General Doxie questions-

BandCMomma · December 14, 2007, 10:53:53 AM

Some of these might seem like 'dumb' questions, but I grew up with mostly large breed dogs and this is my first experience with the Dachshund breed, so please, try not to make fun of me or laugh too much. Here are what I want to know:
1. Do Doxies like water (does anybody's like to go swimming)?
2. Do they shed? (We have a Golden)
3. How often do you bathe them?
4. How often do you take them to a groomer?

That's about it for now. We have a Golden who is a lot different, so I am just wondering a few things. Thanks!!!

Doxherding Karen · December 14, 2007, 11:14:01 AM

As we say in Girl Scouts, there are no dumb questions. It's only dumb not to ask!

1. Water: Some like it, some don't. Like playing with toys. running around outside, doing tricks, obeying commands, etc. Some doxies do, some doxies don't.

2. Shedding: All dogs she, but a smooth mini puts out so little I never notice it.

3. Bathing: When you bury your nose in your doxie's neck and are overcome by the pungent hound smell, it's bath time!

4. Grooming: See answers to nos. 2 and 3. Groomers are especially good for toe chopping and you can be the knight in shining armor. "Poor, poor baby, did that nasty person with the hedge trimmer traumatize my little wiener schnitzel?"

Karen

cheryl186 · December 14, 2007, 11:32:53 AM

No question is ever too stupid to ask! My Zoe loves to swim and we put her in our swimming pool lots in the summer. Winston, on the other hand, does not like it at all. They are both smooth minis so shedding is not a problem. I don't have a regular set schedule to bathe them, just when I think they need it (see Karen's answer....lolol) like when they roll around in something stinky in the yard like dead worms...yuck....and Zoe has problems with her anal glands so she goes to the vet every couple of months to have them expressed. The vet does not have to chop her toenails though because she is a toenail chewer and keeps them nice and trim herself (she especially likes to chew on them in da big bed at night when we are trying to get some sleep :verdict:). Winston has his toenails trimmed when I look at them and think they are getting too long. It varies, no set schedule there either because sometimes he does chew on them and then will go a long time without chewing.

Dee Dee and Hallie · December 14, 2007, 11:43:54 AM

I agree with Karen on the water, some like it, some don't. My last longhaired girl Jessie liked to swim. Hallie is afraid getting wet might make her hair frizz.

Although she will walk thru puddles and whatnot. I think much of it is how you introduce them to water, if you make it fun and don't take them when it's really cold, they will probably learn to like it more.

We have had the shedding discussion with my dachshund friends here that we show with and the experience around here, as well as with some on the net I've talked to, is that longs actually in general, tend to shed even less than the smooths (and smooths don't shed that much). For instance my Dad's two smoothies would leave hair where they lay on their bed and some on your clothes (again not a ton but you could see it) where my two longs you never saw any hair at all. Hallie does not shed to where you can see it, even when I give her a bath, there is never even one hair in the drain. I've never seen her hair on my clothes, etc. When I comb her, if I hit a little snag or something some will come out in the comb but if she's snag free (which she usually is) I don't even get hair in a flea comb on her, and if you take your hand and try to pull hair out of her you don't get any. But she has an unusual coat type with no undercoat and I think she sheds less than the norm. I know some longhair owners here have said their dogs shed some. So it varies a little.

Hallie gets a bath about once every 2 months in the nicer half of the year, about once a month in the winter. Too much bathing can dry out the natural oils in their coats.

I never take her to a groomer. I don't trust anyone with her so the less someone else has to handle her the better (I freak thinking they might drop her or lift her wrong or soemthing...but then I'm a bit neurotic LOL). I do all of her grooming myself, I trim the hair off the bottom of her feet which helps keep her from slipping on the floor and also this time of year, helps keep her feet dry (the hair will stay wet longer than her bare feet). I trim her nails myself and I also floss, brush and scrape her teeth with a dental tool myself. It want to spare her from the stress and risks of being put under for a dental so I try to keep them up myself and so far have never had to take any of my dogs (I had two before her) in for a dental. I brush her every day or so even though she doesn't always need it, we just both enjoy it. And that's all there is to it, it's not really that much grooming.

