Dachshunds are very popular dogs who share similar traits with terriers. Their fierce loyalty makes them a great household pup, but they’re also known for having a ‘my way or the highway’ kind of attitude.

While stubbornness and defensiveness definitely make training a challenge for these dog owners, with the right methods and motivators, Dachshunds are a highly trainable dog breed. Keep in mind, a Dachshund’s noble nature means that they want to please their owners, and learning to obey serves as an excellent vehicle to satisfy their pension for pleasing.

Training a Dachshund is a layered endeavor, and you’ll want to start with the most basic levels in order to build a foundation before you move on to the more challenging areas.

Social Skills

Developing social skills is an ongoing process and your dog will forever be learning right from wrong. But, in order to curb the instinctual tendencies of a

Daschund, it’s important to have your pup interact with people and other animals as soon as possible. Historically, Dachshunds were bred to hunt small badgers.

In fact, the name Dachshund is German for badger dog. If you don’t socialize your dog from an early age, you may witness him chase other dogs (even double his size), children, or bark at anyone who isn’t you. The best way to avoid this is by having him interact with people and other dogs while he’s still young.

Crate Training

The thoughts on crate training are divided; some dog owners swear by it, and others don’t like the idea of keeping their new pup caged up for part of the day. The idea behind crate training is that it provides structure and routine when teaching your pup when to go to the bathroom, when to sleep, and when to eat. If you do choose to crate your Dachshund as the method of Dachshund potty training, the key is to establish a firm schedule with consistent guidelines. For example, a crate schedule would look something like this:

• Let him out of the crate first thing in the morning to go to the bathroom
• Feed him his morning meal in the crate
• Let him play outside
• Invite him back into the crate for an afternoon nap
• Let him out for the evening and for walks
• Let him back in to eat dinner
• Finally, put him back in the crate to sleep for the night

Puppy Pads

Using puppy pads is an excellent alternative or supplement to crate training. Put some down in your pup’s crate or in a designated area in the house where you encourage your dog to use the bathroom. It will teach him that there is a time and a place for relieving himself.

Respect Training

As opposed to “positive only” training, Implementing both positive and negative reinforcement is the cornerstone of respect training. If your Dachshund demonstrates the desired behavior, you reward him with praise, petting, love, treats, and more play time.

However, if he does something bad, you can discourage the behavior by reacting with disapproval (i.e. Alpha body language, a disapproving tone of voice, or ending play time). It’s important to use the same set of words every time. Dogs may not be able to speak English, but through repetition, Dachshunds are smart enough to learn the meaning behind some words.

Boredom and Frustration

Do not let your Dachshund suffer from boredom or frustration. They are historically very active hunters and curious problems solvers. Without the right amount of canine exercise and stimulation, they can quickly default to problematic behavior such as destructiveness, disobedience, and even anger. Playtime and rigorous exercise are a must!

Obedience Training

A professional training service is the most effective way to teach your dog the essential commands, but if you elect to research and train your Dachshund yourself, there are a couple things to keep in mind.

Dachshunds have unique physical structures, so take caution when teaching them to sit — do not force their hips down, as their skeletal structure isn’t quite as strong as some of their canine relatives.

As an owner, it’s important to anticipate frustration during training your dog, because Dachshunds can be very independent by nature. Keep training fun and exciting — training often goes south once the owner becomes frustrated.

Teaching Tricks

The fun part about Dachshunds is their ability learn tricks which is not only fun to show off to your friends, but it gives your pup the confidence to know that he is pleasing his owner. While teaching your dog to fetch, speak, hide, and shake are encouraged, certain tricks that place pressure on his spine are not advised because this breed has a history of developing back problems.

Training a Dachshund can be tough, but remember the reason they’re such fun dogs is because of their playfulness and integrity. Their stubbornness is only a result of being such independent, strong-willed pups. Once you curb your pup’s instincts to benefit your relationship, you will quickly realize that being in the company of a Dachshund is thoroughly rewarding. All it takes is a little patience!