Case Profile: The Miniature Dachshund
In this case profile, we explore some of the most common behaviours that clients experience in one of our personal favourite breeds, and an incredibly popular companion - the Miniature Dachshund.
BREED(S): Miniature Dachshund (Smooth, Long and Wire Coated)
Owners most commonly see me for: Vocal Reactivity towards people and other dogs, refusal to walk on a lead, Separation Anxiety
Most Common symptoms include: Barking, lots of barking, even more barking - rarely any biting. Anxiety or nerves, lack of confidence. Possessiveness of their owner or other family members.
Occasional symptoms include: Higher levels of aggression escalating to biting. Chronic anxiety, Separation Anxiety.
Case Breakdown: Sausage Dogs are one of those breeds whose behaviour generally seems an awful lot worse than it actually is. I have lost count of the number of times I have worked with clients who have said things like “my dog is absolutely ferocious”, “you’ve never seen reactivity this bad” or “they look so aggressive that i’m scared to walk them” - only for the dogs to arrive for assessment and have very minor reactivity issues, that are usually a combination of very typical barking behaviour for hounds as a breed, and some low intensity territorial behaviour. It is extremely rare that I work with Dachshunds that they actually bite people, and in almost every case, it is normally the wire hair Dachshunds which have much higher levels of working/prey drive.
Sausage dogs are also very good at presenting a confident front, full of forward motion as much as they are full of noise. But most of the dachshunds I work with are actually quite sensitive dogs as much as they are independent and tenacious - which means a fine balancing act between setting clear and consistent boundaries on behaviour, whilst appealing to the gentle nature of the breed.
Dachshunds as Hounds.
One of the key details when it comes to Dachshunds is training with your ‘headphones in’. Which is to say that if you focus on the sounds that they are making, rather than the rest of their body language or behaviour, then you will likely be missing the main picture of what your dog is doing or how they feel. In simple terms - dachshunds are hounds, and hounds bark, particularly when they are left to make their own decisions about things - so no matter what their imbalance, sound is a likely symptom. If you treat the underlying cause, you resolve the barking. And the underlying cause is normally no major problem.
A hound will ‘Bay’, a specific kind of loud, low boom that functions as an alert. And dachshunds most certainly have this characteristic. They will bay at things even just as a way of saying “I see you”, “I hear you” or “I smell you” - and they will typically do this more with the things that they consider the most important to alert you too. You can to a certain extent absolutely teach Dachsunds when you do, or do not want to be alerting to things - but the default will always be to make some noise if not taught otherwise.
Territorial Tendancies and the Sausage Dog Circle of Trust
Dachshunds are also typically territorial - which means that they will defend both their home environment, and their families social space if allowed to do so. Having a sausage dog is about being in the circle of trust - and if you aren’t in the circle, you’re out of it. Dogs that are allowed to invade intimate and personal space (climbing up to sit on your lap and bark at anyone who walks past, for example!) receive more reinforcement when they practice this behaviour, and many people try to “sooth” their dogs by giving affection at the wrong time, to inadvertently nurture behaviours they don’t want. These early habits quickly transfer outside of the house and onto the walk, where you dog will turn into a very loud dog detector by the time they reach adolescence.
Confidence vs Bravado
Sausage dogs are also very good at presenting a confident front, full of forward motion as much as they are full of noise. But most of the dachshunds I work with are actually quite sensitive dogs as much as they are independent and tenacious - which means a fine balancing act between setting clear and consistent boundaries on behaviour, whilst appealing to the gentle nature of the breed.
Health, Behaviour and Exercise
One of the hardest things to balance in Sausage Dogs is the fear that many owners have of their dogs developing IVDD, which is unfortunately a reality within the breed. Many of the dogs I meet are wrapped up in cotton wool - given limited exercise, lifted everywhere they go, and often have ramps for most places they want to access. When it comes to tools, the harness is the most common choice, but often exacerbates reactive and territorial aggression - leaving people in a catch 22 of trying to take care of their dogs physical wellbeing and the psychological welfare.
It’s important to understand that when we look at risk and mitigation factors, the things that put sausage dogs most at risk are not the things that people think. When it comes to bone health and density, dogs that exercise more regularly, live and play with other dogs, climb up and down the stairs and catapult themselves off the sofa are less likely to develop issues and recover more quickly than dogs which are kept away from risk. This is because the above activities cause tiny (and healthy) microscopic fractures in the honeycomb structure of bone, which as they heal promote a thicker and denser bone to grow in its place, making the bone more resilient to larger breakages and fractures in the long term. At the same time, keeping your dachshund on the underside of a healthy wait puts less stress and pressure on the joints and spine, and keeps them healthier overall, aiding faster recovery. Psychologically, dogs that get out into the world and live their lives are less likely to see any person or dog as a big issue - making for a more rounded and well socialised pet.
Steps towards resolution:
Understand your proximities dynamics - Intimate, personal and Social space - and ensure that your dog does not feel responsible for managing yours against threats and dangers. A dog cannot be possessive or territorial if they are not invited into your space, so set clear boundaries.
Understand relative positioning - knowing how your dogs perceive the more and less responsible sides of your body on a walk, and keep your dog in the least responsible position, helps them to understand that they are not required to alert you to the world around you, instead being able to float beside you safely.
Ditch the harness - switching to a lead that sits high on the head, like a halti or figure 8 (or a slip lead if they are really tiny) means that you are no longer pulling them back and revving them up like a chainsaw to bark at everything they see. Dachshunds typically have a strong opposition reflex, so the right tool makes all the difference when it comes to where and how they walk. And when it comes to their physical health - the healthiest dog is one that isn’t pulling on a lead, regardless of the tool that is being used - because all tools will put strain on the body if there is lead tension.
Activities to Practice:
Place Work - yep, you guessed it. One of our top activities for setting boundaries and something we include in almost every Case profile. We love having our sausage dog on our lap as much as you do, but boundaries matter for confidence and independence.
Café Culture - once you know how to switch your dog off, the best way to get better at not barking at things is to practice, a lot. Which means starting with coffee on a park bench, sitting and ignoring the world for 5 minutes - before progressing to activities like picnics, pub gardens and café’s. The warmer the weather, the better!
Dachshunds love exercise too - They might be small, and they may love to sunbathe - but sausage dogs also love to drain energy with a run or a game of ball. Make sure they are getting an hour every day. A tired dog is a happy dog, and a tired sausage dog is a lot quieter than a bored one.
