Category: Dachshund Behaviour

Dachshund temperament can sometimes be aggressive as they were originally bred to hunt badgers, rabbits, foxes, and other tunneling animals. Their strong, muscular legs and long, stream-lined bodies allow them to dig out their prey and fit inside burrows.

Because they were bred to hunt, Dachshunds are strong-willed creatures who have a mind of their own. Their courageous nature sometimes makes them aggressive toward strangers and other dogs. They can even be aggressive towards their owners. However, training them at a very young age to establish who’s the boss will turn them into extremely loyal companions and lifelong friends. Early training will also ensure your dachshund develops and maintains a mild temperament.

Dachshunds are playful and lively animals, and will make a game out of anything his owner will do. They love to fetch and chase after balls but will not always bring them back, especially if they get distracted. They should be kept active, busy and entertained with regular exercise. Bored dachshunds tend to display behavioral problems, so it is very important to engage their attention at all times.

The typical dachshund temperament is know to have a stubborn streak that can be frustrating for owners. They can be willful and manipulative at times. So it is imperative that they see their owner as the one in charge right from the very beginning. It is also vital to maintain consistency during training coupled with a reward system of a treat or a favorite toy. Verbal praise and positive reinforcement is encouraged as well. Correcting instead of punishing is the best approach when training a dachshund.

Dachshunds are typically wary of strangers and are known to bark at unfamiliar people or dogs or even unfamiliar sounds. This temperament trait make them excellent watchdogs. They will definitely let their owners know if strange people, animals or cars are coming.

Despite being wary of strangers, a dachshund’s temperament can also be docile and they can make great family pets. They get along well with children, but owners should still be cautious if they are around very small children. These dogs can be picked up incorrectly or tripped over and get injured which can result in an aggressive behavior.

They also occasionally do not get along very well with large dogs and can be irritable and snappy with other dogs. So it is best if they are the only dog, although another dachshund should not present any problem.

Because of their strong temperament and instinct for hunting, dachshunds should not be taken off the leash unless in a fenced yard. They have the tendency to take off quite suddenly if they see something interesting and may not come back even if called. They are best kept in a backyard, however they particularly like digging so the lawn or plants in the backyard may suffer. It is best not to leave them unsupervised for long periods of time and to discourage this kind of behavior.

Training with consistency and positive reinforcement is the key to good behavior. If a Dachshund thinks that his owner’s actions are unfair, they may growl, snap or even bite. This is because they were bred to hunt, resulting in a determined and independent nature.

Dachshunds love treats, so a small food reward is the best technique for them to be trained quickly and effectively.

A dachshund temperament overall is one of fierce loyalty and protection. They stand up to any threats and can have an aggressive streak at times. However they are also loving and affectionate, and make great family pets as long as they are trained properly from an early age.

 

In this article we’re going to have a look at some of the most common Dachshund problems and how to prevent them. Back problems are the most common among dachshunds. This is because of their elongated bodies and short legs. Dachshunds are likely to suffer slipped and ruptured disks. To avoid back problems make sure that the dog doesn’t jump up and climb onto furniture by himself. Always carry the dachshund with care making sure that their whole back is supported. Discourage young children form lifting him. Keep the dogs weight in check because obesity strains the dogs back leading to back problems.

Dachshund problems are often prominent during training. Dachshunds are proud little creatures. They have a stubborn personality and are arrogant making training a huge problem. To make it easier, praise him enthusiastically during training and reward him with treats afterwards. You should never indulge his stubbornness as a puppy. Otherwise it will create greater problems later. Deal with their stubborn nature in a firm but loving way from moment you bring him home. Start by teaching him simple and basic obedience commands. They patient with them as dachshunds resist force and may become irritable when pushed. The dog may respond defensively and their aggression will surface making the whole experience unpleasant. Do not handle them harshly.

Another huge problem with dachshunds is that they have a mind of their own which makes them difficult to teach. They also tend to be manipulative. Show them that you mean what you say and be consistent. This will help eliminate dachshund problems in training.