I love goldens...one of my closest friends here has them and we have trained together for many years but I know they do shed a lot. We always say a little dog hair never hurt anyone lol! They are SWEET dogs though, does yours play with Cali?

Roberta · December 14, 2007, 12:22:23 PM

1. Do Doxies like water (does anybody's like to go swimming)?
Like the others oem do and some don't I had one Angus who was water baby, the rest melt when imersed in water.
2. Do they shed? (We have a Golden)
As Dee Dee says longs don't seem to shed all tthat much, but the down side is they can need stripped and well brushed, depending ont he coat thickness, along with ms H and Ms Brekke, my Amy is th eother long haired dairy wonder with thick undercoats.
3. How often do you bathe them?
In summer ever other month, in winter only if they get a bit woofie, as it can strip the oil out of their coats.
4. How often do you take them to a groomer?
No, I trim their hair between their pad and around the feet when I think they are loosing traction on the tiles, and if walked on pavements I find they tootsie nailss look after themselves. PLus ours are pets not show groomed.

The above is cosmetic, the next ideas I would say are manditory to DAchshound ownership

More than any of the above EXERCISE, KEEP THEM SLIM................and NO JUMPING and if you have steep stairs get a ramp. Don't allow children to pick them up. Sounds silly but some of us have had, and have darlings that have had back problems.
Roberta

Dee Dee and Hallie · December 14, 2007, 12:42:00 PM

Good addition on the back problems Roberta! Is this your first doxie Mary? Yes extra precautions need to be made there for sure. And well worth the effort, back problems are no fun.

Roberta I have a question on the undercoat. Do both your kids have an undercoat? Hallie has NONE. It is really strange...when I had her at her skin Dr last he was parting her hair and looking and said "Is her hair always like this??" LOL! If you part her hair you easily see skin. She's not bald at all and her hair is thick enough just no undercoat which he said is very unusual in fact he's never seen one quite like hers. Now you have me curious how many longhairs do have an undercoat. She never needs stripping since she doesn't have an undercoat to strip. And her coat doesn't change season to season like my Jessie's did, she had a beautiful coat as she got older though she did get some undercoat fuzzies on her hips, etc that needed some tending to. Zuzu is another here with a great, luxurious coat!

Kari · December 14, 2007, 12:49:13 PM

Quote from: Roberta on December 14, 2007, 12:22:23 PM
More than any of the above EXERCISE, KEEP THEM SLIM................and NO JUMPING and if you have steep stairs get a ramp. Don't allow children to pick them up. Sounds silly but some of us have had, and have darlings that have had back problems.
Roberta

Hand raised in agreement! Ramps are an absolute MUST! Start her early with ramps so she gets use to them. Penny has three - one up to the love seat and 2 up to the couch on each side (so she can do her loop through the living room when she has the zoomies!) We also have the stairs baby gated and we carry her up the stairs at night to her crate. Sometimes even with all precautions back problems are unavoidable...I know this is morbid but when you have time research out neurologists and emergency care just so you have it in your back pocket in case you need it. Our Penny has had a hard year with her back but the second there was a problem we already knew where we were going to take her.

Leslie · December 14, 2007, 01:01:40 PM

Quote from: Dee Dee and Hallie on December 14, 2007, 12:42:00 PM
Good addition on the back problems Roberta! Is this your first doxie Mary? Yes extra precautions need to be made there for sure. And well worth the effort, back problems are no fun.

Roberta I have a question on the undercoat. Do both your kids have an undercoat? Hallie has NONE. It is really strange...when I had her at her skin Dr last he was parting her hair and looking and said "Is her hair always like this??" LOL! If you part her hair you easily see skin. She's not bald at all and her hair is thick enough just no undercoat which he said is very unusual in fact he's never seen one quite like hers. Now you have me curious how many longhairs do have an undercoat. She never needs stripping since she doesn't have an undercoat to strip. And her coat doesn't change season to season like my Jessie's did, she had a beautiful coat as she got older though she did get some undercoat fuzzies on her hips, etc that needed some tending to. Zuzu is another here with a great, luxurious coat!

OOOOO, Auntie DD fank you for 'membering me.

