New Dachshund owners make mistakes – it is only natural. It is all about limiting the Dachshund owners mistakes and we have 14 things to avoid.
When you first bring home a dachshund, especially a puppy, they are like children and will explore, start chewing anything, and try and get into any closet, door, or area you don’t want them to.
There are other things your new dachshund will do too. In fact, we’ve got 14 mistakes Dachshunds owners make that can be avoided.
1. Not Supervising Your Dachshund Puppy
Too many new dachshund owners let new puppies run all over the house or leave them out in the fenced yard and not watch them.
Your dachshund will not only get into things they shouldn’t, but it can be dangerous leaving them unattended in the yard. Other dogs, coyotes, and hawks or owls can kill or carry off your dachshund puppy.
Also, many dachshund owners will try locking them in a kitchen or bathroom when they’re gone. Unless your bathroom or kitchen is totally puppy proofed, you might want to consider getting a crate or small pen when you leave the house.
2. Inconsistent Potty Training
Dachshunds are a stubborn breed and difficult to house train. Your dachshund puppy might have been raised in pens, where they pottied in them, then they have a tough habit to break.
All dogs tend to prefer using the same type of surface they pottied on as puppies. So you need to be consistent and decide where you want your puppy to potty as an adult.
It is preferable that you train them to go only outside. If you are unable to be around all day to take them outside, then you want to train them to go in the same surface area when he’s a puppy.
Also, just because you are in a hurry or the weather is bad, you can’t put off taking them outside.
3. Bringing Home Your Dachshund Puppy When They Are Too Young
All dogs need to stay with their mothers and littermates for at least eight weeks.
4. Not Crate Training Your Dachshund Puppy
You want to start crate training your dachshund puppy as soon as you bring them home. Right at first they might not like it, but when you crate train them early on, your dachshund will eventually enjoy their crate as their home.
They will like this private den and seek it out when they want to nap or take their treat in their crate with them
If you don’t crate train them in the beginning, it will be more stressful for them later in their life and take longer to get adjusted to their crate.
Your dachshund is more likely to object to being in their crate, and they might spend hours barking and scratching.
Plus, the crate will be useful when you take your dachshund puppy to the vet as you can put your crate in the back of your car.
Or perhaps if you need to go on a road trip and want to take your dachshund with you, they can ride in their crate in the car.
5. Not Using The Crate In The Car
As mentioned before you want to use their crate when they ride in your car. Many dachshund owners want their doxies in their lap or in the back seat of the car. By doing this, your dachshund might distract you and cause an accident.
Plus, if you are in an accident without them in their crate, they could be flung into the dashboard or out a broken window.
Many times if a dog survives accidents by being ejected from the car and flees, they won’t be found as they run away in terror.
6. Trusting Them Too Much
You love your new dachshund puppy and when you see them finally obeying your command, you start trusting too much.
Then if you let them off your leash one time to be in the yard, all it takes is one car or another dog to go by and they might start chasing. Then it might be too late as they could get hit by a car or get mauled by a bigger dog.
Another example is that some dachshund owners let them run out the front door to hop in the car. But then they might not stop and end up running down the road and possibly get hit by a car.
So even though they seem sweet and obedient you can’t let your guard down.
7. Letting Your Dachshund Answer The Door With You
When you open the door your dachshund might be excited and run out the door and into the road, where again they might get hit by a car. Don’t regret something that is Dachshund owners mistakes.
8. Allowing Your Dachshund Puppy To Run In Dog Parks With Larger Dogs
Some larger dogs even though they might seem friendly, you don’t want to take a chance of your dachshund puppy running over to them.
The larger dog might bite and easily injure your small dachshund and this is one of the key Dachshund owners mistakes.
9. Not Socializing With Other People
Your dachshund needs to meet new people and experience new situations to learn how to interact. That way they will learn not to be stressed. New dachshund owners should allow them to socialize.
10. Allowing A Cute Behavior That Won’t Always Be Cute
You might think it is funny when your small dachshund puppy nips at your ankles or barks at a large dog who walks by.
But this won’t be cute later on, as this can be obnoxious when they are an adult. That nipping might turn to biting and then instead of barking at a large dog they might go after it and get injured or killed.
So it’s far easier to teach good behavior than to correct a bad habit.
It’s easy to spoil your dachshund and with some types of things, it might be okay.
However, dachshund owners have a tendency to go overboard! So think about the future behavior that might happen if you spoil them.
11. Spoiling Your Dachshund
As mentioned above many dachshund owners tend to overdo it with spoiling. Just because your dachshund demands something, doesn’t mean you should give in to it. Just think twice before you let yourself give in to all their demands.
One example is many dachshund owners spoil them by carrying them around everywhere they go. It is best to let them walk and explore themselves and not carry them around.
Another example of spoiling is letting them away with protesting when you’re trying to groom him. They must learn that they must put up with brushing, nail clipping, and tooth care.
12. Ignoring Dachshund Back Issues
Most dachshund owners are probably aware that dachshunds can develop back problems. However, many owners do not do anything about it.
They will roughhouse with them, hold them up by their hind legs, let them rush downstairs, and allow them to become obese are all ways that could help bring on a back problem.
13. Allow Strangers To Pick Up Your Dachshund Puppy
A lot of people don’t know how to pick up a dachshund puppy. They grab them by their legs and can injure their backs.
14. Dachshund Owners Believe A Good Investment Is By Breeding A Dachshund
If you are not experienced there are way too many issues that can go wrong, leaving you losing money. Only leave breeding dachshunds to experienced certified breeders.