Dachshunds tend to be snappy. Mostly when treated unkindly. Dachshunds are usually very affectionate and love getting the love back. They are playful and love physical attention like cuddling. Be careful how you treat dachshunds especially when you correct dachshunds, they may snap and strike back.

Dachshunds were born to dig. Even their long low bodies designed for burrowing into rabbit and badger holes. This can be one of the serious dachshund problems as they dig all over. They may end up ruining your garden, yard and flowers. They may even dig their way under the fence facilitating escape. Give the dog plenty of exercise to avoid all the digging.

Another of serious problem with dachshunds is aggression. Since they were bred as hunters they are therefore fighters. They do not take kindly to strangers and can be nasty. You must show him you are the alpha dog. Correct any sign of aggression quickly before it becomes full blown aggressive behavior. Socializing the puppy with other people also helps with aggression.

Another of the dachshund problems is jealousy. The dog can be jealous of other family pets and children when they want attention. They can be possessive of their toys and like to have their own space. Jealousy or possessiveness may be early signs of potential aggression towards anyone who interferes with their space. Put a stop to jealousy and possessiveness as soon as possible.

Dachshunds also bark a lot. This is one of the common dachshund problems often provoked by new sights or sound, among other causes like anxiety. Be very quick to deal with this problem.

Generally, dogs communicate by barking. Some barking is may be communicating something useful like injury. However when the dachshund barking is excessive it becomes a problem. Excessive barking is not only annoying to the dachshund owner, family and neighbors; it also stresses lungs, throat and chest of the dachshund. As a breed dachshunds are barkers. They are originally German hunters.  As hunters they are predisposed to becoming hostile and barking at anything and anyone. They are aggressive and like to dominate and may actually think they own the house and the yard and will bark when there is an intruder or even for the sake of it. Do not let them get used to it. Stop it at an early age when your dachshund is still a puppy as it will become a serious problem later.

Dachshunds bark for several reasons. Dachshund barking may be to protect their territory, to raise alarm or to get attention. They may also bark to say hi or they have a need. Injured or sick dachshunds also tend to bark a lot. The degree of barking often varies depending on the cause of barking.

When dealing with excessive barking, start by finding out why your dachshund is barking. It is only after finding out why your dachshund is barking that you will know how to eliminate the dachshund barking problem. To eliminate the barking you must eliminate the cause. For instance, He could be seeking attention. If this is the reason, spend quality time with your dachshund. Exercise with him and train with him. Have time set aside to play with him and cuddle up. Although, you should do not do this only when he barks as you will be reinforcing wrong behavior. It is best to ignore him when he barks for attention.

Sometimes if you leave your dachshund for a longtime he will become anxious and bark excessively. It therefore becomes necessary to teach him to be home alone. At first leave him for some minutes then build up gradually. Eventually he will get used to you being away for hours.

Dachshund barking may not stop immediately and you need to be firm with the dog. When the dog starts barking allow him to bark twice then command him in a strong voice to stop. If he doesn’t, walk away or take him to another room until he is quiet then praise him. When dealing with dachshund barking you may keep some toys to keep your dachshund busy especially if he barks because he is bored.

Dachshunds are known to be stubborn but do not scold your dachshund. Just issue the ‘QUIET’ command. If you shout it will make matters worse and take him longer to make a connection with the command amidst the yelling. Remain calm at all times. When the barking becomes excessive and nothing else works you could bark control collar. Nevertheless it is important to take your dachshund to a vet in case there is a serious underlying problem that is causing the barking.

Dachshunds are special dogs and every owner of a dachshund needs to understand dachshund behavior in order to handle the dog in situations such as training. Dachshunds are genetically aggressive. They may be small dogs but do not let the size fool you. They are very ferocious. Dachshunds are aggressive to both strangers and other dogs. Dachshunds do not like unfamiliar people and environments. Dachshunds can also be aggressive towards children and surprisingly their owners too. Dachshunds get Irritable when punished and not shown affection. When this happens they are likely to respond defensively bringing out their aggression. They are also very possessive of their toys, especially if the dachshund has never had a toy before. They are mostly aggressive particularly if they have had previous bad experience or are unsocialized. Dachshunds often display jealousy tendencies when they want attention, so spend a lot of quality time with them. Put a stop to early signs of jealousy as soon as you spot them.

