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<\/p>\nDachshund, wiener dog, doxie\u2014these long-bodied pups go by a number of different monikers. They\u2019re small in stature but have a big bark. It\u2019s hard not to be drawn to this breed due to its adorably long snout, button nose, and unique body shape.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re interested in owning a doxie or have already brought one home, then you need to know about training. Though Dachshunds are small, their training shouldn\u2019t be neglected. Even small dogs need to be taught manners or they can be quite the terror, despite their size!<\/p>\n
We\u2019ll be discussing everything you need to know about training your wiener dog. You\u2019ll learn more about the breed as well as the importance of effective communication and consistency. We\u2019ll explain why positive reinforcement training is the best and why socialization is vital. Finally, we\u2019ll share the commands we think should be a priority.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s important to learn about any breed you own or plan to own. This way, you can have a better idea of what to expect from your dog.<\/p>\n
Did you know that Dachshunds are hunting dogs? The breed\u2019s name is a German word meaning \u201cbadger dog.\u201d These pups were originally bred to dig into badger dens and exterminate the critters inside. Dachshunds were seen as all-around hunting dogs able to work above and below ground; they were also used to flush, track, and retrieve game.<\/p>\n
Today, Dachshunds are more commonly kept as companion animals, though you will find some owners who employ them as hunters. Regardless, their history as hunters still shines through in their temperament.<\/p>\n
Dachshunds tend to be loving dogs who are especially affectionate with their families. They can do well with kids, but only if they\u2019ve been properly socialized during puppyhood. Similarly, Dachshunds are generally friendly toward strangers, though some can be protective.<\/p>\n
Dachshunds are very vocal dogs who will bark at anything and everything. This makes them great watchdogs, though sometimes they\u2019ll only be alerting you to a squirrel.\u00a0Finally, they are quite clever and can be stubborn at times. However, this cleverness also makes the Dachshund a very trainable dog.<\/p>\n
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Now that you understand a little more about the Dachshund, we\u2019d like to talk about a mistake that many people make when training their dogs. This mistake is to treat their pups like a human.<\/p>\n
Now, we\u2019re not saying you shouldn\u2019t love your dog; the bond we have with our pets is truly something special and we certainly believe it\u2019s love. What we\u2019re saying is that you need to consider what dogs can and can\u2019t understand as well as how they learn.<\/p>\n
For instance, the idea that dogs feel guilty after they do something wrong is prolific. However, there\u2019s not much evidence to suggest that dogs are capable of feeling guilt. Guilt is a complex emotion that requires self-reflection and being able to understand when you\u2019re in the wrong.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s far more likely that dogs have been taught to react \u201cguiltily.\u201d Dogs are incredible observers who are always watching our every move. They pick up cues in our body language that we may not even realize we\u2019re making.<\/p>\n
So, dogs learn that a scowl, a raised voice, a body that leans forward, a pointing finger, are bad. Then, they learn that cowering or other submissive behaviors tend to appease their owners. Oftentimes, dogs have no clue what they did wrong. Meanwhile, we humans assume the dog does know because they look guilty, and no progress is made.<\/p>\n
If you don\u2019t catch an undesirable behavior immediately, then your dog would never know to associate it with the punishment you doled out. Punishment, by the way, is not the best way to deal with undesirable behaviors, but we\u2019ll talk more on that in our section about positive reinforcement<\/a>.<\/p>\n To effectively train your dog, you need to think like a dog. The act of anthropomorphizing our dogs inhibits our ability to understand the true reasons behind certain behaviors. When you misconstrue a behavior because you\u2019re treating your dog like a human, you often end up a step backward in your training.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re treating your dog too much like a human, then you may not be communicating effectively. Remember how we said dogs are incredibly observant? You can use this to your advantage.<\/p>\n Dogs pay attention to your body language<\/a>, and so should you. This is one reason why dogs often pick up hand signals quicker than vocal cues. You can use your body language to encourage your dog to do certain things.<\/p>\n It\u2019s pretty amazing that dogs like us at all considering how our body language would often be considered rude or even aggressive in doggy culture. If a dog stands directly facing another, body held tall, it\u2019s seen as a threat. We humans stand like this in front of our dogs all the time!<\/p>\n By changing your body language to be less forward, you can encourage your pup to come more enthusiastically because you don\u2019t look like you\u2019re about to give a scolding. You can either lean back and shift your weight onto one leg or turn your body to the side.<\/p>\n Another important consideration about body language has to do with emotions. When we are nervous our dogs can pick up on that, just as they can pick up on when we\u2019re confident. Sometimes, these emotions directly affect our dogs. A dog whose owner is tense in an already tense situation may be more likely to attack. Dogs look to us for guidance especially in stressful situations, so even if you\u2019re not feeling confident, do your best to fake it.<\/p>\n Aside from body language, effective communication is clear communication. When teaching your dog a new command, be careful not to repeat it. You want to say it only once; otherwise, your dog may learn to respond to a command only after you\u2019ve said the word a certain number of times. Do you want your dog to \u201csit\u201d or to \u201csit sit sit?\u201d<\/p>\n One of the most important aspects of training is consistency. Consistency has two meanings. The first is that you regularly work on training your dog. The second, and perhaps most important, is that don\u2019t send mixed messages.<\/p>\n For instance, if your dog is not allowed to jump on you when you\u2019re wearing dress clothes, then they shouldn\u2019t be allowed to jump on you when you\u2019re wearing tattered work clothes, either. Along with this, everyone in your family needs to be on the same page about what your dog is or isn\u2019t allowed to do as well as which training techniques and commands you are using.<\/p>\n You shouldn\u2019t have one family member saying \u201cdown\u201d and meaning \u201cput all four feet on the floor\u201d and another family member saying it and meaning \u201clie down.\u201d When you are inconsistent, your dog has a harder time understanding what it is you want, and thus learns at a slower pace or even fails to learn certain skills altogether. The best way to train your dog is using positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcement rewards your dog for performing desirable behaviors. As a result, dogs are motivated to learn, find training entertaining, and often learn faster than when other techniques are used. This type of training will also strengthen the bond between you and your dog.<\/p>\n Punishment-based training is still relatively prevalent despite the big boom in popularity that positive reinforcement has seen thanks to advocates and social media (and science!). However, we do not recommend this type of training because it negatively impacts the bond between you and your dog.<\/p>\n Even if your dog shows obedience, it is earned through fear. Punishment-based training can exacerbate behavioral problems because dogs can become so fearful that they lash out or develop anxiety issues that result in other problems (such as submissive urination).<\/p>\n Furthermore, it is easier to teach a dog what to do rather than what not to do. If you simply tell your dog \u201cno\u201d and punish them for a certain behavior, they may stop doing it. However, they may also replace that behavior with another undesirable behavior.<\/p>\n Positive reinforcement, on the other hand, seeks to redirect unwanted behaviors into acceptable ones. For instance, a dog that jumps when people come through the door can be taught to sit or lie down instead of jumping. A dog that is just punished and told no may struggle to understand what is expected of them.<\/p>\n Clicker training<\/a> is a type of positive reinforcement training that uses a tool called a clicker to mark when a dog has performed a desired action. Dogs are taught that the clicking sound means they\u2019ve earned a reward. The clicker allows owners to mark behaviors with more accuracy.<\/p>\n Non-clicker training methods require rewards to be given immediately. With clicker training, however, the dog associates the behavior with the sound of the click, so it is okay if the reward is somewhat delayed because the dog already knows they have earned it and why.<\/p>\n Some dogs learn faster with clicker training because it better helps them understand exactly when they performed the action that results in a reward. It\u2019s a great method for training Dachshunds and other breeds.<\/p>\n When you first begin training your Dachshund, it\u2019s important to manage distractions. You need your dog to be completely tuned into you in order for them to learn a skill reliably. If there\u2019s a lot of raucous going on, they may be more likely to focus on that instead of you.<\/p>\n You should start in a quiet room inside your home. Once your doxie has grasped the skill you are teaching and reliably responds to your command, then you can move to a place with more distractions, like your yard. It\u2019s familiar enough that you should be able to focus your doxie\u2019s attention on you but distracting enough that your pup can learn to listen amid distractions.<\/p>\n You want to train a skill starting in an area with the fewest distractions possible, then move to a location with slightly more distractions once the dog has mastered the skill. Then, have the dog master the skill in the new space with even more distractions. Keep increasing the difficulty until your Dachshund will listen to you no matter what\u2019s going on around you.<\/p>\n People don\u2019t always think of socialization as training because you are not teaching your dog commands. However, obedience training isn\u2019t the only type of dog training out there. Socialization teaches your dog to be calm in the face of anything whether that be fireworks, car rides, meeting other dogs, or meeting new people.<\/p>\nEffective Communication<\/h2>\n
Consistency<\/h2>\n
\n<\/a><\/p>\nPositive Reinforcement<\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nClicker Training<\/h3>\n
Manage Distractions<\/h2>\n
Socialization and Handling<\/h2>\n
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