Doxies can live for quite some time but they also come in different types and sizes. So, what is the life expectancy of long haired dachshund dogs? Does it differ from that of short (smooth) or wire-haired dachshunds? How about other dog breeds? Also, what exactly are the health issues that can affect your dog’s lifespan and what can you do about them?
What Is The Standard Life Expectancy Of Long Haired Dachshund Dogs?
The average expected lifespan of a purebred long-haired dachshund is 12 to 15 or 16 years on average. It can surpass that, of course, if the dog is healthy and you take good care of it.
Is The Standard Life Expectancy Of Long Haired Dachshund Dogs Different From Other Dachshunds and Other Dog Breeds?
So, is the expected long-haired dachshund lifespan any different from that of other dachshund sub-breeds? After all, unlike other dachshund coat types, long-haired dachshunds are said to have some spaniel heritage, so not all Doxies are actually the same.
While that’s true, the life expectancy of long-haired dachshund dogs is still not particularly different from that of short and wire-haired dachshunds. All three coat types tend to live somewhere between 12 and 15 years on average or more with good care.
The more deciding factor is whether the dachshund is standard (bigger) or miniature as the latter tend to have a slightly longer lifespan by about a year on average due to their smaller size.
As for a comparison with other breeds – the dachshund has a pretty good lifespan compared to larger breeds and a similar lifespan to other small/medium breeds.
What Health Risks Might Affect The Life Expectancy Of Long Haired Dachshund Dogs?
Dachshunds are a relatively healthy breed with a long average lifespan but that doesn’t mean they are immune to health issues. In fact, there are a large plethora of potential health issues you’re going to have to watch out for to keep your dachshund safe whether it’s long-haired or not. Here are the main examples:
- Patellar luxation
- Obesity
- Gastric Torsion
- Cancer
- Keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS)
- Lafora disease
- Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)
- Diabetes
- Glaucoma
- Eye cataracts
- Acanthosis Nigricans
- Cushing’s disease
- Seizures
Fortunately, most of those are not immediately life-threatening. Instead, they tend to be slow-acting, preventable, and treatable. Many, such as IVDD or Acanthosis Nigricans can lower your dog’s quality of life if left untreated but are easy to manage if you simply don’t neglect your pet.
Of course, any such issue can become life-threatening over time if you just ignore it. However, the issues that most often lead to dachshund death are cancer, heart failure, and neurological disorders such as Lafora disease. Unlike the skin and back problems Doxies tend to have, these are not just something you can fix with an ointment or physical therapy. So, watch out for those in particular, especially as your dog gets to a more advanced age.
So, The Life Expectancy Of Long Haired Dachshund Dogs – How To Prolong It As Much As Possible?
As usual, the steps to make sure your dog lives as long as possible are quite simple:
- Get a healthy pup from a reputable breeder that offers health certificates – this will ensure the lack of any hereditary diseases
- Give your dog top-quality food
- Make sure your pup gets as much exercise as it needs – not too much and not too little
- Take good care of your dog’s grooming and hygiene too
- Don’t skip the regular bi-annual vet visits to catch anything that might happen to your dog as soon as possible
Following these steps is the simplest way to make sure that your dachshund lives a long and happy life.
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