I Love my
Dachshund
Not human bean, more than a human been!
Training-House
Crate training works well for housebreaking the Dachshund. Because this breed can be stubborn, and because their accidents are easy to miss due to their size, it's important to be very persistent in house breaking them. If they have an accident that goes unnoticed, they will believe that going to the bathroom in the house is acceptable, and the habit will be nearly impossible to break. Keeping your puppy in his crate unless you are actively interacting with him will help ensure that there are no accidents. Puppies should not be allowed to roam the house unsupervised until they are consistently house trained.
The first step toward taking the reins in the dog-human relationship is to know your Dachshund. All Dachshunds have unique qualities and instincts. Knowing them and taking advantage of the characteristics of the breed will help you take and maintain control.
Although each Dachshund is different in some ways, they’re all
basically the same. Each characteristic in this section carries with
it certain training
challenges.
Training Dachshund
There are many methods advocated for toilet training a puppy. Our favored method was found on the net two years ago after a difficult time was had with the newspaper method. Bracken didn't like the paper, it's sound, feel and especially being picked up and moved to it mid squat. We assumed Bo would also dislike the method.
The method that worked like a dream was:
* First - being there because mini wire dachshunds are not solitary dogs
and need company.
* Keep the little one in a closed basket when play or activity is
finished.
* Each time the basket is opened go strait outside and wait up to 15
mins for the pup to toilet, then do an activity indoors before putting
the pup in the basket to sleep.
* Following meals when pressure might increase on the bowls, go outside
with the pup for up to 15 minutes.
It's wise to leave your Dachshund in his crate when you leave the house even after he's house trained, since they are prone to destruction when bored. After a period of time, you will know your dog well and will know whether or not it's safe to allow him to roam the house when you're away.
Use gentle, consistent training to show them you’re happy with one or two barks. Because they bred to bite and kill, Dachshunds, unlike Retrievers, have no bite inhibition. They may snap first and ask questions later, so don’t leave Dachshunds alone with toddlers, unruly children, or aggressive dogs.
The aim of the method is to get the puppy use to toileting outside.
Dogs rarely go in their sleeping area and they get used to going
outside, plus you avoid accidents that can scent the floor and encourage
a habit to form later.
The method only took a week to learn and Bo was happy to sleep and be
put in her (cat) basket. Sure there were re-lapses, but re-educating
again with this method took only one or two toilet sessions.
Dachshunds have small bladders and an occasional accident is
inevitable, so never punish or get angry, simply put the dog outside for
a few minutes while you cool down and clean up, then return to the
basket method, putting the dog away after some play. The basket
shouldn't become associated with punishment, but rest and safety.
If you drag your dog to the accident spot and scold or rub its nose in
the mess your dog can't link the process of going to the toilet, the
mess, and your behavior - even 30 seconds later. If your dachshund is
severely punished this can lead to "submissive urination" and cowering,
which can be a very difficult problem to solve. The aim must be to
educate the dog and not to relieve anger or frustration through
punishment.
A carpet cleaning spray will clean and de-scent a carpet. If you catch
you miniature dachshund about to go indoors, a sharp hand clap and "No!"
should do the trick.
Some male dogs may always have a tendency to cock a leg on furniture.
Castration is not a sure solution, but your vet can advise. Bitches in
our experience like to sneak off and empty their bladder at night, while
you sleep. Bo in a month sleeps 80/20 - basket/bed, we can judge when a
puddle is due depending on whether she goes during the night-time walk.
How to Fix Excessive Barking
It’s normal for a dog to bark a few times to warn you of an intruder,
but excessive, wild barking is unacceptable. To tone down barking, shake
a can of pennies when your dog barks too loudly. When he stops barking
to see what this new racket is, call him and give him a treat. Keep
doing this until he learns to come to you for a treat rather than
continuing to bark.
How to Fix Inappropriate Chewing
Chewing is a natural dog behavior, so rather than try to prevent it
entirely, redirect the urge to appropriate objects, such as a chew toy.
Use bitter apple spray (a harmless substance that tastes bad to dogs) on
woodwork and furnishings to prevent unwelcome chewing, and confine your
dog in his crate whenever you can’t supervise him.
