Everything about the breed

Long-haired Miniature Dachshund

From its origin to character and care.

About the breed

Available puppies

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Belgian breeder since 1990
DNA-tested parents

Written and reviewed by Marleen Dyck, co-founder of Woefkesranch

Last reviewed on 3 October 2026

A long-haired dachshund puppy from woefkesranch

Character

A gentle, devoted dog with a soft long coat

A sociable, devoted family dog that is quiet and gentle in the house. It has real stamina and a strong will, so it needs patient training rather than insistence.

What to expect

Devoted

Sociable with its family, and a good watchdog.

Gentle

Quiet and gentle in the house.

Independent

Bred to work alone, out of sight of its handler.

Brave

Bred to face a badger underground.

Height

~28 cm

Weight

~6.5 kg

Life expectancy

~14 years

Origin

Germany, 19th century

Breed info

You will discover that the long-haired miniature dachshund is a quiet, gentle family dog, and that it was made on purpose: the variety came from crossing dachshunds with the Cocker Spaniel and the Stoberhund. Underneath the long coat it is still a badger dog, bred to go down a hole on its own judgement, so it is intelligent, brave and not naturally obedient. You will need to comb that coat daily, watch the long back, and train with patience rather than insistence. Read on to see what this variety asks of you.

About Woefkesranch

Long-haired Miniature Dachshund Puppies at Woefkesranch

We are a recognized breeder of Long-haired Miniature Dachshund puppies in Belgium. Our puppies are raised in a family environment and are optimally socialized. Woefkesranch has been a family business since 1990 and is now in its second generation. Every puppy is born in our own kennel under permanent supervision, with no imports and no middlemen. Families are guided before the purchase and are welcome back with their questions long afterwards.

We have been a recognized family breeder in Putte, Belgium since 1990, now in our second generation: every Long-haired Miniature Dachshund puppy is born and socialized here, with no imports and no middlemen, and families are guided before the purchase and long afterwards.

What you get with our puppies:

Puppy raised in Belgium
Good puppies
Initial vaccinations and microchip
Lifetime support by phone/WhatsApp
Available 24/7 for emergencies

The woefkesranch family, first and second generation, with many of their dogs

Available puppies

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Long-haired Miniature Dachshund

In five points

The long-haired dachshund was made on purpose, by crossing dachshunds with the Cocker Spaniel and the Stoberhund, both of which are gentle-tempered breeds.
This is still a badger dog, bred to go down a burrow alone and decide for itself, which is why it is brave, resourceful and not naturally obedient.
A miniature dachshund stands ~28 cm and weighs ~6.5 kg, with a body ~45 cm long.
The long coat needs combing or brushing every day, with most of the attention going to the feathering on the ears, chest and legs.
The long back is the breed’s weak point, so stairs, jumping off furniture and extra weight are the three things to manage for its whole ~14 years.

History

History and Origin

Short-legged dogs appear in ancient Egyptian and Greek temples and in Chinese art, and the dachshund is said to descend from the oldest German hunting breeds, the Bibarhund and the German Bracke. Illustrations from the 13th century already show its ancestors hunting badgers underground.

The breed was made to hunt and track badgers in their burrows. The short legs dug the badger out and followed it down, and the dog brought a strong nose and sharp hearing to the work. The smaller dachshunds were bred to hunt hares, and the breed will go after foxes and otters as readily as badgers.

The long-haired variety came later, and it came from a deliberate cross: smooth-haired dachshunds with the Cocker Spaniel and the Stoberhund, an old German hunting dog. The German breed association was founded in 1888 for the smooth-haired, and the first breed standard had been written in the United Kingdom eight years before that.

A long-haired dachshund puppy from Woefkesranch, running.

Appearance

Physical characteristics and grooming

A miniature dachshund stands ~28 cm at the withers and weighs ~7 kg, with a body ~45 cm long. The breed is defined by that proportion rather than by its height: a long, muscular body on short legs, an elongated head carried high, and a deep chest that gave the dog the lung room for a fight underground.

