Last Updated on May 13, 2022 by Marco
Dog barking can be adorable but also annoying. So, here’s how to get a dachshund to stop barking – 5 ways depending on the situation. How can you calm a dachshund when you have guests? What to do if your Doxie barks, when you’re at work? What should you do if you’re out and about in the dog park and your Doxie suddenly goes berserk on a Great Dane? These situations are not only different but also require different approaches.
How To Get A Dachshund To Stop Barking?
So, what are the main things that can get your dachshund into a barking fit? The prime causes include:
- Anxiety or fear due to an external factor such as a storm, fireworks, etc.
- Attention-seeking as dachshunds can be quite the prima donnas
- Boredom if you’ve been neglecting your dog’s exercise and playtime needs
- Home defense when you have guests or personal defense when you’re out on a walk and another person or dog approaches
- Lack of socialization can also make your dachshund bark at anything that moves as the dog’s not used to other people and dogs
- Mere communication – if something is happening that the dog thinks is worth your attention, barking is a perfectly normal way to let you know
As you can see, all 6 of these causes differ greatly. So, each requires a different approach.
1. Calming A Fearful Dog
If your dog is barking out of fear, the way to stop the barking is to calm your dog down. This will usually include putting some distance between the cause of the fear, offering some physical and verbal comfort, and putting your dog in a familiar and calming environment such as its dog bed or blanket.
Learn more about Dachshund Separation Anxiety Barking And What To Do About It?
2. Dealing With An Attention-seeking Dog
The immediate way to stop the barking of an attention-seeker is obviously to just give them attention. This isn’t a good long-term strategy, however, as it will only teach your dog to do it again. So, if you deal with the issue for good, it’s smarter to ignore your dog’s barking when it does it for attention. This means a few extra-loud days but calm 15+ years after that.
3. Barking Out Of Boredom
This can feel similar to the above point but it’s different. The easiest way to tell the two apart is if the dog is barking at you or at literally anything else – the wall, the sky, etc. If your dog is constantly bored, the way to deal with that is to introduce more exercise, playtime, and social interactions in its daily routine. This is especially true if your dog is suffering from separation anxiety when you’re out at work.
4. Stop Defensive Barking
Dachshunds aren’t guard dogs so if your Doxie is barking to protect you, your main approach should be to show your dog that you don’t need its protection. Chances are that your dachshund thinks it’s the alpha of the household and is taking the responsibility to protect you upon its tiny shoulders. Obedience training is necessary to dissuade your dog from this idea and to show that you’re in charge and you decide when you and your home need protection.
5. Barking Due To Lack Of Socialization
This is often related to the above point but not necessarily. Simply put, if your dog hasn’t been socialized with people and other dogs, it may perceive each of them as a potential threat. The way to avoid/stop that is to socialize your dog to show it that other people and dogs are actually all potential friends to play with and not dangerous foes to bark at.
In conclusion, figuring out how to get a dachshund to stop barking isn’t all that different from dealing with any other breed. Doxies can have a lack of socialization due to their indoorsy lifestyle, and they can suffer from separation anxiety if you leave them home alone too often. However, all such issues are perfectly manageable with the right approach.
FAQs
Why does my dachshund always bark?
Dachshunds are not famous as a breed that barks non-stop but they also aren’t an overly “quiet” breed. These opinionated and temperamental little wieners can get loud when they want to and there can be many reasons why your dachshund is barking more than usual. The standard ones include:
• Anxiety or fear
• Attention-seeking
• Boredom
• Defending you or your home
• Lack of socialization
• To let you know something is happening
Separation anxiety and lack of socialization are the two most common causes in our experience but all of the above are possible. None of them are unique to dachshunds, of course, but as an indoorsy breed, Doxies often don’t get the socialization they need to not overreact to strangers. And, as an overly affectionate breed, anxiety can lead to lots of barking too.
How do you calm a dachshund?
The way you’d approach calming a dachshund depends largely on what’s irritating your dog. Is your dachshund stressed out and afraid due to outside stimuli such as a storm or fireworks? All that should be needed there are a few pets, some kind words, and a comfy blanket. A snuggle can help too if the above doesn’t help.
Is your dachshund getting aggressive with another dog or person due to a lack of prior socialization? This one can be tricky if you haven’t trained your dog to be obedient but the first step is always to defuse the situation and briefly separate and calm your dog. Then, reintroduce your dog with the other canine or person in a safe environment and with ample pleasant stimuli such as treats, playtime, and so on. This is essentially just socializing your dog.
Naturally, if your dog’s nervousness isn’t caused by an obvious external factor, it might be a reaction to an internal health problem. Consulting with your vet is advisable in those situations.
Why are dachshunds so nervous?
Doxies aren’t necessarily more nervous than other dog breeds, at least not intrinsically. However, what often gets them the reputation of being nervy is the same thing that gives other small dog breeds that same rep – lack of proper socialization. If your dog is the indoorsy type, as is often the case with dachshunds, it usually doesn’t get enough exposure to other people, animals, and external stimuli. Hence, the nervousness when encountering them occasionally.
Do dachshunds bark a lot?
A dachshund isn’t as loud as a Husky or a Beagle but isn’t exactly quiet either. How much your dachshund bark will depend almost entirely on how you’ve raised and trained your dog.
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.
