Dachshunds can hear, for sure, because they have ears. But whether they listen, well... It is and remains a challenge, because how stubborn can a dog be?! Perhaps the tips below will help you get your four-legged friend's behavior under control...
Be consistent: otherwise your dachshund will find more loopholes in your rules than in the garden!
Start socialization early: expose your dachshund to different people, animals and environments. This way it will become a true world citizen on four legs!
Reward good behavior: Give your dog something nice when he shows desired behavior. This can be a treat, but also a compliment, a pat on the head, or playing with a favorite toy. The idea behind rewarding is that your dachshund will learn: "If I do this, something nice will happen!" This will make him want to repeat that behavior more often.
Keep training sessions short: A dachshund has the attention span of a… oh look, a squirrel!
Provide mental stimulation: Otherwise, your smart dachshund will become a master at the brain exercise called 'How do I escape the garden?' Puzzle toys and brain games will keep their active minds occupied.
Provide plenty of exercise: regular walks and playtime help burn off energy. A tired dachshund is a good dachshund!
Be patient: Dachshunds can be stubborn, so stay calm and persistent (they are too, haha).
Use their hunting instincts: integrate 'search' games into training to tame their natural drives.
Avoid physical punishment: this can cause aggression; focus on positive methods. Otherwise, your dachshund will become a master of the disappearing act. And dachshunds fit into most small corners, holes, etc.
Provide a strong leader: be the boss, otherwise your dachshund will think he is the king of the castle. So be the 'top dog' and not the 'hot dog' in the relationship.
And..can you do something with these tips? And if your dachshund doesn't listen, at the moments that it is very desired, then you can always write it off to the stubborn character ;)