Zuzu actually has quite the variation in her coat witha lot of undercoat underneath, and little undercoat on top (?) Anyway, as far as grooming goes, it's Loki --our short hair--who is our "hair flinger" rather than Zuzu. Whatever the situation, you have to get them used to grooming early. SERIOUSLY you need to set a good ten minutes aside each day to groom, whether it's nails, fur, bath, whatever, it's such a struggle to get them to cooperate if you have not trained them.

BUT! Moi! Came up with a way to get Loki to do the impossible. She had a nasty looking sore on her back foot and I wanted to soak it. sooooooooooooooo I put a smear of peanut butter on the outside of the bathtub and when she was otherwise occupied, slid a pie pan of warm water with some tea tree oil and sulphur under her and viola. foot soak.

Dee Dee and Hallie · December 14, 2007, 01:22:40 PM

QuoteI put a smear of peanut butter on the outside of the bathtub

ROTFL! You are resourceful Miss Les! LOL!!! :thumb:

I love how Zuzu's coat goes from rich red down to the ligher edges. Pretty grrrl.

Doxherding Karen · December 14, 2007, 02:13:22 PM

The back issue is important - keep the weight down and plenty of exercise. Strong back muscles will help keep problems at bay.

The sniff test is not just a joke (although I never miss a chance to go for a laugh). Doxies are HOUNDS by genetics, and a smoothie who is more pure hound than a long or wire hair (those variations were bred in from other breeds long ago) and hounds smell. They have a naturally oily coat. So if they smell really doggy, it usually means there's more than enough oil to warran a bath. My guys start smelling like corn chips. Then it's bath time!

Karen

Kari · December 14, 2007, 02:30:28 PM

Quote from: Doxherding Karen on December 14, 2007, 02:13:22 PM
My guys start smelling like corn chips. Then it's bath time!

LOL!! Penny totally smells like Fritos! After she has been sleeping under her blanket she really smells

! We tell her that she has had her stinky pumps on!

Roberta · December 14, 2007, 03:00:55 PM

Dee Dee Amy has very thick hair and hard to determine if its an undercoat, but it is hard to get her wet as th caot is hard to penitrate she has some softer fluffies at the shoulders, probably from Neutering. Oliver has a the look of Jessie,long silkie with fine undercoat and his coat changes with the seasons. His back and deeper mahogany gets darker, and as his new coat comes in it returns to the deep gold, he only has fuzzies on his shoulders. When we got him Colleen said he had a good coat, and body shape it was he was just to big. Amy God bless her cotton (hairy feet) is so thick (coat that is) its hard to see seasonal changes.

Roberta · December 14, 2007, 03:02:01 PM

These two were taken to-day her hair is needing a good brush

Roberta · December 14, 2007, 03:03:02 PM

this is of th epair last week his coat is a bit more subdued

Dee Dee and Hallie · December 14, 2007, 03:07:12 PM

Ohh precious girl look at her hair is almost all grown back in! Those two are GORGEOUS Roberta!!!!! I just want to cuddle them. Very elegant!

Her hair does look very similar to Hallies although I suspect Hallie's is a bit more cottony than Amy's. Jessie also would get darker during one season than the other in her darkest parts.

Hallie smells like fritos at times too I think it's their feet...they have sweat glands there, salty oils = fritos! At least that is my vets theory. Other than that she never has had an odor that I could tell. Except right after rolling in horse doo doo! I do remember an odor then.... :thinik:

Delia and girls · December 14, 2007, 03:13:15 PM

I agree with what everyone else has already said - especially the keeping them trim and no jumping to try to avoid the dreaded back problems.

Here is a picture of the 2 ends of the spectrum of longhairs. The pup on the left is DD's Hallie - a long, luxurious coat. The pup on the right is my Gretchen - my longhair wannabe. The texture of her hair is the same as Hallie's but it's a lot shorter. She does have an undercoat. I do brush her, mostly because she likes it. Her hair is so short that she doesn't have tangles. I also use a stripper as a comb when her whispies get out of control. I just happen to have a stripper because I also have a wirehair. I don't think it's worth buying one for a longhair. It doesn't seem to make that much of a difference. I've also been told Gretchen has a 'spay' coat to describe the texture of her hair. I think the length is genetic.

BTW, welcome to our 'home.' Always room for someone new!