How to Fix Jumping
Put your dachshund on a leash and tell him to sit. Have a helper
approach to pet the dog. If your dog gets up, the helper should back out
of your dog’s reach, and you should hold tight to the leash so that your
dog can’t follow. Wait for your dachshund to sit again. (Don’t tell him
to sit—just wait.) When he sits, ask the helper to approach again.
Repeat until your dog stays seated as the helper approaches. Reward with
praise or a treat. Repeat the process in several locations, including
outside with other people around.
How to Fix Digging
Dachshunds enjoy digging but this habit can destroy your yard. To save
your lawn, consider giving your dachshund his own sandbox in which you
bury balls, toys, and treats. He’ll soon prefer digging in the sandbox.
If you do catch your dachshund digging outside of his sandbox, don’t
make a fuss. Call him over, and reward him if he comes. If he keeps
digging, calmly and gently take him from the digging area and say “No!”
in a firm voice. Then ask him to sit, and reward him once he does.
Seeking Professional Help
If your dachshund doesn’t respond to your behavior training, you may
need to bring in professional help. Dog trainers can help you with basic
obedience problems, while dog behaviorists are suitable for more severe
problems, such as aggression, phobias, and separation anxiety.
Digging
If you have a Dachshund and your backyard fence isn’t buried at least a foot underground, you probably know all about the Dachshund’s penchant for digging. Some Dachshunds dig more than others, but in general, they all love it after they discover how fun it is.
Your Dachshund can behave in the most maddening ways: digging under
your fence and running off, digging up your flower beds and vegetable
gardens, and
even attempting to dig through your carpeting and furniture. However,
you have no excuse not to prepare. You can line the bottom of your fence
with bricks or rocks or even pour a foundation under the fence. Grow
your garden somewhere else or put a fence around it. it’s all part
of life with a Dachshund.
If your Dachshund insists on digging in a specific area on your carpet or furniture, break out the Bitter Apple or another chewdeterrent spray and take action (consult your vet and follow the package directions). Be vigilant and prevent destructive digging before it gets too destructive. And don’t get mad if your Dachshund digs. You can’t argue with instinct, and he isn’t doing it to make you mad. He just thinks it’s really, really fun.
Dachshunds are born for den and earth dog trials. If your Dachshund really likes to burrow under things, you probably have a natural. Earth dog and den trials don’t take much training. They’re events that utilize a dog’s natural instinct and aren’t for exhibiting special skills developed by training (although the bury-the-toy-in-the-sandbox game probably will help to hone your Dachshund’s natural instinct).
Dachsies manipulate
If you get a Dachshund, you’re dealing with a hunter, a
tracker, a digger, an athlete, and an actor destined for whatever stage
you’ll give him. The combination results in a unique set of
Dachshund wiles. Dachshund wiles are hard to
define, yet exceedingly powerful. They make up the force that
mysteriously compels you to hand over half of your hot dog to your
devious little darling, even when you’re still hungry. They keep you
from answering the phone when your Dachshund is curled on your lap. They
keep you from staying angry at your Dachshund for more than five
seconds. And they
somehow propel you, each and every night, to the very edge of your bed,
reserving most of the space on your king-sized mattress for your
Miniature Dachshund.
Always remember to reward the good behavior, not the bad. In other
words, turn the tables on your clever little pet. If he recognizes that
begging only gets him ignored, but that lying quietly in the corner
during dinner leads to you serving her dinner, then congratulations.
You have the upper hand. When you make him realize that bad behavior
results in nothing, and that good behavior a well-behaved greeting when
you arrive home, with an eager wagging tail but no jumping, for example
gets him plenty of praise, stroking, and kisses, you’ll be manipulating
him in the best way.
After your Dachshund is well-trained, you’ll be able to bend the rules now and then. However, if you make it a habit to enforce rules only when you have the energy, you may as well forget the rules altogether. Your Dachshund won’t understand inconsistent enforcement. He won’t know how you’ll react when he does something, so he won’t even try to anticipate. He’ll just do what he wants to do.
If you don’t decide from day one to be in charge of your Dachshund’s behavior, he’ll take you for a ride. You’ll be a slave to his whims, his bad habits, and his begging, barking, chewing, housebreaking mishaps, and other behaviors that you never dreamed you’d have to endure.
