As experienced dachshund slaves know, wiener dogs often think very highly of themselves. A conceited dachshund can be rude, pushy and downright naughty, so when she gets a little big for her britches, it's a good idea to remind her who's boss. The idea isn't to dominate her, but to remind her that you are the leader of the pack, and you make the decisions. For some reasons, dachshunds seem to have difficulty with this concept!
A simple technique for dealing with this kind of behavior is "Nothing in Life is Free" training (NILIF). As suggested by its name, NILIF teaches your dachshund that if she wants something -- a treat, a walk, some love -- she has to do something you want her to do, such as "sit," "shake" or "lie down." If she doesn't know how to do any tricks yet, teach her something simple, like "sit," and go from there. The more things she knows how to do, the more fun you'll both have, so consider expanding your dachshund's repertoire of tricks beyond the basics or combining tricks. For example:
- If she wants food, she has to sit and then stay until you release her.
- If she wants up on the couch to cuddle, she has to sit and shake.
- If she wants to go for a walk, she has to sit and stay.
- Before getting into bed with you, she has to roll over.
Every time your doxie wants something, she has to perform. NILIF can quickly become tedious for you, but you won't have to do it for long before you see results. If you are consistent with the training, you should see notable progress in a day or two. After your initial NILIF training, you won't have to practice it unless there is a recurrence of the behavior.
This technique works because it reminds your dachshund that her place in the pack is below the humans in the house. Knowing the pack order, and that if she behaves she will be a "good girl!," will also build her self esteem. Because confidence issues are at the root of submissive behaviors, NILIF is an extremely effective tool for eliminating submissive urination, a common problem with dachshunds.
Princess the Miniature Dachshund Obedience Training
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