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I’ve been training Oscar for three years, and here’s what I know: dachshunds aren’t stubborn because they’re trying to be difficult. They’re stubborn because they were bred to make independent decisions underground, sixty feet from their handler, with a badger in front of them. That independent streak isn’t a flaw — it’s the whole point of the breed.

But when your doxie is staring through you mid-“sit” command because a squirrel crossed the yard a block away, I know it doesn’t feel that way. So let me share what actually works.

Recommended Training Products (affiliate links):

Why Dachshunds Train Differently

Now, dachshunds were bred in Germany to hunt badgers. Not fetch, not herd — hunt animals that fight back. So a dachshund had to make its own calls underground without waiting for a human signal.

And that history shaped three core traits that affect every training session:

Trait What It Looks Like What It’s Actually For
Stubbornness Ignores commands when distracted Independent decision-making — the breed’s #1 survival skill
Prey drive Locks onto squirrels, goes “deaf” Instinct to track and corner prey, still wired
Selective hearing Responds perfectly indoors, ignores you outside Context-based attention — testing if the reward is worth it

Still, many owners try dominance theory on dachshunds. Pinning a doxie down or alpha-rolling them doesn’t earn respect. It breaks trust, and a dachshund never forgets a broken trust. Oscar still side-eyes the vet who pinned him for a shot years ago.

The approach that does work? Working with the dachshund brain. Reframing “stubborn” as “high standards.”

Setting Up for Success

So before you teach a single command, get these three things right.

The Treat Value Hierarchy

The best training treats for dachshunds vary by how much your dog cares. Oscar has a clear ranking:

  • Low value (kibble): Fine for maintenance practice indoors. Not worth his time outside.
  • Medium value (Zuke’s Mini Naturals, 2 cal each): The daily workhorse. Oscar gives me about 45 seconds of focused attention for one Zuke’s — exactly long enough for one training rep.
  • High value (Bil-Jac Little Jacs, liver-based): These come out for high-distraction scenarios. A squirrel appears on the walk? Bil-Jac time.

But here’s the honest part: Oscar gets soft stool if I give him too many Zuke’s in a day. So I rotate between the two treats. Start with small amounts with your dog too — every dachshund’s stomach is different.

Timing and Setup

And your mark and reward need to happen within one second of the correct behavior. If you’re fumbling with a treat pouch for three seconds, your dachshund has already moved on. So I keep Zuke’s pre-loaded in a waist pouch on training walks — no digging required.

And here’s something many people overlook: dachshunds have delicate necks and spines. A collar puts pressure on the cervical vertebrae during leash training, especially with a breed that lunges after squirrels. So I use the Ruffwear Front Range Harness in Small for all training walks. The front clip position redirects their momentum sideways instead of forward. (See my full dachshund harness guide for more details.)

Session length: short and frequent beats long and rare. Dachshunds bore fast. For puppies: 3-5 minutes. For adults: 5-10 minutes. I do three micro-sessions per day with Oscar — after his morning walk, before dinner, and during commercial breaks. Much more effective than one 30-minute grind.

Core Commands — Dachshund-Adapted

“Watch Me” — The One Command You Need Most

This is the single most important command for a dachshund with prey drive. You’re asking your dog to make eye contact instead of staring at the trigger.

I started indoors with a Zuke’s between my eyes. Oscar had to look at me, not the treat. One second of eye contact → click → treat. Then the backyard. Then the sidewalk. It took two weeks before Oscar could hold “watch me” with a squirrel 30 feet away. And those two weeks were the best investment in his training.

“Touch” — Better Than “Come” for an Independent Dog

Now, dachshunds are independent. Asking them to “come” when they’re exploring a fascinating smell triggers their “I’ll think about it” reflex. So “touch” is different — it’s a specific, concrete action. Hold your palm out, dog touches nose to hand, treat.

But I use “touch” for more than recall. It redirects Oscar when he’s fixated on something because it gives him a clear thing to do instead of vague “come here.” And it saved me once at the park when he slipped his collar — one “touch” and he came right back.

Modified “Sit” and “Down”

This matters more than most realize: dachshunds have long backs. Repeated sits on hard surfaces put pressure on their spine, and IVDD is a real risk. So ask for “sit” on soft surfaces — grass, carpet, a dog bed. Keep repetitions low.

