Do Dachshunds bark a lot?
The Dachshund is a working breed, originally from Germany, used to go to ground to hunt badgers and rabbits. Whether you have a miniature Dachshund, a smooth hair, long hair or wire hair Dachshund, they all come from a hunting dog origin. This means they are naturally intelligent, but also impulsive. High levels of impulsivity can lead to high levels of frustration. High levels of frustration often leads to barking.
Why does my Dachshund bark so much?
Barking is part of the Dachshund’s hunting instincts, but excessive barking is not an original breed trait.
Barking is a way for dogs to communicate and is caused by different emotions.
Is my Dachshund anxious?
If you have a Dachshund that missed out on early socialisation as a puppy, they may be fearful of the outside world. Unfamiliar people and dogs, as well as traffic could cause them to feel anxious. This can result in barking as they attempt to make the scary thing move away.
If you think your Dachshund is anxious, don’t increase exposure to the scary things in an attempt to help them ‘get used to it’. This can make the problem worse. Gradual, sensitive exposure is the best way. Your dog must feel safe if you want them to learn. Pairing the scary thing with something that your Dachshund enjoys, such as fuss, treats or play will help.
There is more information here about helping to socialise a dog that barks at other dogs.
Why does my Dachshund bark when they are on the lead?
Does you Dachshund bark at everything when they are on the lead, but seem fine when they are off the lead?
This is caused by frustration. The lead prevents them from moving in the way they want, whether that be towards, or away from something. A good analogy to think of is being stuck in traffic. We find it really frustrating when we can’t get where we want to go. As a result we may fidget in our seats, swear under out breath or in some cases shout out loud. Some people even get aggressive!
Dogs work in a similar way. Some may whine, some pull or chew on the lead, some bark and lunge. Some behave aggressively as their arousal levels peak and the emotion tips over into rage. It all started by the lead stopping them moving in the direction they want to go.
Frustration is usually the secondary emotion.
Fear could be the primary emotion. Your Dachshund would like to move away from the scary thing, but the lead prevents them from doing so. This causes frustration so they bark to express it and to get the scary thing to move away.
Excitement could be the primary emotion. Your Dachshund wants to move towards something, like a person, dog or wildlife (remember they are a hunting dog), but the lead prevents them from doing so. This causes frustration. They are likely to pull forward on the lead/lunge and bark.
Pain could be the primary emotion. Dachshunds are genetically predisposed to some painful conditions because of their long backs and short legs. Intevertable Disc Disease (IVDD) is particularly common in the standard Dachshund. Hip dysplasia, luxating patella (dislocated knee cap) and elbow dysplasia are also common in the breed. If your Dachshund is in pain, they may try to avoid interactions with unfamiliar people or dogs as this could be painful for them. When on the lead, avoidance is more difficult which causes them to bark. Barking at traffic, particularly noisy vehicles, is another common sign of underlying pain.
How do I stop my Dachshund barking on the lead?
Teaching your Dachshund to be patient is key. This can be done through simple frustration tolerance games like treat balls/toys where they have to work for the food. Its frustrating because the food doesn’t appear immediately, but by staying calm and working through the problem, they earn a reward (the food appears).
A good trainer/behaviourist will be able to teach you other frustration tolerance games to play with your dog to help them calm instead of barking.
Why does my Dachshund bark when I leave them?
Lots of Dachshund owners believe that separation anxiety is ‘normal’ for the breed. This is not true. Yes, lots of Dachshunds show undesirable behaviours such as barking and house soiling when left alone, but it is not an inevitable part of owning a Dachshund.
The Dachshund breed temperament is naturally independent as it needed to go off and hunt down rabbit holes and badger sets.
Small, cute dogs are more likely to be held and cuddled throughout their lives. We are more likely to take them everywhere with us, because it is much easier to do so than if we had a Rottweiler. For this reason our Dachshund’s do not learn to be independent and become reliant on their owners company. This can result in them barking when left at home alone in an attempt to get you to return.
Teaching your Dachshund puppy to spend time by itself is crucial to avoid them becoming distressed when you leave them:
- Provide a safe, quiet, cosy place for them to settle
- Give them an old item of your clothing/pillowcase etc. so they have your scent
- Leave them when they are tired and more likely to settle (after a walk/play/training)
- Give them something nice to chew (puppy Kongs filled with something yummy are great)
- Get them used to being in a different room to you first, rather than leaving the house completely
- Keep your absences brief to start with (minutes not hours)
If you are struggling with you Dachshund’s barking, a registered clinical animal behaviourist can help. Find one local to you here.
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