How To Stop A Dachshund Barking

Dachshunds are natural barkers, and when it comes to learning how to stop a Dachshund barking, a great deal of time and patience is required.

Dachshunds come from a strong line of German hunters, and they instinctively bark to alert their master to potential prey or to a stranger on the premises.  Dachshunds tend to think that they rule the home, the yard, and even the street and may well bark at anything that moves.  This can be extremely annoying for most Dachshund owners.  However, this barking problem can be solved with just a few training techniques.  As well as barking being annoying, prolonged barking can in fact cause physical problems to a Dachshund as it stresses the lungs, throat and the chest region.

Listed below are some simple steps that can be undertaking to stop your Dachshund from barking.

* It is important to eliminate the cause of the barking.  Remember that your Dachshund’s barking was useful during his hunting ventures, as it alerted its master to the presence of prey as well as confused the prey, which sometimes led to its termination.   It is important that you do not attempt to try and stop your Dachshund barking once or twice, when he may be alerting you to the presence of a stranger, but teach him to stop barking on command.

* Give your dog a “no bark” command and place your dog in his crate if he continues to bark at a guest that enters the house. Give the command one time in a sharp voice, and if he continues to bark whilst he is in his crate, cover it with a towel or a sheet so that he can not visually see the guest.

* If your Dachshund barks when he is looking out of the window at the neighborhood, it is important to place a barrier which will prevent him from seeing what is going on in the outside world. Hang a curtain, close the door, or move the couch away from in front of the living room window so that he does not have any means of climbing onto the windowsill.

* If your dog is outside in a fenced yard and is barking at the neighborhood children or passers by, it is important to take the dog indoors. Give him the “no bark” command and a few seconds to quiet down. If he does not calm down then he should be kept indoors.

* Never scold your Dachshund or any other breed of dog. Even though constant barking is annoying, it is unlikely that he will learn the association between the “no bark” command and his behavior if you say anything else. You must be persistent with this training. Dachshunds are persistent breeds and extremely stubborn, which is a natural trait and it takes a great deal of time and patience to stop a Dachshund barking.

* When a Dachshund obeys your stop barking command, reward him with a tasty treat. Keep a container of his favorite treats at hand and offer one only when he obeys you and stops barking. Never offer them for any other reason. When you are teaching your Dachshund to stop barking, he will quickly associate the favorite treat with obeying you.

* It is perfectly acceptable to allow your Dachshund a few barks of happiness when he sees you or when he is playing. At the end of the day, dogs do bark for many reasons. Only inappropriate barking should be stopped.