Kari · December 14, 2007, 03:19:48 PM

I know Penny isn't part of the long hair club but she definitely changes colors with the seasons. She has this long dark streak down her back right now but in the summer she turns really light red.

Roberta · December 14, 2007, 03:44:45 PM

Dee Dee if I get a photo of Amy sitting like Gretchen and Haillie could you morph her between...............
roberta

Dee Dee and Hallie · December 14, 2007, 03:50:49 PM

This is my FAVORITE picture of the girls together! They are soo pretty. I love their expressions in this one...not impressed. LOL I think you see Gretchie's hair shorter than I do...to me she looks very much longhair and she is so soft! But yes I think these 2 have the same hair texture, Hallies just a little longer. I have also been told Hallie's coat is a spay coat but ya know...she had a "different" coat even when I got her before she was spayed. I almost thought she could be a wire hair back then just missing the whiskers!

Roberta yes I could do that (I think LOL) that would be too funny lets give it a try. If you can get the background as similar to this as possible that will help (with sort of the same colors around her, green, etc).

I know what you mean Kari I have seen that on smooths too. Interesting isn't it.

BandCMomma · December 14, 2007, 05:21:24 PM

OK-I have been trying to reply to everything, I just CAN'T!!! Too overwhelming! ALL the pics are GREAT and thank you ALL for everything!!! :apls:

Leslie · December 14, 2007, 07:03:58 PM

Quote from: Kari on December 14, 2007, 03:19:48 PM
I know Penny isn't part of the long hair club but she definitely changes colors with the seasons. She has this long dark streak down her back right now but in the summer she turns really light red.

oh, yes! and does she get "winter nose"? Zuzu's nose is dark brown in winter and nearly black in summer.

Kari · December 14, 2007, 08:35:50 PM

Quote from: Leslie on December 14, 2007, 07:03:58 PM
oh, yes! and does she get "winter nose"? Zuzu's nose is dark brown in winter and nearly black in summer.

She does!

Rich · December 14, 2007, 09:22:40 PM

I just want to give another side to the shedding question. Our Stormy (LH) sheds hair constantly! I go over him with flea comb, stripping comb, and brush and get GOBS of hair and still you can always see hair on our carpets, on our clothes in his bath, everywhere! We get enough hair off him each week to make another dog. He has a very thick undercoat an exceptionally curly top coat. He is a fur machine! I've had quite a few dachshunds, most of them long hairs and never seen one like this. He's amazing. Then there is Sophie who we think is Hallie's sister who has a coat very similar to Hallie, no undercoat and if she sheds, we don't notice it.

Brekkesmom · December 15, 2007, 08:00:59 AM

Brekke loves to get in the bath or shower, but she doesn't like to be rained upon! I can be seen with an umbrella or a big, fluffy beach towel draped over us, to avoid that! Miss Brekke has an undercoat, but way more on her butt - hence the nickname "Fuzzybutt". :grin: I comb her about every other day with a comb that is similar to a rat tail comb, and I bathe her about once a month. When she was a puppy, I brushed her about 10 minutes a day - bonding time, brushed her teeth with a very flexible thimble-styled toothbrush, and played with her feet, to prepare her for toe chops, since I was such a wuss with Heidi- and Gretl-Angels. (I did better on the foot playing with Siglen-Angel, too.) I use some wonderful dog shampoo and conditioner, and I also use a leave-in detangler and conditioner called Unicoat. Brekke doesn't shed, but OMG - when she gets combed I get about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of hair, and when she is bathed, I comb her just before, and I still collect even more hair as I rub in the conditioner - another 1/2 to 3/4 cup! I try not to blow dry her any more, because she gets even fluffier. I use a couple of towels, and rub her as dry as I can, spray her with the Unicoat and comb her, and then I cover her up so she can air dry. She usually has to wool the towel around and runs like crazy for about 5 minutes - many of us call this "the running crazies" or the "zoomies". Unfortunately, I am not as good about scraping as DeeDee - she will need a dental soon. It is so cool that DeeDee gets to see Cali grow up since she missed that with Hallie. Say - who needs a chocolate/tan lh puppy so Brenda and I can relive Brekke's and Mocha's puppy days? Hmmm? :thinik: