How To Stop Dachshund Behavior Problems
Many Dachshund owners would agree that doxies are the most loving family dog, but they can sometimes act out of spite and have choosy listening skills.
It can be very frustrating when experiencing Dachshund behavior problems. Luckily, by using some positive training techniques, many behavior challenges can be corrected…even in a Dachshund.
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Table Of Contents
Common Dachshund Behavior Problems
The most common Dachshund behavior problems include: Separation Anxiety, Excessive Barking, Eliminating Indoors, Digging, Destructive Chewing, and Aggression.
Let’s look at each of these issues and discover some helpful ways to resolve them.
Dachshund Separation Anxiety
We all want our dogs to feel calm and comfortable when we have to leave the house. So, it is important to understand what to do when Separation Anxiety strikes.
Separation Anxiety training is needed to help your dog learn that you will be back and they don’t need to panic when you are away.
Training Tip: If your dog has separation anxiety, most of the destruction will occur in the first 30 minutes of your departure.
Tips For Treating Separation Anxiety
Avoid Triggers
Certain noises, like getting your keys out or saying “Good-bye” can trigger a separation anxiety episode in your Dachshund.
Avoid direct interaction with your pup right before you leave.
Dogs reflect your behavior and will start to get upset if you indicate that you are leaving.
Walking
Taking your pup on a 20-minute walk each day before you leave and when you return will help calm their stress and anxiety.
Hired Help
Don’t let your Dachshund “hold it” for more than 4-5 hours at a time.
This can cause major panic and anxiety in your dachshund and it will cause them to have embarrassing accidents in your home.
If you work full time or are unable to let your doxie out during the day, hire some help or take your pup to a doggie daycare.
Search online for some local dog walkers in your area. I like to use Rover.com for dog walkers and boarding.
Catching Them In The Act
If you catch your Dachshund in the act of destroying something in the home through the window or remotely on a doggie camera, don’t go back inside your house!
This will reinforce the behavior. This will teach them to destroy something to get you to come back home…and you don’t want that.
Modern remote doggie camera systems (From Amazon) allow you to speak through a microphone so you can tell your dog to stop when they are up to no good.
Keeping Your Dog Occupied
Interactive dog toys and puzzles can help your dog stay mentally stimulated, so you don’t have to worry about them getting bored while you are away.
Dog IQ Puzzles: I found some great Doggie IQ Puzzles, Boredom Buster Activity Mats, and Interactive Tech Dog Toys worth checking out on my Dog Gift Post.
Treat Toys: Consider giving your dog a frozen peanut butter Kong toy treat before you leave. This is one of my favorite ways to keep my Dachshunds occupied for hours while I’m away.
Consult A Vet
For more severe cases of separation anxiety, consult your vet for some help. They may recommend some medications that can help keep your dog feel calm.
Natural Antidotes
You can use natural methods to calm dog separation anxiety too.
Calming Supplements
- Dog Calming Chews from Ready Pet Go help promote relaxation and helps reduce hyperactivity.
Sleeping Habits
Make sure your pup is getting enough sleep. Give them a comfortable dog bed and blanket to feel safe and warm at night or during nap time.
Excessive Barking
Why Do Dachshunds Bark So Much?
Dachshunds tend to bark excessively when they’re bored, excited, or simply craving some extra attention. But let’s be honest here, barking is one of the most well-known Dachshund personality traits. Along with their obsession with food, a doxie’s booming bark is practically built into the breed!
Dachshunds are naturally territorial and will bark to protect their pack (family members) and home. If your little long dog struggles with separation anxiety, this can also lead to excessive barking.
How To Stop Excessive Barking:
If your Dachshund’s needs are all met, but they still insist on barking at you…avoid responding verbally or physically.
Attention:
If you give them attention, they will continue barking to get more attention…creating a bad habit: Constant Dachshund Barking.
Give your dog positive attention and praise when they are showing good behavior (being quiet, not barking).