Dachshunds are playful fun loving dogs. They are generally a breed of energetic, lively and charming dogs. They are also very affectionate and love to cuddle. They crave human companionship. For an emotionally healthy dachshund and to avoid bad dachshund behavior that may result from neglect loneliness and boredom, find time to play with your dog and to pet him and cuddle up.

Dachshunds are a very Intelligent and clever breed. When they do not follow instructions sometimes it is not because they are stupid but they just choose to ignore you. So choose the right time to train the dachshund especially when he is in a good mood. Particularly, it can be difficult to house train dachshunds because of their stubbornness. Indeed this dachshund behavior can make it very frustrating to teach them anything but persistence is necessary.

Dachshunds have loud barks. This is often a very annoying dachshund behavior especially if the dachshund is always barking and won’t stop. Some dachshunds have barking problems and will bark for no reason at all. Dachshunds are alert watchdogs who do not like strangers and so they bark when there are strangers around to protect their domain. They are very good watch dogs and bark to raise alarm if there is an intruder. On the other hand they are not yard dogs and should not be left outside unsupervised they can be very destructive and pose danger to anyone who comes into the compound. In any case don’t like being left outside or isolated from their human family. Dachshunds are devoted and loyal to their masters. They do not like being left alone. It is when they are left alone that they develop separation anxiety

Dachshunds are burrowers by nature so they will definitely dig around. If dachshunds are let loose, they will ruin your garden and dig holes all over the yard. The best way to avoid this is to keep your dachshund busy and make him exercise so that he has no energy left for digging around. You could also create a patch where he is allowed to dig. If you notice any dachshund behavior that is harmful and uncontrollable, seek the help of a professional.

Dachshunds were bred to be hunters. As hunters it is in their nature to kill, so it naturally follows that dachshund biting is in the genes. Dachshunds will often bite due to fear, anxiety or aggression. It is essential to teach your dog at an early stage not to bite. Because they are small their biting may seem playful and you may even ignore it as harmless. It may escalate to a more serious problem and bring out aggressive behavior that could be dangerous to other pets and people particularly children. So address the problem as soon as the early signs show up.

When it comes to fear it is the unsocialized dachshunds, more than any other breed are the most likely to bite. An event may have happened to trigger fear early in life making the dog a biter whenever he senses fear. Most shelter dogs are fear biters as they most likely have been victims of abuse. The biting makes interaction with new people and dogs scary rather than an event to look forward to. It makes owners keep their friends from visiting and taking a walk with the dog can also be a very tedious job. Sometimes the dachshund dog could bite if he is in a high state of anxiety.

Dachshund biting is also a way of asserting dominance. If this is the case, show the dog that you are the alpha dog and that you are the dominant one. Dogs respect their leaders and will do what the leader wants. In cases of dachshund biting as a result of aggression, avoid playing rough games. The rough games may bring out the dachshunds aggression. It may lead to biting. Fear biting and aggression biting are often confused but very easy to distinguish. If their ears are pinned back along the head rather than forward it most likely it is out of fear.

There are several ways of dealing with your biting dachshund. You should say a firm NO when he bites, even playfully. Do not punish him. Give dachshund plenty of toys to bite on. Do this every time he bites. You could also whine or squeal in a high pitch when he bites you. The dachshund will know that it hurts and try to avoid it.

Though it is possible to train dachshund at any age, when faced with dachshund biting, the easiest and best time is when they are below six months old. Never hit back at a dachshund for biting especially when they are young and do not understand what he has done wrong. It may cause the puppy to develop anxiety and actually make the biting problems worse as they tend to bite when anxious. It is more difficult to train an adult dog not to bite. You may have to seek the services of a professional trainer. Make sure your puppy is well socialized as early as possible. When the dachshund biting threatens to get out of control, it is best to hire professional trainer to stop the biting.

