How to Train a Dachshund Not to Bark in 5 Simple Steps
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Dachshunds are hound dogs. They were originally bred to hunt badgers, so they have an instinct to bark at things that they believe are prey. They also tend to bark when they get excited or scared. They might bark when they feel playful. They are even known to bark for attention. Let’s face it: The average Dachshund is a barker and won’t let their human companions forget it. The problem is that all that barking can be a nuisance to you and your neighbors. So, is there anything that can be done to make it stop? In fact, there are indeed a few things that you can do! Here is how to train your Dachshund not to bark in five simple steps:
The 5 Steps to Train a Dachshund Not to Bark
1. Discourage the Behavior
One effective way to train your dog not to bark so often is to discourage the behavior. Of course, you should not discourage the barking when the action is appropriate, but discouraging the behavior every time it is unwanted is crucial. You can use a clicker, make a loud noise with your hands or mouth, or say a command word, such as “stop,” in a stern voice whenever the barking behavior should be stopped. Try to distract your dog to focus on something different as soon as you correct the behavior with noise.
2. Engage in Daily Exercise
Dachshunds were bred to hunt, so they are active dogs that like action. If they do not get enough exercise each day, they may bark out of boredom and/or frustration. Taking your dog out for long walks and playing games with them each day is a great way to help them rid of pent-up energy so they won’t be as likely to bark for “no reason” later. Agility classes, trips to the dog park, and outings to the beach or campground are other great ways to exercise your dog while spending quality time together.
3. Practice in Social Situations
If your Dachshund tends to bark at strangers, it is a good idea to practice their obedience skills in social settings. Begin by taking your dog to a friend’s home where there will be a limited number of people and animals. Encourage friendly behavior and discourage unwanted behavior throughout the visit. The goal should be to stop any barking that happens during these social visits. It’s important to make sure your dog knows basic obedience commands, like sit, stay, and come down, before trying any social experiments.
4. Teach a Command to Be Quiet
Once your Dachshund has been obedience trained, you can teach them to bark on command. It’s important to keep in mind that this tactic requires patience and time to see successful results. This is similar to discouraging the behavior, but there are commands behind the discouragement. So, if your dog is barking when you don’t want them to, you should discourage the behavior and then command them to come to your side or go sit on their bed. They should stop barking immediately and then calm down and stay quiet.
5. Create Household Challenges
A great way to practice getting your Dachshund to not bark is to create challenges at home for the both of you to work through together. You could have a family member knock on the door or walk past a window and practice distraction techniques and commands to stop the barking. Set up scenarios that would normally make your dog bark when everything else is calm in the house, so you can focus on practicing and ensure that nobody gets distracted.
Tips for Making Your Training Efforts Successful
The first thing to remember when training your Dachshund is that patience is the key. You must stay calm and avoid getting frustrated during training, or it could derail your progress quickly. Always do training in a quiet space that is free of distractions unless you are practicing different scenarios with your dog.
Don’t yell at or hit your dog as punishment for not learning fast enough, as this will likely result in a scared dog that doesn’t take well to training at all. Finally, always reward your dog for a job well done. Dachshunds love to please their human companions, and getting rewarded is encouragement that helps ensure that they continue performing well as time goes on.
A Quick Recap
Dachshunds are fun-loving animals that love to spend time with their human companions. They also tend to bark frequently. Fortunately, there are a few things that you can do to train your dog not to bark as often, although you likely won’t be able to stop them from barking altogether, as it’s something that they simply like to do.
Featured Image Credit: David Pecheux, Shutterstock