Exercise:
Dogs that constantly bark in the evening may be doing so out of boredom.
They need to have some playtime and more walks during the day to tire them out and help promote a good night’s sleep.
Distractions:
Dachshunds have “super senses” that help them do what they were born to do…Hunt, Track, and Guard! Their goal in life is to protect you and their home.
When your doxie barks at the door or window at something outside, tell them thank you (for keeping you safe), and lead them away from the area of distraction. This allows them to use their bark alarm a couple of times, but helps stop it from carrying on too long.
When they go potty outside, doxies are easily distracted by all of the sights, sounds, and smells of your yard. Try to find a quiet area of their yard so they can concentrate on the job at hand.
Post You May Like: Are Dachshunds Still Used For Hunting?
Eliminating Indoors
Dachshunds can be very temperamental. So, sometimes it can be hard to tell what the true cause of an indoor potty accident is.
Dachshund accidents in the house can be related to separation anxiety, undesirable weather outside, lack of training, Illness, or extra excitement.
It’s not always out of spite or payback.
Digging
Why Do Dachshunds Dig? Dachshunds were bred to hunt badgers.
During the hunt, they had to do a lot of digging to help track down their prey.
Nowadays, doxies may dig out of boredom, hormones, temperature, or protecting their property.
Boredom:
Your dog may be bored and need something more constructive to do. Keep up their daily exercise, walking, or play routine to tire them out.
Hormones:
They may be hormonal or in-heat. Of course, the solution to this would be visiting your vet to get them spayed or neutered.
Temperature:
Your doxie might be too hot on a summer day and wants to dig and lay in the cool dirt. Be careful though, if that cool dirt is moist, it may contain nasty parasites or worms that can burrow into your dog’s skin, eww!!
Help your doxie find some cool shade or air conditioning so they are more comfortable.
Protecting Property:
A Dachshund may want to bury their favorite toy or bone.
My dachshunds love to dig and bury their toys in the couch cushions or cover their food bowls with a towel…it’s just something they do.
Chewing
As young puppies, Dachshunds use their mouths to explore their surroundings.
It is important to have lots of chew toys and bones available that your dog is allowed to chew, so he doesn’t go looking for your shoes or furniture.
Excessive Dachshund chewing can also be caused by Separation Anxiety.
Aggression
Dachshund Aggression is the worst! So many doxie owners feel lost and upset when their loving Dachshund literally turns into a vicious brat. If your Dachshund shows their dominance towards people or dogs, they may have issues with submitting to authority.
Why Is My Dachshund Aggressive?
First, we need to look at some possible reasons for aggressive behavior in your Dachshund. Then, we will review some helpful tips to tame it.
What to Do About Dachshund Aggression
More Exercise:
Adding some more exercise to your Dachshund’s daily routine will help reduce stress and anxiety.
By walking, you are meeting your dog’s physical and mental needs. If your dog is cooped up all day, they may become more aggressive, bored, or depressed.
They need to get outside and move, just as much as you do.
One-on-One Training:
Your Dachshund loves spending time with you and earning yummy treats. So set aside some special training time each day for some one on one with your dog.
Professional Help:
If adding more exercise and revisiting command training still isn’t working for your dog, it’s time to seek professional help. Ask your vet to recommend a specialized dog behavior trainer in your area or you can do it right online. Dog training programs can be a great resource for addressing Dachshund separation anxiety and other behavioral issues.
To avoid any legal ramifications, get some help to cover yourself before your dog is the cause of any injury.
Cover Yourself: If your Dachshund is known for biting, consult your vet and keep them away from children. Post signs on your property to warn visitors about any potential dangers when they enter your home or yard.
Educate Yourself: Become more familiar with canine resource guarding and conditioning techniques. Here is a great post from Dr. Patricia McConnell called The Other End of the Leash.
