8 Easy Ways to Dachshund Proof Your Home and Yard
Dachshund Puppies are so adorable! Of course adopting one feels like the best idea ever. But wait! Dachshund puppy proofing needs to be done all over your home before they are set free to explore.
To avoid many stressful hours of trying to tame your wild weenie pup, here are the best ways to Dachshund proof your home.
Bringing home a new Dachshund puppy is a lot like bringing home a baby. When a puppy is set free in a new home, they will get into everything.
Many new doxie parents end up thinking their pup has a behavior problem – when in fact, it is actually a lack of Dachshund puppy proofing.
Don’t forget to check out our free printable puppy proofing checklist below.
Dachshund Puppy Proofing
You can think of these Dachshund puppy proofing steps like a checklist. Try your best at checking off these boxes to make sure your home is ready for your new Dachshund puppy.
1. Hide Chewable Items:
Get down on the floor and look through your puppy’s eyes, what can they get into?… because they will. Puppies love to grab, run, and chew anything on the floor to get some attention.
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Cords and Strings:
Hide the Electrical cords and Window pull strings. If your puppy chews on a dangerous electrical cord, this can result in a severe burn or deadly shock. Pups can also choke on window shade strings. Tape down all your loose cords and strings.
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Small Toys:
Bouncy Balls or small toys are objects that need to be kept away from your new pup. Small toys can block your pup’s airway and suffocate them to death. School Supplies, like pencils and erasers are attractive choking hazards for dogs.
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Guard these items:
- Socks
- Shoes
- Tv remotes or video game controllers
- Jewelry
- Furniture and pillows
- Houseplants
- Cat litter
- Dryer sheets
2. Use Puppy Gates:
If there are rooms in your home with way too many things to hide from your pup, install a puppy gate in each doorway. Don’t allow your puppy to access the garage or the shed. There are many dangerous objects that are hard to gate off – Keep out!
3. Designated Puppy Area:
I like to use a puppy playpen on top of an easy to clean vinyl or tile floor. Keep the designated puppy area away from the walls, cords, and any wooden corners. Dachshund puppies love to chew on Everything.
Post You May Like: Ultimate List of Dachshund Puppy Essentials
4. Baking Ingredients:
Lock up all of your baking ingredients, especially your baker’s chocolate. Dogs are attracted to the smell of chocolate – just like us, right? Chocolate is a deadly poison to all dogs.
5. Lock up the Chemicals:
Install some child locks on your bathroom or kitchen cleaning product cabinets. Dachshunds are curious little dogs. If they want something, they are determined to get it.
If your dog ever consumes any chemicals, call your vet or the Pet Poison Hotline ASAP.
6. New Puppy Rules For The Family:
Small Children:
If you have young children or grandchildren around, have a serious talk about being gentle with the new puppy. If the puppy is taunted and teased, they will learn to defend themselves and may develop behavior issues that are hard to reverse.
No Jumping:
Dachshunds have a very fragile back and are prone to a spinal disease called IVDD. All Dachshunds should avoid high-impact activities including jumping, running at high-speed, and any activity that will put too much strain on their spine.
Consider purchasing a few dog ramps for your furniture to help prevent injury.
Related Post: How To Avoid IVDD in Dachshunds
People Food:
Avoid feeding your new Dachshund puppy any people food. Feeding them table scraps during a meal will quickly become a horrible habit for you and your dog.
Dachshunds love to bark when they want something and they have no trouble continuing to bark without end. Table scraps are a big no-no in general for your doxie. Not only can it upset their stomachs, but is can cause extreme weight gain, which again puts them at a higher risk of spinal issues, like IVDD.
Push in Your Chairs:
Push in all of your chairs at the dining room table. You may think your Dachshund dog is too short and there is no way they can reach the table – Wrong!
Doxies are super smart and will do just about anything to get to food. They will use your chair or anything close by to get on a table, quickly swallow your meal, and dart away before you even know it!
7. Garbage:
Secure all of your garbage cans – this one’s essential for Dachshund proofing your home. Doxies love sniffing out the garbage in the kitchen and the bathroom.
Place the trash cans where your pup can’t reach them or secure the tops in case they get knocked over – been there, done that!
8. Puppy Proofing Your Yard
Dachshund puppy proofing your home and yard is essential to keeping your pup safe and feeling comfortable. Now it’s time to learn how to potty train your new pup. Check out more of our Dachshund puppy care tips here on Dachshund Station.
What puppy proofing tips work for you? Let us know in the comments.
Click on the image below to Print your Puppy Proof Checklist (PDF File):
Helpful Links:
References:
- Lunis, Natalie. 2009. Dachshund the Hot Dogger. New York, NY: Bearport Publishing Company, Inc.
- Schweitzer, Karen. 2010. Our Best Friends the Dachshund. Pittsburg, PA: Eldorado Ink.
Qould you recommend invinsible fence for a dachsund? We live in the country and have a big yard, but we can’t trust the dog to “stick around”. She is easily distracted by squirels and rabbits etc.
We hate keeping her on a leash so much.
Hi there, I don’t have a recommendation for an invisible fence for a Dachshund… I’ve heard a lot of doxie rescues say they can be quite dangerous for a small dog, like the dachshund. But, I do recommend a Dog Tie Out Runner for your Yard if you have the space. It is a Pulley / Trolley System that works nicely in a big yard. We did this when we used to live in the country for three of our dogs and it worked great. Gave them plenty of running space. (just train your doxie to understand where the max point is so they don’t hurt themselves, as with any dog tie out. You can grab one of these at your local pet store, or they have some choices on Amazon:
https://amzn.to/3AmRbIH
(This is an amazon affiliate link: This page contains affiliate links and I earn a commission if you make a purchase through one of the links, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.)