Understanding and Addressing Common Dachshund Behaviour Problems
As with any breed of dog, owning a dachshund can bring with it certain challenges. Taking on a new pet is a big responsibility, and ensuring that they don’t develop any bad or unwanted behaviours is an important part of responsible dog ownership, and to ensure you all lead a happy existence together.
Now, I’m not a qualified behaviourist or dog trainer, but in the almost 7 years of owning a dachshund, have encountered a few challenging behaviours with our dog which we have worked through and consulted specialist trainers on over the years. The biggest thing we have learned is that the most important thing with any behavioural issue with your dachshund is to understand the reason why they are exhibiting that behaviour to begin with, as only by understanding and addressing the root cause of the issue, is it possible to get back to a place where both owner and dog are happy, frustrations are calmed and you are a confident dog owner again.
What are some of the common behavioural problems with dachshunds?
Excessive Barking in Dachshunds
Dachshunds as a breed are known for their vocal nature, as originally they were bred to hunt badgers and alert their owners by barking. However this does not mean that they should bark constantly, and at everything. While some barking is natural, excessive barking in dachshunds can also quickly become a nuisance.
To tackle this behaviour, it's essential to understand its root cause. Dachshunds may bark for a number of different reasons. Barking is a natural communication method for dogs, but they may also bark out of boredom, fear, or to alert their owners of perceived threats. Sometimes the way we respond to our dachshunds barking can also inadvertently reinforce this behaviour too. Finding out what triggers your dachshund to bark is the best way of getting on top of the issue.
For our dog for example, he is very noise-reactive and will bark at anything from the doorbell, to car doors slamming and even the sound of people talking outside the house. He is still very much a work in progress, however we have found the best strategy for preventing this behaviour is to use positive reinforcement techniques. This is something that a dachshund specialist trainer ran through with me, and it has had a positive impact not just on trying to train out his barking habits, but in other areas where we were struggling with him too. The idea with positive reinforcement is that you reward your dog when they display the correct behaviour, and using repetition, build up the positive association between displaying the correct behaviour, and receiving a high value reward, such as a treat.
In the case of barking, the best way to do this if possible is to anticipate the noise that triggers your dog, and immediately before they react by barking, reward them with a positive association. This then needs to be repeated, over and over again, until your dog understands that the “correct” response in that situation is to not bark. If your dog is triggered by the doorbell, for example, you could get a friend or family member to ring the doorbell as an exercise, or play a recorded doorbell sound on a phone during training sessions. Over time, positive reinforcement should help desensitise your dachshund to noise triggered barking,
Dachshunds can also bark for attention. If your dog’s barking is for attention-seeking, the worst thing you can do is to acknowledge this as by association this can inadvertently reinforce this barking behaviour in your dog (if I bark, my human gives me attention, therefore next time if I bark, I’ll get the attention I want). The best strategy in this instance is usually to ignore the dog while it is barking, and then reward or interact only when the dog is quiet - this can require some strong will and patience!
If the dog is barking out of boredom, it’s essential to make sure your dog is receiving enough mental and physical stimulation throughout the day. This includes regular walks, and where possible, making these varied and different day to day so that your dachshund gets the chance to explore new places and smells for mental as well as physical exercise. If your dog has good recall, allowing them time off lead for free play and additional stimulation on walks (or using a long line) can help with this. However there are also loads of other things you can do at home to help keep your dachshund happy and stimulated. A few techniques I was shown by a behaviourist include scent-work games - as dachshunds are hounds and were bred to hunt, scent-work taps into that natural behaviour and provides mental stimulation and enrichment - and also teaching your dog tricks, as the process of learning and reward can be very stimulating for your dog.
Dachshunds and Aggression
Aggression wasn’t something that I thought would be an issue with a dachshund before I owned one of the breed, but I have learned that actually despite their cute looks, like any other breed of dog, they can exhibit some aggression issues if triggered or provoked in certain circumstances. This can be aggression or reactivity towards people or to other dogs, and can be particularly concerning or problematic. If your dog displays any aggressive tendencies, this is going to be something you want to get under control as quickly as possible.
The first thing, as with all behavioural problems, is to try to ascertain the root cause of the aggression to then understand how to best address it.
One area we struggled with this was where our dachshund had started to attend a daycare setting, despite never having displayed true “aggression” towards any people, was beginning to display some problematic traits. We consulted with a well-regarded dachshund behaviourist, and I would always advise that you do this and seek professional help for any challenging behaviour that could be dangerous, such as in the case of aggression where it could lead to a bite.
Essentially the most important thing to do above all other things, especially if the aggressive traits are new or unexpected, is to consult with a vet. Our behaviourist strongly recommended this, in order to rule out any underlying medical conditions, or pain - such as a long term condition like hip dysplasia - that may be causing unpredictable aggression or unwanted behaviours.
If medical reasons have been ruled out, understanding what else is causing your dog’s aggression is important to know how to tackle it. In the instance with our dog, we found that he was becoming overstimulated in a daycare setting, as there wasn’t enough “down time” provided for him to relax away from the other dogs, which was then leading to pent up frustration, manifesting as aggression. The best solution for us was to actually remove him entirely from this type of set up, which has fixed the issues we were seeing completely. Our behaviourist also walked us through ways of working on impulse control when around other dogs or in particularly stimulating situations, as a way of promoting more calm behaviour.
Aggression can also be a fear-based response - your dog may, for example, have had a bad experience with something in the past and is therefore triggered by this negative association when encountering that in the future. Your dachshund may not like being approached, as an example. Positive reinforcement is again something that can work well here, as can calling your dog to you, rather than approaching them, if they are likely to feel threatened.
Separation Anxiety
We have written a post before about the challenges of separation anxiety in dachshunds and I would encourage you to read that post as it covers more in depth tips on how to deal with this issue. In general though, dachshunds are known for forming strong bonds with their owners and this means that they can experience separation anxiety when left alone, especially if they are not used to this. Symptoms may include excessive barking, destructive behaviour, and house soiling. Gradually acclimatising your dachshund to being alone through short absences, desensitisation techniques, and providing comfort items like a favourite toy or blanket, are some of the strategies you can try.
Resource Guarding
Some dachshunds may exhibit resource guarding behaviour, where they become possessive over food, toys, or other items. This behaviour can escalate if not addressed early. Managing resource guarding in dachshunds is also something we have previously written about. Typically, positive reinforcement is another good strategy to use here. However if in doubt, I would advise seeking advice from a professional.
What we have found over the years with our dachshund is that naturally you will encounter some behavioural challenges that need addressing, this is a normal part of owning a dog. However the key is to understand the causes or triggers of your dog’s behaviour and to address these with patience, consistency and positive reinforcement to help you both live together peacefully and happily. Always consult a professional for advice if you can, and if using a behaviourist I recommend seeking out someone well-versed or specialist in the dachshund breed.