The long coat is the difference that gives this variety its name. It is soft and slightly wavy, longest on the ears, the chest, the underside of the body and the back of the legs, and it needs combing or brushing every day.

The ears are long and hang against the cheeks, the eyes are oval and dark, and the teeth meet in a scissor bite with notably strong canines. The feathering on a long-haired dachshund catches burrs and mud, so the ears and the underside are worth checking after a walk through anything rough.

Characteristic	Dwarf	Kaninchen	Standard
Chest circumference	~33 cm	Up to 30 cm	Over 35 cm
Weight	~6.5 kg	~4.5 kg	Up to 9 kg

Heights from the FCI breed standard.

Comparing the three dachshund coats

Two adult long-haired dachshunds from woefkesranch — The same breed in three coats, on the four points where they actually differ.

An adult wire-haired dachshund from woefkesranch — The same breed in three coats, on the four points where they actually differ.

What differs	Long-haired	Wire-haired	Short-haired
Grooming	Combing or brushing every day	A trim twice a year, and a wipe of the beard after meals	Almost none. A wipe with a damp cloth when the dog is dirty. No combing, no trimming and no grooming appointments
Coat	Long, soft and slightly wavy, with feathering on the ears, chest and legs	Harsh and close-lying over a dense undercoat, with beard and eyebrows	Short, dense and close-lying
Temperament	The calmer, gentler of the three	Often temperamental, energetic and extroverted, from the terrier input	The most openly affectionate
How the variety was made	Smooth-haired dachshunds crossed with the Cocker Spaniel and the Stoberhund	Dachshunds crossed with the Dandie Dinmont Terrier and other terriers	The original. The German breed association of 1888 was founded for this coat

Everything else is the same dog. Size, weight, life expectancy, the long back and what it needs from you, and how the breed learns do not change with the coat, so this is a choice about grooming and about temperament rather than about health or size. The temperament descriptions are Woefkesranch’s own, from years of breeding all three.

Read the full comparison of the three coats

A long-haired dachshund puppy from Woefkesranch.

Temperament

Personality and Temperament

The long-haired dachshund is a calm, gentle dog in the house, sociable with its own family and a good watchdog. The long coat came from a spaniel cross, and the temperament came from the spaniels too.

Dachshunds are sociable family dogs and good watchdogs, but they are hunting dogs with real endurance underneath that. This is not a naturally obedient breed. It is intelligent, resourceful, curious and brave, and it will work out what it wants and then work out how to get it.

They are at their best with older children and generally get on well with other pets, though they are quick to become jealous and can bite when irritated. A dachshund will act wonderfully to get its way and will deliberately seek eye contact while doing it. Grown up, it becomes a very loyal dog.

Health

Health and Nutrition

The long back that makes a dachshund a dachshund is also its weak point. The breed is known for spinal problems, so this is not the dog for a house full of stairs, it should not be allowed to jump on and off furniture, and its weight has to be watched. A dachshund gains weight quickly and should not be overfed.

Ask a breeder what the parent dogs were tested for, and ask to see the results rather than taking the answer on trust. A long-haired dachshund also needs its ears checked regularly: the long feathering on them traps moisture and debris in a way the smooth coat does not.

A dachshund lives ~14 years, which is a long commitment for a small dog. They suit apartment living, are quite active indoors and manage without a garden, but they are active dogs with surprising endurance and they want a proper walk or a game in the park every day.

An adult long-haired dachshund from Woefkesranch.

An adult long-haired dachshund from Woefkesranch, laying down with a toy.

Training

Training and Exercise

A dachshund is intelligent and perfectly trainable, and it is also not naturally obedient, which is a different thing from being stupid. It was bred to go down a hole alone and make its own decisions, and that independence is still there. Obedience training works; expecting instant compliance does not.

A puppy course is worth doing. Start early, keep sessions short, and reward what you want rather than correcting what you do not, because a dachshund that decides a session is a battle will simply out-stubborn you. Consistency from everyone in the house matters more than the length of any one session.

