Question about LH

[Mary L]

I am considering a long hair pup from a breeder that I have been in touch with. I have only had smooth coats to this point and I am a little hesitant to take on the long hair. I need some honest input about the maintenance involved in keeping the coat in good shape. What about shedding? Any comments would be appreciated.

[maddoxies]

Long hairs do take a bit more grooming.

I have both smooth and LH. "Ideally" you should run a comb/brush over a LH daily. This will keep them tangle free. In reality, a couple of times a week would probably do it - it depends also on how long and thick their coats are. I use a flea comb; not that Valentin has fleas, but it is a fined tooth comb which gets out the dead undercoat and detangles his feathers and tail.

I have to trim Valentin's feet at least once a month. Not only does the fur grow over his feet obscuring his nails for clipping, but the fur grows very long between his pads. This can cause him to slip more (possibly injuring his back) and splay his feet (also causing him to walk differently and injure his back). My two smooths are basically "maintenance free" - baths a few times per year.

I took Valentin for professional grooming a couple of months ago and they trimmed his tail a few inches away from his butt which has kept him cleaner "back there".

I don't notice shedding with any of my pack, smooth or long hair.

[rjones]

I have 2 long hairds and do the grooming myself. I have taken them to be groomed professionally twice but I mostly do it myself. Life previsouly stated you just have to groom the paws once a month, I bought a $20 men grooming set and it works grea tfor there paws and also to trim the butt area. I trim the butt area b'c I prefer it to be trimmed back there and also so nothing gets stuck to there hair. Mine only really shed about twice a year, once before spring/summer and another right before winter. It's really not bad at all. I brush my 2 about 3 times a week, and it takes about 5seconds, I also dremel there nails once a month but that is my preference and they do fine. I have noticed that with my fosters, who have all been smooth I bathe them the same, they dry faster but do shed more then my lh's...But probably the same if you add there seasonal shedding/my lh's. They really aren't high maintenance dogs, I don't know why people think that, you just brush them, trim there paws, and there butt area (don't really have to do that until maybe there 1 or 2) and thats it...really easy

[Cindi]

One thing no one has mentioned is that some longhairs, I would imagine some of it is genetics, will grow a fuzzy coat after being spayed or neutered. This can be somewhat corrected using a Furminator or a stripping knife as a comb. Both of these instruments will pull the fuzzy hair out leaving you with a more flat-laying, shinier coat.

As everyone has mentioned, the grooming is not that intense and the difference in shedding <G>....longhair hair makes dust bunnies whereas I found the smooth hair sticks in things :laughitup:

Just confirm that you are purchasing from a breeder that knows of what they speak....that usually means they will be there with help for you down the line AND they can tell you about their lineage and health history in relation to their dogs. NOT that there are any guarantees that will stop something from happening but a lessening of the chances is always welcomed. Knowing that the breeder has experience in the breed dealing with issues (if a breeder hasn't had a health issue they are either sticking their heads in the sand or it hasn't occurred yet :oops: because unfortunately, something hits everyone.) Honesty is the best policy because...we are dealing with live animals and stuff happens.

Best of luck! There is nothing more joyous than a new face in the crowd.

cindi

[Petey's Mom]

As everyone has mentioned, the grooming is not that intense and the difference in shedding <G>....longhair hair makes dust bunnies whereas I found the smooth hair sticks in things :laughitup:

:D yep, Cindi is right! I've got both smooth and LH, and the smooth is basically no-maintenance. He gets a bath maybe twice a year if he gets particularly "toasty" smelling, but I rather like the way he smells :sillylove: My two LH's get brushed about 1 x week, more if I'm noticing shedding. I keep the butt hair trimmed down for the reasons mentioned above, have the paw pads trimmed when I get their nails trimmed. One of them will NOT let me do his feet, so the groomer does it for $10 which is a bargain in my opinion; the other one, Speckles, has so far let me do the footwork, but he's so heavy that when I flip him on his back he has very little choice in the matter :D

So to get to the point, in my experience the LH's are just not that much more trouble, and they're well worth it....my two LH boys are by far the more calm and relaxed of the three.

[DixieDoodle]

Dixie is LH and I have no problems with her. I actually hardly ever brush her! There have been a couple of times where the hairs under her ears get a small mat. But I bought a mat comb and just combed them out. No big deal.
I only bathe her when she has rolled in something smelly which is not often. Her skirt (hind end hair) never gets poo on it because her poo is very firm. I also sometimes trim her winky hair but prefer to leave it long because that is my way to check to see if she has peed when she is outside wanting in. No wet winky....no come in house:laughitup:.

As much as I prefer LH because I do think they are a little more laid back AND they don't seem to mind the cold or rain....I also love the SH....both are beautiful.

:goodluck: and let us know what you decide.

[MyFirstDaxie]

I don't do much grooming at all. Guinness is still growing into his adult coat, so i trim his paws every couple of months, and Butter just does not have that long of fur, and it does not grow very fast.
The minimal amount of grooming is totally worth it - LH daschunds are a whole different kind of beautiful. :D

[krystle424]

I honestly hardly ever brush the girls..Maybe thats bad on my part but they don't have super long flowing to the floor hair. They rarely get any matting, if they do I just cut it out instead of brushing it and pulling their hair. When I was out of town alot and my gramma was feeding them they did get a few large matt's and i had the groomer at the vet get them out just because I was already there and was moving the next day. She trimmed Daxie's foot hair and cut her tail hair off where it flagged!! I was so upset. She just looked down right funny. Now finally almost a year later her tail is as gorgeous as ever and hair foot hair is back. I was kind of upset at her. Annie's tail hair doesn't look anything like Daxie's because it curls around and around her tail.

