tell you from experience. We put a set of bandage-style dog shoes on our cream longhaired dachshund, Zzinyi, for a real fall walk — leaves, gravel, uneven curbs and all. Below is our … Read more

Sneezing After Rolling in Grass – a Low-Slung Dog Guide

A low-slung longhaired dog walking with its nose held close to dry late-summer grass

Sneezing after rolling in grass usually settles within a minute or two, and what happens after that minute is the part worth watching. A dog that walks with its nose at ground level meets dried seed heads, grass blades and pollen at the exact height those things sit. Those triggers do not behave the same … Read more

Long Haired Dachshund Mats – 5 Spots to Check First

A title card reading Where the mats are, not where you brush, sourced to USDA APHIS and the AKC and Kennel Club breed standards

Long haired dachshund mats do not start where the coat looks thickest. They start where two surfaces rub. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service locates mats “under the collar, behind the ears, and in the armpits”. Both the American Kennel Club and The Kennel Club locate a dachshund’s longest hair … Read more

Is It Safe to Take a Dachshund Camping? A Real Answer

Cream longhaired dachshund Zzinyi curled up on a supportive cushion at an outdoor campsite

Short answer: yes, with a few precautions that matter more for dachshunds than for most other breeds. We’ve taken our cream longhaired dachshund, Zzinyi, camping more times than I can count at this point — pavilions by the pond near our apartment, open fields an hour outside the city, patio setups with the tent half-pitched … Read more

Rabies Vaccine Side Effects in Dogs: What’s Normal

Illustration of a vaccine syringe with a checkmark and the text "Is It Normal for a Dog to Be Tired After a Rabies Vaccine?"

Most dogs handle the rabies vaccine with nothing more than mild, short-lived side effects — a little soreness, a little extra sleep. But “most” isn’t “all,” and it helps to know the full range of what can happen, from the common and harmless to the rare reactions that need same-day vet care. Common Side Effects … Read more

Dog Ramp vs Stairs for a Long-Backed Dog – What to Check

A long-backed small dog at the foot of a ramp leading up to a sofa

A ramp is not automatically the gentler option for a long-backed dog. What decides the load on a short-legged, long-spined body is the running slope of the ramp, and a short ramp propped against a bed can be steeper than the stair it replaced. No veterinary or kennel authority publishes a slope, width or step-rise … Read more

Zzinyi’s Rabies Vaccine Day: The Shot and the Nap After

Veterinarian giving a cream longhaired dachshund a rabies vaccine injection

Zzinyi’s Rabies Vaccine Day: The Shot and the Nap After Every year around this time, Zzinyi has his annual rabies vaccine appointment — routine for us at this point, but always worth a quick note for anyone whose dog is due for the same shot soon. This time we also got a good look at … Read more