Dachshund dogs are known to have chewing problems. It is their natural instinct to chew and can therefore be difficult to stop dachshund chewing, especially given their stubborn nature. Some dachshund owners let their dachshunds chew on anything. Reason being that they think it is natural. Other owners do not allow the chewing at all. Well there could be times when chewing is acceptable and times when it is not. Keeping a dachshund from chewing is very difficult and depends on why the puppy is chewing in the first place. Though it is good to know that chewing in dachshunds is very common when they are puppies but most dachshunds outgrow it.

Chronic dachshund chewing can be very destructive. Chewing dachshunds destroy shoes furniture and house hold items. It therefore becomes difficult to keep the dachshund from destroying your belongings. Do not be discouraged. With proper training the dachshund will stop chewing as they are intelligent dogs.

Dachshunds mostly chew when they are bored and lonely. They will frequently chew when the owner is away. It is therefore a good idea to keep your dachshund active to avoid mindless chewing. So when you leave make sure you provide the dachshund dog with plenty of toys to play with, to keep him active. Alternatively, you could keep him in a crate.

Sometimes dachshund chewing may be due to teething. In such a case do not stop the biting but redirect it. Give him toys to chew on. In this case if you do not facilitate the chewing then do not get mad when he chews on your shoe. When he is teething the dachshund has to chew on something. When choosing chew toys for your dachshund do not choose toys that resemble the thing that he loves to chew most.  For instance, if you don’t want your dachshund dog to chew on shoes do not give him an old shoe to chew on or buy a chew toy that resembles a shoe. If your dachshund tends to chew on particular items you could use sprays like cayenne pepper. The items will taste very bad and the dog will never want to chew on the item again. He will associate those items with bad taste.

To help with the dachshund chewing problem, you should never let him nibble on your fingers, even if it seems playful and innocent. The nibbling will lead to chewing then biting. When he nibbles on your fingers make him stop. You must control his chewing from an early age even when it seems harmless.

When training a dachshund with chewing problems use positive training techniques and never shout at or smack your dachshund. The dog may respond aggressively, and it may end up badly. You should show the dog that it is not ok to chew on furniture and other stuff but in a firm friendly manner. Teach them to chew on the right things. When dealing with dachshund chewing, be cautious of what your dachshund chews on. You might consider some toys for dachshunds which can certainly help with the chewing. Some items may be toxic and may cause illness and in the worst case death of the dachshund. Do not let him chew things he is likely to swallow. He could choke on them.

The dachshund may take the number one spot in aggression but that does not mean that the dog cannot be trained. Dachshund aggression can start as early as when the dachshund is only 6 weeks old. Punishing, shouting or hitting your dachshund at an early age when they do not understand what they have done may lead to problems with aggression as he grows up. They may be small dogs but with so much inherent aggression and big egos. Dachshunds were bred to hunt badgers, so naturally they are genetically predisposed to be aggressive. They do not take kindly to strangers and can be very nasty to anyone who visits. Some dachshunds have been known to bite strangers and surprisingly their owners as well.

Dachshund aggression may be caused by several factors like dominance, fear, injury, disease or their genetic predisposition. The important thing is to address the problem as soon as possible. Aggressive behavior in dachshund may be dangerous and may harm people and other pets if not controlled.

When you notice early signs of aggression which show up as early as six weeks, you must address it before it becomes a full blown problem that will be harder to deal with. Dealing with dachshund aggression it is essential to socialize the dog by 14 weeks with other dogs as well as people. An un-socialized dachshund will exhibit aggression especially with strangers. Teach people to treat your dachshund with kindness. Dachshunds may become aggressive due to fear. Strangers, children and other pets would pose a threat triggering defensive aggression in dachshunds. Fear aggression may often cause the dachshund to bite. Kind treatment will assure the dachshund that people are ok and can be trusted. This will eliminate the dachshund’s aggression towards them.

