The Dachshund and Housebreaking
Every dog owner knows that the first lesson for your new puppy is not to go in the house! There are bound to be a few accidents, even if you find yourself taking your new pup out to the yard every twenty minutes. Dachshunds are an extremely intelligent breed, and thus can be very stubborn and unwilling to learn. If they find a place they like to go potty, they sure don’t want to be stopped from going potty there!
Housebreaking a Dachshund can be a tedious process, but with a little persistence and a bunch of treats, you will eventually succeed. Keep in mind that potty training can be a long process, and rewards must be frequent – because of this, it is important to buy healthy treats, or even to work with your dog’s dry kibble (or a chunk of wet food) in lieu of large, unhealthy dog biscuits.
This article will cover two housebreaking options for you to choose from with your new Dachshund. The first step to both is paper training. Many owners swear up and down that paper training is the only way to train a small dog, but other contest that to the fullest. Ultimately, it is the decision of you and your dog.
To paper train, select a room that has hardwood or tiled floors. Coat that room’s floor in it’s entirety (or what you can manage of it) in newspapers. If your dog urinates elsewhere in the house, bring him or her to this room. Once your dog gets the hang of urinating in the papered room, remove a section of the papers. Your dog should be able to figure out that urinating on the papers is okay, and urinating on the uncovered area of the floor is not. Continue removing papers on a daily or semi-daily basis (depending on how quickly your dog is picking up his or her training) until you only have about two square feet of newspapers left.
Now is time to make your decision – would you rather train your dog to go outside or continue letting him or her go potty in the house? Some owners, especially those that live in high-rise buildings or who away from home for extended periods of time, prefer to have their dogs potty trained to a specific area in the house. If this appeals to you, you will graduate to potty pads, which are thick, cotton pads lined with waterproof plastic on the bottom. These pads are disposable and absorbent, typically eliminating any potential soak-through for small dogs. They can be purchased at any pet store.
If you would prefer to train your pup to go outside and will be available for regular walks, that can be done with the papers as well. After your Dachshund has become acclimated to his 2’x2’ square of paper, gradually move it closer and closer to the door until the papers are outside. Ideally, your pet will catch on and continue urinating wherever the papers move, eventually being used to going potty outside and not needing the papers at all!
Whichever method you choose, always remember to provide lots of positive re-enforcement and rewards. Love, treats, and a few good ear scratches will help your new Dachshund know that he or she is doing a good job!
By John P Jackson
