If you are the owner of a dachshund puppy or dog, or if you are thinking about becoming the owner of one of these lovable canines, you need to understand their personality traits, and you need to plan on training your new animal.
If you are the owner of a dachshund puppy or dog, or if you are thinking about becoming the owner of one of these lovable canines, you need to understand their personality traits, and you need to plan on training your new animal. A trained dog will be a happy dog, and you will be a much more satisfied dog owner.
Before you begin your dachshund's training, however, you need to understand a little about their personalities. Dachshunds are extremely intelligent, which means that your little dog may very well display an independent mind. Dachshunds are also loyal, so it will be in your best interest to cultivate a respectful relationship between you and your dog. Dachshunds are curious and brave, and while these are good traits, they can also lead your dog into potentially dangerous situations. You can help deter your dog from danger if he has learned to obey you without hesitation.
If you are planning on keeping your dog in the house, you should plan on housebreaking her as soon as possible. There are several different ways that you can go about this. Some people prefer to spread paper on the floor or use a "pee pad", which are typically sold in pet stores. If you do this, however, you aren't really teaching her to go outside. One solution that is popular with many pet owners is to crate train your dog. You can purchase a small crate and keep your dog in it. You will need to let her out and take her outside frequently, especially after she has eaten or had a nap. If she proceeds to use the bathroom outside, be sure you praise her lavishly. Your dog wants to please you!
You should place your dog's crate in a family area, so that he doesn't feel lonely. He should be made to feel a part of the family's activities, and he shouldn't be made to feel that the crate is punishment. Crate training isn't just for housebreaking your dog. Crate training can be used to control your pet, also. Unless you want to share your bed with your canine friend, you will need to have a safe place for him to sleep. If you are keeping him in the house, you will discover rather quickly that he doesn't like to be left alone. He may keep you up all night howling and scratching at the door. If you start him out in a crate, however, he will soon understand that this is his personal space, his own room, and it shouldn't take him long to adjust. While crates are excellent teaching tools, you should still give your dog plenty of opportunity to run and play.
Dogs are pack animals, and this means they look to their pack leader for instructions and security. You must take on the role of the pack leader in order to gain your dachshund's utmost respect. There shouldn't be a question as to who is in charge, and there should not be continuing power struggles between you and your pet. Since dachshunds can be very stubborn, you will need to establish yours and his roles as soon as possible.
You should train your dachshund using positive reinforcement techniques. You don't want your dog to fear you, just respect you. When he responds to you in a positive manner, you need to reward him with praise. You can also use food as a reward, but this can instill in your dog the expectation that he will be given food every time he does something correctly. Instead, praise him lavishly, and give him plenty of opportunity to excel.
You should always teach your dog basic behavior commands, such as sit, stay, lie down, and heel. Once your dog has mastered these, you can move on to more difficult commands. Before you teach your dog to stay, you will need to ensure that he understands how to sit on command. You should always call your dog's name to get his attention before issuing a command. Gently push his hindquarters to the ground as you say, "Sit." Praise him when he obeys you.
Once he has learned how to sit, you can begin training him to stay. Give him the command to sit, and step back a few steps. If he begins to rise, tell him to sit, again. You will have to do this repeatedly for several days until he gets the hang of it. To get him to lie down, place your hand towards the ground and say, "Lie down." You can snap your fingers if you like.
To teach your dog to heel, place him on a short leash and walk him close to your body. If he struggles against the leash or wants to venture away from you, keep repeating the word "heel" and gently pull him back to you. You will need to practice all of these commands repeatedly for several days, but only teach one command at a time to your dog. Eventually, your dog will begin to respond to your commands. Remember, you want to earn your dog's respect, so be sure you reward him with praise. If you beat him, he will only respond in fear, and this is not a good way to foster a positive relationship between you and your dachshund.
