Either you saw the cutest little wiener dog of your neighbor or a friend or you encountered a dachshund you think deserves to be rescued, or you always wanted to have a dachshund for yourself; irrespective of the reason, if you are eyeing this article, I assume you own a dachshund and or planning to get one.
Whatever it is, you are in the right place, at the right time!
Knowing a Dachshund
The first step to dachshund training is to know the dog. Once you are aware of their personality traits, the job might get, let us not say easy, but a bit effective for you.
One most important thing to learn about a dachshund is that it is not just any dog. It is one thing to train a dog and another to train a dachshund. They are more stubborn than some breeds and require frustrating training efforts, especially if you are a beginner.
Nope, don’t panic! Here comes the good news: proper dachshund training will lead to the most charismatic relationship with your puppy!
Imagine you and your pal together forever taking peaceful walks in a beautiful park; or enjoying a good book with the warm sensation of your pet in your lap. Got goosebumps? Perfect!
Knowing What it Takes to Train a Dachshund
Housetraining a dachshund is no walk in the park. It is a lot similar to having a kid. It takes a lot of work, time, finance, and emotional commitment.
Before we move on to learning dachshund training, it is vital for you to keep the following things in mind:
Patience
Patience is the foremost virtue to keep in mind before you bring a dachshund to your home. They test your patience extensively because of their adamant nature.
Consistency
If you give up soon, remember your dog will give up too. You need to be steady and stick it out till your puppy is trained well enough.
Plan
Make sure beforehand what and what not you want your dog to do. Like if you want them to sleep by your side, train them for that. If you’re sure you need your personal space, never let them snuggle in your bed.
Authoritative Attitude
Dachshunds can be manipulative. They can easily fool you by their meek looks. Don’t fall into their trap. Make sure you stick to your guns and make them realize from the first day that you’re the boss.
Positive Attitude
Rewarding your dachshunds is the best strategy for dachshund training. Dachshunds follow your commands pretty well when they know a treat is awaiting them. Make sure you don’t spoil your dog by excessively rewarding him.
Calculated Sessions and Least Distractions
Dachshunds get distracted easily. Anything from people to their surroundings catches their attention, and they lose their focus. Keeping their training spans short to about 10 to 15 minutes is perfect. Repeat the sessions thrice or four times a day until he makes the lesson’s head and tail. Besides, to keep them from distractions, make sure you choose a space where they could get the least distracted.
No Grudge
Never hold a grudge against your little pal. Dogs live in the present, and if you punish them for hours, they won’t remember what the punishment is for and might start fearing you.
How to Housetrain a Dachshund?
Now that you are aware of the fact that dachshunds are notorious for their challenging training, we have compiled for you a comprehensive list that will help to train your dachshund and make him a good dog in the long-run.
Elimination
When you first bring your puppy to your home, be sure of the space that will be their elimination station. Before taking them inside the home, take them to their elimination spot.
It may be a place in your yard or whatever suits you best. Puppies tend to eliminate in the same place. They should know their elimination spot as soon as they step into your life, and the groundwork for housetraining is already set.
This doesn’t mean your work is over. You have to take your puppy to the spot from time to time, especially before putting them to bed or the first thing in the morning and after play sessions and mealtime.
An adult dog needs to eliminate around four times a day, while a puppy might need to go often. Reward them after they eliminate in their spot. This may take a couple of months, but once they know where to get their jobs done, you need not worry!
Barking
Dachshunds are famous for excessive barking. They either bark to seek your attention or if they are distracted by something.
Make sure you ignore them while they bark and to remove the distraction that catches their sight. Never treat them to stop barking. You are encouraging the behavior, and your dog might bark more often to get more treats.
Crate Training
Puppies must be trained to stay in a crate. Don’t keep them in for long because they might soil the crate and get used to doing that. But make sure you ensure proper crate-training.
Exercising
Exercising your puppy regularly is significant. Dachshund is exceptionally energetic, and if this energy isn’t utilized in a better place, it might come out destructively.
Make sure the exercising routine is safe and doesn’t involve too many jumps or stair climbing. Their long backs are prone to injuries.
Collar/Harness/Leash Training
You must teach your dachshunds to keep wearing a collar or harness and leash train them. Your puppy might resist it but reward them with a treat every time they wear a leash.
Never take them on walks without a leash. They may run to chase a squirrel or anything that catches their attention no matter how much you practice.
Routine-Setting
Making your puppies creatures of habit will make them respond well to the routine. Set their bedtime, training time, elimination time, and mealtime.
This might take some time and effort, but you will be laying a firm foundation for more comfortable training, and ultimately, a more comfortable life.
Teach them Commands
Well, you already know that dachshunds don’t understand English. Keep your commands short like ‘sit’ or ‘come.’ Teach them the behavior you expect when you say certain words.
Last Words
Dachshunds are tough nuts. They enjoy dominance and think they are people, but the fact is, they aren’t. They must be given proper training to live with people. The training requires a lot of patience and consistency.
If you fail to effectively raise your dachshund, he might become a pain in your neck and the people around you. Dachshunds may damage your belongings, harm you or other people, or even themselves.
But with appropriate training, get ready to have a companion who will love you unconditionally.
Happy Dachshunding!