So to make a long story short..I've had long and short...and honestly didn't find any difference except for the occasional mat, which I'm sure could be prevented with a weekly brushing. They do seem to be more loveable and laid back than SH.

Good luck.

[Cocoa and Me]

My boy Mousse has a huge amount of fur, and very long ears. And even then, I consider him low maintenance. My short hair girl is no maintenance though LOL. I trim Mousse's feet fur once a month, and then maybe 1-2x a week I'll brush his fur while I watch TV. But I must admit, sometimes I do skip a week without brushing, and its not a big deal at all. The only hard part I had with him was when he was a wee-puppy. He was SO short and low to the ground that when he'd pee, he'd sort of pee on himself. And since he was so furry, it would be a bigger deal to clean him up. But as soon as his little legs grew a little longer, it was no big deal at all.

The main problem areas I've found, and I normally just do a quick check (feel with him fingers) is the soft, fine fur behind the ears, and this his "butt feathers" or the skirt of fur that hangs off the butt. Those areas are more prone to getting mattes, but as long as you give it a brush, it'll be fine. I just have to remember to comb it out after baths since he goes and rubs his head on the floor which almost instantly creates mattes since the fur is soft, fine and now wet. haha

The shedding I think is better than SH since the fur is soft and not pokey. lol

I think you'll love having a LH. :)

[Schatz's Mom]

Ditto to all said above. Both Schatz and Lindy who are smooths shed more than Kipper, my long hair. I brush his ears everyday because they are so long they pick up alot of stuff when he is out chasing squirrels. Kipper has a strange coat, he has really long hair on the backside of each leg, the tops of his paws, his ears, his butt feathers and his tail. The rest of his body is pretty short. The only place he gets mats is the soft fur right behind his ears. I trim the fur between his pads and sometimes the tops of his feet.

[Mary L]

Thank you all for your input. We have made our decision. Actually I was 99% there when I posed the question! We are going to pick up the little one on Sunday. Your comments have made me more comfortable that this will be a good addition. I am happy to hear that my concerns about coat maintenance seem to be overblown, and I am loving what you are saying about disposition. Bridget is pretty laid back and I won't mind another laid pup to join the pack. I will introduce the newest member early next week. We have already selected a name - one that has been "borrowed" from this board!

[Weeweeniekennel]

If you really want to groom :happy030: get yourself a wire that will give all the grooming that you would ever want I have three that I need to kept the coats up on I show them thats why other thatn that I would take the clippers to them :laughitup: zoom no more hair and probably no more private parts either :crazy:

[DixieDoodle]

Thank you all for your input. We have made our decision. Actually I was 99% there when I posed the question! We are going to pick up the little one on Sunday. Your comments have made me more comfortable that this will be a good addition. I am happy to hear that my concerns about coat maintenance seem to be overblown, and I am loving what you are saying about disposition. Bridget is pretty laid back and I won't mind another laid pup to join the pack. I will introduce the newest member early next week. We have already selected a name - one that has been "borrowed" from this board!
:wahooo:!!! You won't be sorry:D. Dixie is the joy of my life and the small amount of brushing...well...let's just say that it is worth every bit of it.
AND....what did you name him/her??????:sillylove:

[Mary L]

We think we are going to name her Gracie. That could change, but it seems like it will fit her. My biggest concern now is how Bridget and our puggle, Barkley, will react to her. I think they will be ok after the initial sniff over, but I am keeping fingers crossed.

[Dogmother]

Just one more note on longhairs even though you have already decided. Mostly I want to know if anyone else has this issue. When Dexter first came here every time he would wee it would get all over his belly hair. I have recently started to trim his willy hair and the problem went away. I think it was just the willy hair causing a spray effect rather than the typical boy dog jet action.lol As for grooming I have two longhairs, Pippin and Dexter. Pip doesn't have much of a coat except for the ears, skirt, leg and tail flags, I brush her every couple weeks and do her ears once a week as she tends to get matts in her ear fuzz. With Dex however, he has a very full long coat and even with that I only brush him once a week although I do his ears every couple of days but that is just because he really likes. Both my longhairs between thier ears and where they attach to their head will matt really easily so weekly brushing keeps that away. Other than that they are really easy to care for.

I do have a funny about Dexter though, he is a piebald for those that don't know, and he has wonderfully glowing, silky white fur and he LOVES to roll in the loose dusty dirt in our yard. We recently fenced in our front yard and then put in a doggy door so they all come and go whenever they want. Sometimes Dex will come in and be totally grey and covered with pine needles and little peices of forest debris after a particularly good roll in the dirt.

My4dachsies

[Mary L]

We will be picking Gracie up tomorrow and I am really getting excited. The breeder has been sending me pictures and videos and I don't think she could be any cuter! There are at least 3 generations on site and it will be nice to see first hand the stock she comes from.

[SirOliversMom]

You've already gottten a lot of advice about LH. Just wanted to add ... they are CUTIE PIES!

Can't wait to see the new addition :hearts:

[BeauBuddy]

Hey Mary L! I can't wait to see the new addition!! Bet she is a beauty!