Last Updated on May 17, 2022 by Marco
Doxies are fantastic pets but training them can take some time. For example, how long does it take to potty train a dachshund and how can you make it faster? Do you even have to potty train your dachs or is there an alternative? When should you even start? Read on to see our breakdown of each of those questions.
How Long Does It Take To Potty Train A Dachshund?
Potty training a Doxie can take anywhere between 3 weeks and 3 months. Or, rather – between 3 weeks and forever, as never manage to do it. Don’t despair, however – potty training is perfectly possible and is a matter of the three Ps – preparation, persistence, and patience. As long as you follow the tips below, you should be able to potty train any young dachshund in less than a month.
How To Potty Train A Dachshund?
There are various tips we can give here and many dog owners won’t even need to follow all of them. However, if your dachshund is of a particularly stubborn nature, you’d do well to stick to each of the 9 points below:
- Start as early as possible. If your dachshund is past the 8 weeks period and is big and healthy enough for quick trips outdoors, you can and should start potty training it. The longer you delay, the harder it’s going to be as your dachshund will start developing the opposite habit – going potty wherever and whenever it wants.
- Get some time off work. Potty training is time-consuming and you should make sure that either you or another family member is home 24/7 during the first two or three weeks of the process.
- Get ready for frequent trips outdoors. This can mean going out as often as once every hour or two in the beginning. We are aware this sounds annoying but the more diligent you are in the beginning, the quicker the whole process is going to be. The idea of potty training is to get your dog used to doing its business outside and not indoors, after all.
Learn more about: How To House Train A Dachshund?
- Watch out for signs that your pup wants to go potty. Every dog is different in that regard but most of the signs are pretty standard – whining, sniffing around the walls and corners, and being restless overall. If it’s been a couple of hours since your pup’s last wee, just pick your dog up and get out whenever you see something like that.
- Don’t hesitate to pick up your pup as it is weeing. It may seem gross but it’s not any grosser than letting your pup finish its business on the carpet. Don’t punish your dog for going inside, just pick it up and go out as fast as possible.
- When taking your pup out, always go to the same spot. That way, your pup will have an easier time learning that said spot is “the toilet” and not any location in your home.
- Positive over negative reinforcement. This is a general tip that always applies to dogs but is especially true when potty training a dachshund. These dogs are independent and willful thinkers so punishing them in any way tend to only make them more stubborn. Not to mention that it’s also cruel. On the other hand, giving positive reinforcement in the form of pets and treats whenever your dog does its job outside will help teach the pup that waiting to pee outdoors is a smart idea.
- Persistence is crucial. We get wanting to take a break from potty training for a day but keep in mind that this will only delay (or derail) the process by days and potentially even weeks. As annoying as potty training is, it’s always smarter to be persistent until it’s over and done with.
- Get ready for midnight breaks too. Wanting to get a full night’s sleep is understandable too but you’ll likely wake up with your dog pee around the living room. Crating your dog for the night is smart but you’d also want to go on at least one or maybe two trips outside to keep the potty training process on track.
And that’s about it. As we said, it may be annoying but it’s something that needs to be done once in your pup’s life. After that, you’re looking at 12, 16, or maybe even up to 20 years of an easy and pee-free life with your dachshund.
So, how long does it take to potty train a dachshund? Ideally, just two or three weeks – it all depends on your approach and persistence.
FAQs
Do Dachshunds ever get potty trained?
They should unless you want to have to wash the carpet every other day. Dachshunds are notoriously stubborn when it comes to potty training but that doesn’t mean that you should skip that point. On the contrary – it means that you should be even more persistent and patient with your dachshund pet if you want the potty training to go as smoothly and as quickly as possible.
The alternative would be to train your dachshund to do its business indoors, in a specially designated area, usually on puppy pads in the bathroom. Training your dog to do that isn’t necessarily much easier than potty training, however, and it has its benefits and drawbacks. For one, it makes potty training much harder but, on the other hand, it saves you the trouble of going out with your dachshund in harsh weather conditions such as snow, ice, or rain.
How long can Dachshund puppies hold their pee?
Puppies can’t hold their pee for very long as they have pretty tiny bladders. Depending on the age, you can expect to have to take your puppy out at least once every 2 or 3 hours to avoid getting a mess indoors. Once your dog gets older, it will be able to hold its pee for longer but even then it’s good to let your dog out at least twice or preferably even more times outside.
This becomes easier if you have a yard. Even if you live in an apartment building, however, you can still go out for a quick potty break once every ~4 hours in addition to the two long walks a day. If you’d rather keep your dog home aside from said two walks, you may need to have puppy pads in the bathroom just in case.
Why are Dachshunds hard to potty train?
Because they are a scent hound breed and all scent hounds are notoriously stubborn and willful. This isn’t necessarily a “con” for the breed – scent hounds have been intentionally bred to have that temperament. The reason for that is that it made them better hunters. As pets, however, it means that you’ll need a bit extra patience when training your dachs.
Jordan is an animal–lover who specializes in dachshunds. He has owned and cared for dachshunds since he was a child, and his passion for these unique dogs has only grown with time. Jordan is an avid researcher and learner, and spends a large portion of his free time studying the history, behaviour, and health of dachshunds. He has a knack for training and socializing his own dogs, and loves introducing them to new experiences. When not caring for his own pets, Jordan likes to volunteer at local animal rescue shelters, helping to find homes for abandoned dachshunds. He is a true animal advocate, and dedicates his time to ensure that all animals receive the love, respect, and care they deserve.