Dachshund Possession Aggression
Friends, if you notice your Dachshund getting a bit possessive over their food or toys, check out my post called “The Dark Side of the Dachshund in Your Bed.”
In this article, I explain why it’s essential to address signs of possession aggression (aka resource guarding) early on. I share insights on how this behavior can escalate to other belongings, like your furniture and explain what steps to take to handle this type of behavior.
Bonus Tip
Many of the unwanted behaviors listed above are caused by doxie hormones and can be reduced or even eliminated by getting your Dachshund dog spayed or neutered. But, it is recommended to wait until a certain age to prevent serious health risks and developmental issues.
Read More: 5 Reasons Why You Should Wait To Fix Your Dachshund
When Do Dachshunds Calm Down?
In my experience, Dachshunds start to calm down around 1 year of age. As with most small breed puppies, that 1 year mark can be a game changer for many.
I get it! Dachshund puppies are so darn cute, but that first year takes a lot of patience to survive puppy training.
Dog Breed Comparison:
When I was first married, my husband and I had a mini dachshund, a dachshund-beagle mix, and a German Shepherd. We went a little overboard on the doggie family.
My mini dachshund had less puppy energy, less chewing and less potty training issues when he turned one.
My German Shepherd’s energy didn’t really calm down until he was 4 years of age. Everything else was tamed by 9 months.
My beagle-dachshund mix adapted to his brothers potty time routines and learned everything super quick by 9 months.
Disclaimer:
This post enables people to ask for and discuss dog health-related and behavioral advice, with the aim of connecting with other dog parents who may have faced similar situations. Our position is that the readers of this post fully understand that Dachshund Station does not endorse taking any advice given or received over that of a veterinarian or a certified dog trainer. Dachshund Station (Ava Jaine) is not responsible for the consequences of anyone choosing to implement any advice they receive.
The advice provided in this post is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice regarding dogs. For an accurate diagnosis of your dog’s condition, please make an appointment with your vet.
Are you struggling with Dachshund Behavior Problems? Please let us know in the comments below.
Helpful Links:
References:
- Schweitzer, Karen. 2010. Our Best Friends The Dachshund. Pittsburg, PA: Eldorado Ink.
- Pinney, Chris. 2010, 2000. Dachshunds. Hauppauge, NY: Barron’s Educational Series, Inc.
Hi, we have a 5 month old Doxie and are really struggling with puppy training. I have read all the articles and am trying to keep up with the advice but it doesn’t seem to be working. There are three main problems, 1) puppy training – he will often go out in the garden and/or for a walk and the wee/poo in the house on his return. It doesn’t seem to matter how often we take him out, he seems to hold his wee in until he is inside! 2) Biting – he wants to play but he has two extremely sharp teeth which can go through skin, he rarely stops biting our hands/clothes or even bodies when he is in a silly mood, we often have to resort to putting him in his crate. 3) Jumping up for food, even when we are having a coffee, he will jump up to get it. We have tried putting him straight back down and saying no like 100 times whilst we eat, it seems to make no difference, and again often means he ends up in his crate. Is this normal behaviour? Will it get better? Have you an extra advice? Thanks Emily :)
Hi Emily,
5 months is still a pretty young doxie pup, so don’t loose heart.
1. Puppy training: if you doxie is going potty inside your home, they need to go out every hour during the day for a potty break. If he does go potty outside, praise and give him a small puppy treat for reward.
Keep up this repetition, spacing it out to every 2 hours, etc.. when he starts to do better. If you catch him doing the pees /poos inside – usually he will start sniffing to indicate he is looking for a potty spot, take him right outside to a designated area for potty outside (even if he is still going potty). By doing this, you are helping retrain him that outside is the potty, instead of inside.
They also have a urine attractant spray that can help lure your doxie to pee on the grass if you need some extra help with that.
Here are my detailed steps on potty training a dachshund puppy.
Also, here is a great video to help with potty training challenges from McCann Dogs.