Dachshunds like to dominate. The desire to dominate makes dachshunds aggressive. In order to control dachshund aggression in this case, the owner should establish dominance over their dachshund from an early age. The owner must demonstrate to the dachshund that he is the pack leader. Demonstrating dominance can be done in simple ways such as eating before he does. You may also be the first to walk into and out of the house then he follows. Train him to walk on a loose leash and not pulling ahead of you. Be a strong leader and teach him.

When dealing with an aggressive dog, you should know that aggressive dogs should never be rewarded. It will encourage hostility.  Furthermore, a dog needs to be spayed to lessen its aggression. When the aggression does not subside after several attempts to eliminate the aggression it is time to get a professional’s help. Do not ever let it get to a point where your dachshund is physically attacking people, it may be too late.

Do not play games with a dachshund that involve chasing. Remember they are hunters and are trained to kill and when such an opportunity is presented to them. Such games will trigger dachshund aggression. Besides, you can never outrun a dachshund so it is best to avoid such games altogether.

Dachshund whelping is the act of giving birth to puppies. Most dachshund owners are concerned about their dogs getting pregnant and all the dangers involved, such as straining the dachshunds weak vertebrae. This is because of their elongated low bodies which are easily strained during pregnancy causing back problems. Some dachshund owners prefer to avoid dachshund pregnancy altogether. It is also a fact that some puppies may be born dead or may die within a few hours of birth.

Normal dachshund pregnancy usually lasts between 63 and 65 days. But where a dachshund is pregnant with so many puppies, she may give birth prematurely. When your dachshund is pregnant you should feed her healthy food and feed her more. Increase her food intake by 50%.

The grand finale of the whole pregnancy process is the whelping stage. This is when you get to meet your new puppies. There are signs to look out for to be sure that whelping is finally about to begin. Pay attention to these signs and never leave your dachshund alone during whelping, a situation may arise that may necessitate the presence of a vet and you will have to call one.

The first sign of that dachshund whelping is about to happen is the temperature drop. But do not bank so much on this and walk around with a thermometer since it is not all dachshunds that have a temperature drop. The temperature may drop by a degree or two below normal just before whelping.

Another sign is that you will notice that your dachshund has no of interest in food 24 hours before whelping. She will experience lack of appetite. You may also notice your dachshund licking her vulva. This is also a sign that dachshund whelping is on the way. Then you will notice a gray water balloon-like sac hanging out of her vulva. She will walk around for a while with it hanging out. The moment the sac is produced stay alert as the whelping will begin any time. Dachshunds mostly deliver within an hour of the water sac being presented. The sac will open and a clear fluid will come out. Delivery will follow shortly after.

During the dachshund whelping process, the first puppy is always the most difficult to deliver. The puppy may whine and groan during the contractions. Monitor the dachshund very closely and with a watch. If no puppy is delivered within first hour of the water sac showing, that may be a situation to call your vet. When the puppy is delivered it will be covered in a thin film, sort of like polythene. The mother must lick off the film from her puppy to facilitate breathing. If the film is not removed within 6 minutes of whelping, the dachshund may suffer brain damage. If the dachshund is unable to remove the film you should do so yourself.

The entire process of dachshund whelping can take between two to twenty hours. The dachshund will deliver one or two puppies and stay for some hours before delivering some more. It is both an exciting and tense moment.

It is hard to imagine that the happy go lucky and playful dachshund may suffer from separation anxiety. Dachshund separation anxiety is not strange and is often seen in this breed. Surprisingly, the dachshund may actually develop separation anxiety even in adulthood. All dogs have an attachment to their masters. When you leave they become restless wondering whether you will come back.

There are ways you can tell whether your dachshund suffers from separation anxiety. A dachshund that has a separation anxiety problem will bark a lot and it can get annoying. You will also notice aggressive behavior in you dachshund that surfaces as you leave which can be very destructive and you will often return to a very messy home. The dog never wants to be alone or even without the owner around.

