Are dachshunds naughty? We all know about dachshunds’ quirks and playful nature; they were bred to hunt badgers and other burrowing animals. They are dogs that inherently prefer independence, It is also important during hunting time, independence helps to feel confident in their own skill and make decisions on their own. Sometimes they ignore our command, that’s a result of these traits.Â
Sometimes we feel overwhelmed by their naughty behaviour, digging in the garden, peeing inside the house, even after training, excessive barking, and ignoring our command. In today’s blog, I will share some of the behaviour issues of the dachshund that make dachshund naughty.
Digging
We are all familiar with dachshunds’ digging behaviour, which irritates all dachshund owners in some way. They dig in our vegetable garden and make a den and rest inside it. They not only dig in the garden, they also dig in our folded bed. I also faced this issue a lot when my dachshund was small, but today I managed this issue by making a dedicated digging area for him. You can also make a dedicated digging area for your dachshund to manage the digging issue in dachshunds. Actually, they don’t dig for an irritating purpose; they were bred for hunting badgers and burrowing animals. Digging skills are essential for hunting. Without it, they can’t hunt; for that reason, they tend to dig.
everytime when they dig in your garden it not just always by their hunting instinct, sometimes, they show their anxiety, stress, and boredom. From next time, if you see your dog digging, understanding the trigger for their digging behaviour is important to overcome this behaviour.
You can read our previously written dedicated blog about overcoming digging behaviour in dachshunds after reading this blog.
Barking Excessively
Dachshunds naturally bark a lot, but sometimes they bark more than usual. Their excessive barking has various meanings and reasons. Some of the main reasons among them are below
Separation anxiety
Separation anxiety in Dachshunds is a behavioral condition where the dog becomes excessively distressed when left alone or separated from its owner. They are very loyal and attached to their owner and and when we have to go out for some work, they can feel stressed by our absence. And to cope with separation anxiety, they often bark excessively. If your dachshund is showing signs of excessive barking due to separation anxiety, you need to train your dog to be comfortable being alone. We wrote a detailed blog about overcoming separation anxiety in dachshunds, which you can read after this.
Boredom
Dachshunds may also bark excessively due to boredom. When we are unable to provide them with enough mental stimulation, they may bark as a way to release their built-up energy. To address this, you can keep your Dachshund engaged by using a variety of toys.
Seeking attention
Dachshund loves attention. When we give them attention, they become happy. Whenever they crave attention that gives them pleasure, they tend to bark excessively. Dachshund takes attention as a reward.
Not getting enough stimulation
Dachshunds are very energetic dogs, they need plenty of exercise to feel well. When you fail to provide them enough exercise they are like to be aggressive and bark excessively. They have high energy stored in body if they dont get enough exercise they use it by barking. Thats why you must fulfill their daily exercise needs daily.
Chewing on Furniture or Shoes
It is the most frustrating issue I have found as a dachshund owner, they chew anything, sandals, shoes, plastic chairs, etc. This is because of their hunting instinct. Because of this, we need to choose their stuff carefully, ensuring they are dachshund-proof or not whether it is their toys or bed. Normal toys don’t last more than 5 minutes in front of a Dachshund, they destroy toys by chewing. For this reason, you need to incur unnecessary expenses on their toys.
I had also faced this chewing problem of my dachshund, and finally found and bought dachshund-proof toys after a lot of research. You can read that blog to buy best toys for dachshunds by reading this blog.
Ignoring Commands
One of the main reasons for making dachshunds naughty is ignoring the command. Dachshunds are intelligent and independent dogs but their behaviour of ignoring the owner’s command is frustrating. Their behaviour is hardwired in their brain from their history. Dachshunds are bred to work alone underground chasing prey, which requires them to make decisions independently without waiting for human instructions. As a result, they show stubborn behaviour.
When a dachshund ignores your command, it may be that they are distracted, not motivated enough, or unsure of what is being asked. In some cases, they simply choose to do what interests them more. That’s why consistency, patience, and positive reinforcement are important in dachshund training. Changing command words frequently can also cause not following commands because they are confused about what they are asked for.
Chasing Small Animals
Dachshunds are known to instinctively chase small animals, a behavior rooted in their original breeding purpose. They were originally bred in Germany to hunt badgers and other burrowing animals. Their long body, tiny legs, and strong sense of smell made them perfect for tracking and flushing out prey from underground. When they see a squirrel, rabbit, or bird, they start chasing it.
This behaviour can be dangerous, especially if the dog is off-leash in an open or unsafe area. They can cross roads without seeing cars, go into thick bushes, and accidents can happen, or the chance of getting lost.
Marking Indoors
Dachshund marking indoors is a common behaviour issue, especially in males, where they urinate in specific spots in the home to show their territorial instinct. Dachshunds are territorial by nature, and if they see other animals or visitors, they may mark to assert dominance or establish their space.
Conclusion
Dachshunds are considered a naughty dog because of their bad behaviour, which affects our daily activities. They pee inside the house, and run away to chase animals and birds when we let them free, ignore our command, chew everything, and bark excessively. But we can overcome it by the right approach of training routine, the only thing to follow in their routine is consistency. Dogs don’t adopt new habits easily; it takes months of consistent effort to change their behaviour. That’s why you need to continue their training despite challenges.
Faq
Why are dachshunds so naughty?
They can seem naughty because of their independent and stubborn nature. They are small but fearless hunting dogs.
