Dachshund Stripping: What Age?

Stripping Your Dachshund: When and at What Age?

Whether you are a future or current owner of a Wire-Haired Dachshund Kaninchen, Miniature, or Standard, this article is for you!

Let’s get things clear from the start 😊: The Wire-Haired Dachshund is the ONLY Dachshund that MUST be stripped.

It is best to wait until your little Dachshund puppy is at least 8 weeks old and weaned, meaning they have left their mother, before considering professional grooming.

Once the puppy has been introduced to its new home and has built a relationship with its new owner, you can consider grooming, and later, stripping.

It is recommended to start around the age of 12 weeks.

-> Consult our complete guide: How to groom your wire-haired Dachshund.

Grooming and Stripping: Your Dachshund’s First Appointment

Your Dachshund’s very first grooming appointment is an introduction for both the puppy and the owner to the world of grooming.

The puppy must be introduced to bathing, blow-drying, nail trimming, and light grooming.

It is not recommended to have the puppy’s hair cut, or in our case, to have it stripped, the first time it is groomed.

The reason is that you will be forcing the puppy to stay still and be handled for quite a while...

That’s a lot to ask of a puppy, hey 😜!

(It would be like asking a one-year-old child to sit still, go to the bathroom, or play with toys for 45 minutes).

That is why we recommend doing only the essentials for a puppy's first grooming session.

Bathing them, drying them slowly, and if necessary, trimming their nails, and trimming the hair between the paw pads and around the sanitary area (anus).

That is about as much as they can handle, and it’s already quite a lot.

The wire-haired puppy will be introduced to the use of scissors and will have to stay still while the hair between its paw pads is trimmed.

The more the puppy is used to being handled by you (or the groomer), being up high on a table, and being in the bathtub, the more comfortable it will be as it grows, avoiding the stress and anxiety of grooming.

-> Do not miss our article on the lifespan of the wire-haired Dachshund.

The Importance of Grooming Your Dachshund at Home

At-home grooming is also essential for the puppy to get used to being stripped and groomed, and to learn to enjoy its care.

One of the big questions about puppies and grooming is knowing when they will transition from their puppy coat to their adult coat.

This stage in a puppy’s life is essential, and its coat needs special attention regarding its maintenance so it does not become damaged.

Normally, in the wire-haired Dachshund, the puppy coat transforms into an adult coat around the age of six months.

At this stage, you can easily begin stripping with a professional dog stripping tool (trimmer).

In Summary

Take your time starting the stripping process for your adorable wire-haired Dachshund, and know that despite its soft, pleasant, and protective hair, this is not a dog that sheds its coat much.

Let its fur grow and take it step-by-step to get it used to regular grooming.

⚠️ One last thing: NEVER use clippers on a wire-haired Dachshund.

You would permanently damage the texture of its hair, which from that moment on would start to become curly.

The Teckelshop Team - 💚 Last modified on 07/15/26

-> Article not to be missed: How to Carry a Dachshund

Stripping tool for Dachshund