There are several things you can do to ease dachshund separation anxiety. First and foremost you should become a powerful leader. Dogs pay attention to their leader and respect him. As a leader you should demonstrate to your dachshund that you will always come back. You could try to stand outside the door for a while then return. You could do this severally on different occasions and eventually your dachshund will trust that you will always come back when you leave. When he gains this trust, start by leaving him for short duration then build up to longer time. He will gradually adapt to being alone. Obedience training may also be necessary when dealing with separation anxiety. You should be able to command him to stay quiet when you’re gone and this is achievable by obedience training.

When dealing with dachshund separation anxiety try to downplay your departures and returns. When you leave, do not make such a big deal, just leave. Most dachshund owners shower their dogs with so much attention and love just before leaving this only increases the dog’s anxiety. You should also try to ignore him 10-15 minutes after arriving home. It may sound mean but you are actually helping your dachshund.

To deal with dachshund separation anxiety, you could try varying your routines. If you do certain things before leaving, do them some other time if possible. Dachshunds are intelligent dogs and will notice the preparations you usually make before you leave. When you start doing these things the dog will become restless and follow you everywhere just to keep you in sight.

A trick you could use to sort out your dachshunds separation anxiety is to exercise the dog before you leave. He will get so tired such that when you leave he will snooze away. However this is a temporary method of solving the issue. You may try it while training the dachshund to stay on his own.

Do not get annoyed when your dachshund suffers separation anxiety.  You should know that dogs that exhibit this problem are the most loving companions. Still you must train your dog to be on his on for a while. When your dachshund is less anxious his general health improves both physically and mentally. Therefore, dachshund separation anxiety training is necessary.

Dachshunds are playful but you should never let your dachshund jump to high places as he is playing. Jumping is bad for their backs. However, simply standing on their hind legs is ok. As an owner of a dachshund you must keep a close eye on your dog and watch out for dachshund jumping until he is trained not to jump.

Dachshund problems arising from jumping are attributed to their long bodies which are so low due to their short legs. Strenuous jumping can cause wear and tear of the dachshund’s joints and spine, causing spine and back problems. If you see your dachshund jumping high and dropping back down you need to stop him immediately and make him know that it is wrong. Eventually he will learn and will keep from jumping.

You should not let your dachshund jump on and off furniture without assistance. Their backs may bend the wrong way placing pressure on the discs. Follow the tips given by your vet to deal with the problem of jumping by your dachshund. The dachshund may not know that it may harm is back by jumping and it is up to you to discourage him from jumping. This is important in order to avoid back problems which are a major concern for dachshunds.

If the dogs need to climb to some place lift him up and also bring him down and handle him in such a careful manner ensuring that you support his whole back. Dachshund jumping causes too much strain on the dogs back and can lead to serious injuries. Children should never be allowed to lift the dachshund as they may not handle him the way the dog should be supported during lifting. They may harm the dog’s spine in the process.

As a result of jumping, dachshunds are likely to suffer slipped and ruptured disks. To avoid back problems which are often associated with jumping it is important that as you discourage dachshund jumping, you should keep the dogs weight in check as well. It is much worse when an obese dachshund attempts to jump than when it is a healthy dachshund. The consequences are much more serious. This is because obesity strains the dogs back even more while jumping leading to serious back problems.

It is however unfortunate that one in every four dachshunds will become paralyzed in middle age from disk disease. The vertebra of dachshunds is weak due to their elongated structure and short legs. This sounds scary but it does not have to happen to your lovely cute sausage dog. Healthy dachshunds are known to live long healthy lives ranging from 12 to 15 years. You must therefore train the dachshund not to jump from beds and furniture and whenever he has to climb, help him by lifting him. Otherwise he may end up paralyzed due to dachshund jumping. You must be very careful with your dachshund dog. A dachshund is a special dog with a special physique and special needs.