For “down,” use the lure method: bring a treat from nose to floor between their paws. Never push shoulders down. If your dachshund resists, move on and come back to it. (More on spine-safe practices in my dachshund back health guide.)

Dachshund Leash Training: Leave It and Loose Leash Walking

Dachshunds were bred to put things in their mouths and not let go. So “leave it” training starts easy — treat in closed hand, wait for them to stop pawing, mark, reward from the other hand. I practiced this with Oscar and a piece of chicken on the sidewalk. It took a week, but now when he sees something sketchy, he checks in with me instead of diving for it.

For leash walking: front clip on the Ruffwear harness, high-value treat at your hip. When Oscar walks with a loose leash, mark and reward at the hip position. When he pulls, I stop. No yanking — he learns that pulling = no forward movement.

The FLEXI New Comfort Tape (16ft) comes out for recall practice in safe areas. I let Oscar wander the full 16 feet, call “touch,” and reward when he comes back. Still safer than off-leash recall for a breed with that prey drive.

Dachshund Behavior Problems — Real Solutions

Potty Training a Dachshund

And dachshunds hate cold and wet. This is a breed built for badger dens, not rain puddles. Oscar flatly refused to go outside during his first winter.

So I used the crate training protocol: crate when I couldn’t watch him (max 3-4 hours), straight outside the moment he came out. Praised and treated immediately. And I learned to carry him to his potty spot instead of waiting for him to walk there — the cold made him freeze mid-step. It took three weeks for the habit to stick.

Barking

Dachshunds were bred to bark underground so their handler could locate them. Problem is, they don’t turn it off above ground.

The “quiet” command worked surprisingly well. I taught Oscar to bark on cue first (“speak”), then introduced “quiet” — mark the split second he stops barking, treat. Repeat. And I had to manage his environment too: closing the blinds reduced his triggers by about 60%.

Separation Anxiety

Still, dachshunds are pack dogs. They bond closely and struggle alone. Oscar went through a phase where he’d howl the second I grabbed my keys.

So I used gradual desensitization: put on shoes but don’t leave → treat. Grab keys, put them down → treat. Step out for 30 seconds → return before he starts whining → treat. Worked up to 5 minutes, then 15, then an hour over six weeks.

But here’s the honest part: some dachshunds need professional help for serious separation anxiety. If your dog is destroying things or injuring themselves, talk to a vet behaviorist. This is one of those cases where a blog post can only take you so far.

Resource Guarding

Common in the breed. Oscar guarded his bully stick from me. So I used counter-conditioning: walk past him while he’s chewing and toss a high-value Bil-Jac. He learns that humans approaching his stuff means good things, not that you’re taking it away.

The Training Tools I Actually Use

Here’s the gear from my training sessions:

Product Why I Use It Key Feature
Zuke’s Mini Naturals (affiliate link) Daily training rewards — 45 sec of focus per piece 2 cal, soft texture, fast to chew
Bil-Jac Little Jacs (affiliate link) High-distraction emergency button Liver-based, strong smell, high value
Ruffwear Front Range Harness Small (affiliate link) All training walks — spine-safe Front clip redirects pulling
FLEXI New Comfort Tape 16ft (affiliate link) Recall practice in safe areas 16ft range for “touch” practice

A Simple Weekly Plan

Keep sessions positive and short. Here’s what works for us:

  • Monday: “Watch me” on a walk (5 min)
  • Tuesday: “Touch” recall with FLEXI at the park (10 min)
  • Wednesday: “Leave it” with high-value decoys (5 min)
  • Thursday: Loose leash walking with front clip (10 min)
  • Friday: “Quiet” command practice (5 min)
  • Weekend: One longer session mixing 2-3 commands (10-15 min)

End on a success — even if that means going back to an easy command. The goal is for your dachshund to be excited about training, not dreading it.

The Bottom Line

Dachshunds aren’t broken goldens. They’re independent problem-solvers who need to be convinced that cooperating with you is worth their while. So work with their instincts, not against them. Use Zuke’s for daily training, Bil-Jac for tough moments. Keep sessions short. Start with “watch me.”

And when your doxie locks eyes with a squirrel and ignores you for a solid five seconds — take a breath, pull out that high-value treat, and remember: you’re working with a dog bred to face down badgers. That courage is also what makes them the best little weirdos on the planet.