2. Biting: Yes, puppies at this age are going through some really painful puppy teething and they need to chew a lot! Provide lots and lots of chew bones, etc.. for him to work on those sore teeth. Also, during your play time, wear some heavy duty working gloves… this is what allowed me to continue to play with my puppy when his teeth were too sharp.
Here are some more details on dachshund puppy teething help.
Here is a YouTube video to help with puppy biting from McCann Dogs.
3. Jumping while you are eating / drinking: Avoid feeding your pup any table scraps…this will cause begging, barking, jumping behavior. If you haven’t been feeding your pup from the table, and he still trys to take your meal (or coffee), gate him in another room while you eat.
I have a couple of (human) boys who just can’t stay seated during their meal, so my dachshund Eko tends to strike when they stand up and sometimes devours half their plate in seconds… yes, the need to eat is common for dachshunds – they love food.
My Biggest Advice for you: Keep up the training!
There are lots of doxie parents going through the same struggles. The puppy stage for a dachshund does tend to need a bit more patience and time than other dog breeds.
Yes, it does get better – if you keep up the training.
Note: Around 9-11 months old, your doxie boy will start to show his hormones…do some reading up on that as well. ;) Take care, and thanks for your comment.
Hello! I have a almost 4 year old dachshund dog. Since he was a puppy we have had our older dog who’s an Australian Shepard (almost 7 years old). Probably around age 3 our dachshund started to randomly attack our oldest. It’s usually in the morning time and seems to have no rhyme or reason. It is also so random. It will be months without and incident. Neither of them are neutered. I did read aggression can happen when one isn’t neutered that’s why I decided against it. Do you have any advice on why this may occur and what we should do.
Hi Megan, Thanks for writing. Having any un-neutered dogs can cause aggression. If your older dog is in danger of getting a nip from your dachshund, keep the dogs separated from each other unless you are there to supervise.
Try taking them on walks together to see if they are ok walking together. If they aren’t ok, walk them separate. Also try some fun command training sessions with yummy dog treats. This helped my older dog, Bastian (14 at the time) get used to my new puppy, Eko (1 years old).
I get a lot of questions about dachshund aggression (as seen in the doxie parent comments).
My father in law is a dairy farmer and he always had his male cows (bulls) neutered after a certain age because their hormones always caused aggression – which is very dangerous for a farmer. It is really the same for dogs. Male or female, their hormones can be up or down at different times causing random aggressive incidents.
Consult with your doxie’s vet to see if they have some more tips for you.
Hi Ava, my miniature dachshund has just turned 3. I only really saw any aggression from him when he was eating a marrow bone, he would growl/snarl quite aggressively. This progressed to his bone and a plastic bottle. Then bone, bottle, blanket. Now he has started guarding anything I may be eating, so if somebody comes near me and he thinks they might take the food from me, he will growl/snarl aggressively. Also, when out and about, when walking he doesn’t generally bark, he’s more timid than anything else but I’d sat or stood still (if I’m sat on a bench for example), he will lunge at anybody or any dog walking past and bark aggressively. He isn’t neutered but do you think this could help? I’m struggling with knowing what to do for the best.
Hello, 3 years old seems to be that special age where doxies tend to show more aggression when they aren’t fixed (per the other doxie parent comments below). I’m not sure why this is.
Yes, I believe getting a dachshund fixed does help “Lower” the aggression levels. But, it does not eliminate the aggression. Please discuss this with your vet and they can give more info on that.
Here is a video (youtube) that discusses handling possessive aggression.
Here is another good video (called resource guarding).
This is also something that I’m working on with my Dachshund, Eko. He is very possessive of his toys and bones.
Making the “precious” item something that is shared with you and not just your dachshund’s helps with this issue. I wish you good luck with everything. I understand Dachshund aggression can be scary and very frustrating. Try out the tips in the video and talk with your vet… I really believe that will help you and your Dachshund through this.