my friend is considering a standard wire haired dachsund, she had one as a kid.  Ive guided them away from the dreaded puppy sales website and have found a the dachsund breed club and sent her the link for that.  just wondering what they should be looking out for, any health tests etc. ?

There are no current recommended health tests (by the KC) for the standard wire.  Mini wires are tested for persistent pupillary membranes (PPM), affects the eyes.
Main issue with standard dachshunds of any coat are back problems as they are more frequent in standards than mini's, only way to know would be to ask the breeder and maybe the breed club as well as they would know of any issues in that line.  Recently they have been breed with a chunkier look to them (more bone) and the instances of back problems has dropped.

For a good club to look for a wire through is the UK dachshunds club http://www.dachshundclub.co.uk/
They have puppy lists and contacts on there as well.

Emma

The breed club as above is a good starting point. No mandatory recommended health checks for either size of Wire, both are pretty healthy breeds. Not aware they are being bred chunkier in the UK, in fact I thought breeders had been trying to get size down a bit to try and come back within the Standard. Generally backs should be ok, provided the dogs are kept fit and not fat.

Coat care takes time, best tip is to avoid the fluffy ones (cute as they look). As a puppy the less furnishings the better and easier the coat will be

excellent thank you.  I had already found that club and emailed it to her so I will leave it with her if they decide to go ahead, although we discussed it last night and apparantly her other half is dead set on getting a boxer - slight difference