How To Get Dachshunds To Calm Down (A Dog Tested Guide)

Dachshunds are some of the most amazing dogs out there. But sometimes, even the best of dogs can get a little out of hand. Don’t worry, every dog owner has been there. In this article, I hope to help you with getting your Dachshund under control.

So, how can you get your Dachshund to calm down?

Do the following:

  • Ignore the behavior and do not reward the behavior with any undue special attention.
  • Remove the Stimulus. Removing the trigger should help calm the dog down.
  • Establish times and places where your Dachshund must remain calm.
  • Make sure your Dachshunds gets at least 30 minutes of exercise daily.

Dachshunds are known for being stubborn dogs, as you are rather well aware of by now. Training them to remain calm at all, much less consistently can be a real challenge. But it is possible, and using some of the advice and tips I’m about to give you, you’ll be wondering to yourself “When did it get so quiet around here?”

Ignoring the Behavior

The scene is set. You’ve just walked in the door, groceries in your hands, and already there’s a little furball yipping at your feet. You try to carefully shuffle towards the fridge, but trip and break the eggs you just bought. Egg yolk is all over the floor, it’s disgusting.

What do you do in this situation?

The most important thing for you to do in this situation is to remain calm. The eggs were just that. Eggs.

When guests are visiting, remember that it’s not the end of the world if your dog is a little excited.

When walking the dog, and they get in the way of another person, remember to keep your head on your shoulders.

Dog’s tend to mirror their master’s behavior, so the first step in having a calm dog is to have a calm outlook on the situation.

This next part will be difficult for most people, but it’s important to ignore your Dachshund’s jumping and barking. Do not give your dog the satisfaction of having annoyed you into giving it attention.

It may seem mean-spirited, but in the end, it’s what’s best for your relationship. Bad behavior is reinforced when you give attention as a reaction. Don’t do it. It’s not worth it.

What you should do in situations like these, hard as it may be, is to not respond to the dog in any way. No touching, no belly rubs, no eye contact. This will help your Dachshund learn to not use acting wild as a method of getting your attention and affection.

It’s important to be consistent with this pattern of not giving your dog attention when it’s acting crazy.

Perhaps you’ve just come back from a long day of work, and all you want to do is cuddle with your little buddy. If he’s acting crazy when you come home, and you reward that with a “Ben & Jerry’s” ice cream fueled cuddle session, it will make the dog think that they will get good things from acting up.

If it helps, just remember on the days you want to give your dog attention even when he/she is not being calm, that there will be a day where eggs are all over the kitchen floor, and it could have been avoided if you showed a bit of restraint.

Removing the Stimulus

This one is pretty straightforward. Removing your dog from the stimulus is a good way to get it to stop reacting to the stimulus. However, this is a temporary solution.

Removing the stimulus works when going on walks with your dog, or having guests over. You simply keep walking or take your dog to another room.

But perhaps the doorbell just rang. The first thing that your dog is going to do is run to the door. This can be an annoying habit to deal with every time someone knocks on your door.

Removing the stimulus is a good way to keep your Dachshund manageable while you work on training it to be more docile.

How To Get Dachshunds To Calm Down

However, if you find that you are the stimulus, and none of your training seems to be working, it’s best to get help from a trained professional. Do not try to completely isolate your Dachshund.

Dachshunds are very needy dogs. They can get separation anxiety, and suffer from panic attacks if they are left alone for too long.

Once again, removing the stimulus is a temporary solution. The permanent solution is to train your dog to not react to the stimulus.

Establishing a Quiet Place/Time

Patterns are important in training. Setting a specific place where your dog must be calm, or a specific time where your dog must be calm is crucial to helping your dog to chill out a bit.

One suggestion is to buy your Dachshund a bed. This bed will be the “quiet place” for your dog. Put the Dachshund’s food near the bed, and put distracting toys in the bed. Eating and toys are both distractions and can be a useful calming influence on your dog.

When stimulus arises, such as when guests visit, you already have a place you can put your little buddy where he will be distracted and calm. If you are consistent and firm about this place being a “quiet place”, your Dachshund will come to understand what you expect from it.

Establishing a quiet time is a good idea as well. Perhaps your dog keeps you awake at all hours of the night with constant barking.

Take charge of the situation.

Reward your dog for being quiet in the evenings, and ignore bad behavior such as barking or jumping around.

Remember, in your dogs mind, your love and affection is the ultimate reward. Give your affection freely when your dog does what you want him/her to do, but by the same token, ignore bad behavior.

Exercise

All dogs need exercise, but Dachshunds especially can get riled up when cooped up inside all day. Take them on walks, get them outside, and let them get their energy out in a good, acceptable way.

Make sure that your Dachshund has an opportunity to exercise for at least 30 minutes every day. It’s important for your dog to have this outlet. Keeping all this energy cooped up and leaking out isn’t fair for the Dachshund or you.

Another good way to get energy out that also serves as a distraction is to give your Dachshund a task. Perhaps teach your Dachshund some mental games, like fetch, or have it find a specific item that you’ve hidden somewhere.

When it comes to exercise, the goal is to release pent-up energy.

Related Questions:

Why are Dachshunds so Needy?

Before being domesticated, dogs were pack animals. They are used to living in groups, and the Dachshund, being a hunting dog has especially tight bonds. It can get separation anxiety which can cause panic attacks, due to a natural biological inclination to bond with others.

Why are Dachshunds so Stubborn?

Dachshunds were bred to hunt animals that live in burrows. This means that they are independent thinkers no matter how high the stakes are, right down to their genes. Would you let anyone give you backtalk if you had just fought a badger in its own home? I didn’t think so. This stubbornness can actually be a great asset, as once you’ve trained them to do something, they will remember it, and stick with it.

What to do if my Dachshund has Separation Anxiety?

Get professional help. Dachshunds are dogs that love their masters, but sometimes, they can grow overly attached. This is unhealthy, and professional help is can be useful in restoring your relationship to the way it should be.

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