Crate training is worth the effort with this breed, both as a house-training tool and as a way of protecting the back: a crate gives the dog somewhere to settle instead of launching itself off the sofa. Choose one long enough for the dog to lie fully stretched out, which for a miniature dachshund matters more than the height.

Choosing

Choosing and caring for your Long-haired Miniature Dachshund

Choosing the right breed and breeder

The long back brings spinal problems with it, which makes a dachshund a poor choice for a house with many stairs. It is worth settling that question about your own home before any other.

A dachshund is not naturally obedient, but with the right obedience training it learns well, and a puppy course is worth doing. If you are after the long coat and the calmer, gentler temperament of this variety rather than a dachshund in general, a breeder is the way to get it.

Buying a dachshund is a big step whichever of the three coats you choose. A dog from a shelter can be an option, but if you are looking for the specific characteristics of the breed, a breeder is the better route.

Essential daily care

Caring for a Long-haired Miniature Dachshund means committing to a daily routine that addresses their grooming, feeding, exercise and health needs.

For optimal daily care, focus on these key points:

Coat

Long, soft and slightly wavy. Comb or brush it every day, and check the feathering after a walk through anything rough.

Back

No stairs if you can avoid them, no jumping off furniture, and keep the weight down. The long back is the breed’s weak point.

Food

Measured meals. This breed gains weight quickly, and every extra kilo lands on that back.

Exercise

A proper walk or a game in the park every day. They manage without a garden, but not without the walk.

Regular veterinary visits are essential to monitor health, contributing to a longer lifespan for your Long-haired Miniature Dachshund. If you are considering getting a puppy, it is important to recognize a good breeder.

How getting your puppy works

Come and meet them. Make an appointment to see the puppies and their mother.
Reserve your puppy. Choose your puppy and reserve it.
Collect from 8 weeks. Your puppy leaves microchipped, vaccinated, dewormed and with its European passport, and we register it in your name in DogID together.
We stay close. You take home care instructions and the guarantee certificate, with lifetime support by phone or WhatsApp.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is distinctive about a long-haired dachshund?

The coat and the temperament, and the two are connected. The variety was created by crossing dachshunds with the Cocker Spaniel and the Stoberhund, and both of those are gentle-tempered breeds. There are three coat varieties in the breed.

How much grooming does the long coat need?

Combing or brushing every day. The feathering on the ears, chest and legs catches burrs and mud, so it is worth checking after a walk through long grass or undergrowth.

How big does a miniature dachshund get?

~28 cm at the withers and ~7 kg, with a body ~45 cm long. The standard dachshund is larger at ~35 cm and ~10 kg, and the Kaninchen is smaller again at ~25 cm and ~4 kg. All three come in all three coats.

Are dachshunds difficult to train?

They are intelligent and perfectly trainable, but they are not naturally obedient. The breed was made to work alone underground and decide for itself, and that independence is still there. Short sessions, rewards rather than corrections, and a puppy course all help.

What should I know about the dachshund’s back?

It is the breed’s weak point. Spinal problems are common, so avoid a house full of stairs, do not let the dog jump on and off furniture, and keep its weight down. Dachshunds gain weight quickly, and every extra kilo is carried by that long back.

Is a dachshund suitable for a flat?

Yes. They suit apartment living, are quite active indoors and do fine without a garden. What they do need is a real walk or a game in the park every day, because they are active dogs with surprising endurance.

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100% Belgian puppies
Professional statutory warranty
24/7 service after sale
Puppies have all necessary vaccines
Puppies are dewormed multiple times
Chipped and with Belgian/European passport
DNA-tested parents

Keep reading

Where to go next

Another breed

Wire-haired Miniature Dachshund

Characteristics, temperament, grooming and health of another breed we raise.

Owner reviews

Long-haired Miniature Dachshund reviews

What owners wrote after living with the breed.

The breeder

Who are we?

The family behind Woefkesranch, and how the puppies are raised.

Available puppies

See other breeds

Long-haired Miniature Dachshund