Doxies are a fascinating breed in more ways than one. For example, why do dachshunds like to burrow and dig, and what to do about it? Let’s go over the reasons behind this behavior whether or not it’s problematic and why, as well as how you can manage it.
Why Do Dachshunds Like To Burrow?
Is your dachshund endlessly fond of burrowing under blankets? Why is that? On the one hand, asking why someone likes sleeping under a blanket sounds silly. Why wouldn’t someone like burrowing under a blanket, that’s what blankets are for – to be cozy and nice to sleep in.
On the other hand, if you’ve had dogs of several different breeds, you’ve likely noticed that dachshunds like to burrow much more than most. And that habit goes well beyond just blankets too – laundry, comforters, quilts – a dachshund is always looking for places to burrow into.
The reason for that goes beyond mere comfort – burrowing is a core instinct for all dachshunds and it’s related to the breed’s signature short legs and elongated bodies.
Put quite simply – dachshunds were bred to be the way they are specifically so that they’d burrow into their prey’s dens. Some 6 centuries ago, German breeders took a few scent hound breeds common to Central Europe at the time and started selecting for dogs with dwarfism features among them.
The breeders then went on to interbreed these hounds with dwarfism to create the dachshund breed – a short-legged scent hound that was short enough to chase badgers, foxes, and rabbits down their burrows. In fact, that’s what the breed’s name means too – dachs-hund, i.e. “badger hound”.
So, the reason dachshunds like to burrow is the same as the reason they have short legs – they’ve been bred and trained to burrow into narrow holes for centuries.
Why Does My Dachshund Like To Dig?
Being short and able to get into narrow holes often wasn’t enough for this exert badger hunter dog – sometimes, digging was also necessary. That’s why the dachshund’s breeders also made sure to select for dogs that had wide paddle-like paws, strong front legs, and powerful chests. This made dachshunds expert diggers and allowed them to widen their prey’s burrows and dens when necessary to finish the hunt.
What this means for us as pet owners today, however, is that dachshunds still have an instinct to dig through things, especially dirt and soil. This can be bad news if you have lots of potted plants at home or a well-arranged garden or lawn you want to keep in a specific condition.
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Training your dachshund not to dig so much is possible, however, and should be done if you want to keep your plants and garden safe. It all starts with the standard obedience training every dog should go through – do that and your dachshund’s digging should be easy to keep in check.
That being said, it’s good to give your Doxie an outlet for its digging needs – this instinctual behavior is very enjoyable for dachshunds after all. So, you can either have a section of your yard where digging is permitted or you can let your dachs dig to its heart’s content when you’re out in the dog park.
Conclusion – Why Do Dachshunds Like To Burrow
All in all, the reason why do dachshunds like to burrow and dig is just that it’s in their nature. Burrowing is pretty harmless as it essentially just amounts to your Doxie sleeping under a blankie most of the time. Digging can be problematic if you haven’t trained your dachshund properly but that’s easy to deal with – just don’t skip the obedience training process early in your pup’s life.
FAQ’s
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