5 Tips to Get Your Dachshund to Potty Outside in the Rain

Updated 11/20/2024 by Ava Jaine

We’ve all been there – months of patiently potty training our Dachshund pups, only to have it all squashed with a couple days of relentless rain. It’s like they take ten steps back and we’re back to square one with potty accidents in the house.

Fear not friends! Here are 5 Tips to Get Your Dachshund to Potty Outside in the Rain.

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Dachshunds Hate Rain! But honestly, who can blame them? Our little long dogs are literally hugging the ground when they step outside to potty. Even on a crisp fall or spring morning, seeing that damp grass against their bellies makes me feel uncomfortable for them.

How to Get Your Dachshund to Potty Outside in the Rain

Luckily, there are some simple things we can do as determined doxie parents to help alleviate our Dachshund’s natural aversion to rain.

Stand Out There:

Put yourself in their paws: You’re way down low to the ground, surrounded by slimy, soaked grass as well as being soaked from above…while your owner is inside the dry house, feeling comfortable.

You’re feeling alone and very wet! Two of your least favorite things.

Instead of booting your Dachshund out the door on those rainy days, throw on your rain jacket and bring an umbrella to help keep you both dry.

Your Dachshund, at any age, is more likely to go potty outside in the rain if you are standing out there with them…enduring the uncomfortable weather too.

Woman walking with dachshund puppy on leash in the rain

Treat it Like a Normal Day:

Rain or shine don’t change up your Dachshund’s potty routine according to the weather conditions. Stay consistent with your potty breaks, and if the rain is light enough, still plan to take a brief walk outside with your pup.

You won’t melt, and neither will your Dachshund. If you power through the rain, so will they.

Turn it into a Positive Experience:

Encourage your doxie with positive reinforcement – when they do well, they get a treat! Help your Dachshund associate rainy days with something good.

Stay with them when they venture outside for potty time, and when they do their business, celebrate with verbal praise of “good” and reward them with a yummy dog treat or two.

Let them know it’s safe to walk, play, and potty in the rain.

Taking it a step further, when you and your Dachshund come in from the rain, wipe off their paws and undercarriage with a soft cloth and reward them with another treat or play toys with them for a few minutes.

This really helps bring it all home with the positive experience.

Note: Creating a positive experience with something new is called dog socialization training. Socializing your Dachshund helps them get used to new faces, places, and sounds so they are less likely to have behavior problems later in life.
Read More: How to Socialize your Dachshund puppy.

Provide Shelter:

If you’re a fellow doxie parent dealing with a Velcro Dachshund who sticks to you like glue, even in the pouring rain, no worries.
You can set up a cozy, dry dog potty oasis for your Dachshund, leaving them with zero excuses for indoor potty accidents.
Here are three ideas you can try if your Dachshund won’t go potty in the rain.

artificial dog grass on patio for dachshund

Pre-made Dog Potty Solutions: If you’re dealing with rainy-day potty problems, here’s a solution that you can try – artificial dog grass! You can easily place it on the covered part of your porch or deck. Dog parents love it because it’s a breeze to clean with an outdoor garden hose and it’s a piece of cake to install. This is the perfect fix for the extra stubborn doxies who just won’t brave the rain.
DIY Dog Potty on a Budget: If you would like a little inspiration for some genius DIY dog potty ideas, check out Dog Potty Ideas on Pinterest for a ton of cool ideas.
Dog Potty Project: As a third option, if you are handy with workshop tools and would like to create a dog porch potty with a wooden frame, here’s a YouTube video on how to build a Dog Porch Potty by Caleb’s Shop.

Photo Credit: Amazon, Django

Rain Gear for Dachshunds

When the rain just won’t quit, we’ve got some trusty tools to help your Dachshund go potty outside in the rain.

A Dachshund raincoat (pictured above) is a game changer at keeping your doxie’s extra-long back and barrel chest dry.

Use code DACHSHUNDSTATION for 10% off your DJANGO raincoat. The Django Brand link is an affiliate link and I will receive a commission if you click through and make a purchase, at no cost to you.

Pair the Dachshund raincoat with a dog umbrella to provide extra coverage.

These essentials will make rainy day potty breaks more of a breeze for both you and your doxie.

Wrapping it up

There you have it – some easy tips to get your Dachshund to potty outside in the rain.

Now, if you have a Dachshund that is still having accidents inside your home, even if it isn’t raining outside, you are not alone! We can help with that to.

We have a complete guide on Potty Training Your Dachshund Puppy that can be used for Dachshunds of all ages who need a little extra help. At the bottom of the post, there are some helpful Dachshund Training video guides as well.

Dachshund Friends, what works for you? How do you help your Dachshund go potty outside when it’s raining cats and dogs?