# Miniature Dachshund Peeing "Out of Spite"



## chandres

I'm new to the forum, and about to reach my breaking point. I'm reaching out for help before I give up entirely and try to find a new home for my family's miniature dachshund.

We (husband, myself, and 2 kids) purchased a miniature dachshund from a hobby breeder in early July of 2007 (born April 26, 2007). We did all the proper house-training with her, and set boundaries for her. She isn't allowed in the bedrooms, because they have carpet and because she's destructive with anything she finds, whether it's a shoe or a heating pad. This is something that, until recently, she didn't have any issues with. She is also successfully and happily crate-trained, and stays in her crate anytime we're not home and at night. We even trained her to stay in her crate with the door open while we eat our meals (we know too many people who have dogs eating off or begging at the table). Additionally, she is not allowed to use the stairs (too many back issues with the breed), so she is restricted to the main floor of our house. And another side note, she's not allowed on the couch (to prevent back issues), and when we all sit down to watch a movie, she'll lay on her bed and destroy it, pulling the stuffing out of it and literally ripping it to shreds. We've now given her a towel to lay on instead of a stuffed bed. (We did previously allow her to be on the couch while we were on the couch -we would pick her up from the floor- but she would jump onto and off the couch at other times, and when she jumps down she slips on the floor, so we cut that out completely.)

She has had problems with peeing in the house on occasion, usually 1-2 times per week at most, and went for a long period of 1-2 accidents per month. I always remain calm if I find the accident, and give a firm "NO!" if I catch her in the act. There is no way to get her out of the house before she finishes, because she'll run, while peeing, to hide, leaving a trail of urine through the house.

In the past month, the peeing has become much more frequent, which correlates with a busier schedule that my family has had outside the home. The accidents are never in her crate, and we are never gone for long periods, usually 3 hours at most. The peeing happens when we are home, and are busy around the home. If I'm buzzing around the house cleaning, doing laundry, playing with the kids, she'll pee in the house, even if I just took her outside and watched her pee outside.

This morning, she went out and peed at 7:30, at 9:00 she peed and pooped, and at 9:30 she peed in the house while I was in the basement doing laundry and my kids were playing upstairs in their bedrooms. She was alone on the main floor for 5 minutes. Since I found the accident, I let her outside, cleaned up the mess, then let her back in. At 10:00, when I walked into my bedroom (on the main floor), she followed me into the bedroom. I said "Out" and she walked out. She stepped into the bedroom again, so I said "Out" again. She walked just out of the bedroom and peed on the hardwood floor. Since I caught her in the act, I loudly said "NO!" and tried to pick her up to get her outside, but she ran, leaving her infamous pee trail, to her bed in the living room. As a side note, when I caught her peeing, she had her tail tucked, just far enough out of the way to avoid being soaked by the urine. We have never hit her or given her any other reason to tuck her tail, so I don't understand where that's coming from. She has also started tucking her tail when we pet her, but I know that none of us have hit her or hurt her, so I am really confused. Her tail wags when you talk to her, but as soon as a hand reaches for her, she tucks her tail.

She has a clean bill of health from the vet, so I'm not worried that there's an actual medical issue. I am getting frustrated with her peeing in the house, especially since it only occurs when she hasn't gotten her way about something. If this is an issue of her wanting to be someone's lap dog, spoiled constantly, life is about to get even busier here, since I'm now expecting our third child.

I have been so consistent with her, but I just can't continue to go through this, especially since it's so much more frequent now. The fact remains that we are going to be busy, even busier with a baby, and I cannot give her any more of myself than she has now. 

I want to do what's best for all of us, even if that means finding a new home for her. My husband is much more ready to find a new home for her than I am. I feel guilty, like I've failed, but I also feel guilty for keeping her, knowing I can't give her more time or attention, and that I'm impatient with her now.

I would appreciate any thoughts or feedback, particularly on her tucking her tail while peeing. Does this mean she knows she's breaking a rule? Can a dog be this obstinate and defiant? I am so ready to give up, I'm just wiped out at this point, and I'm starting to feel resentment toward her, which I really don't want.

Thank you!
Chandres


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## LazyGRanch713

chandres said:


> I'm new to the forum, and about to reach my breaking point. I'm reaching out for help before I give up entirely and try to find a new home for my family's miniature dachshund.
> 
> We (husband, myself, and 2 kids) purchased a miniature dachshund from a hobby breeder in early July of 2007 (born April 26, 2007). We did all the proper house-training with her, and set boundaries for her. She isn't allowed in the bedrooms, because they have carpet and because she's destructive with anything she finds, whether it's a shoe or a heating pad. This is something that, until recently, she didn't have any issues with. She is also successfully and happily crate-trained, and stays in her crate anytime we're not home and at night. We even trained her to stay in her crate with the door open while we eat our meals (we know too many people who have dogs eating off or begging at the table). Additionally, she is not allowed to use the stairs (too many back issues with the breed), so she is restricted to the main floor of our house. And another side note, she's not allowed on the couch (to prevent back issues), and when we all sit down to watch a movie, she'll lay on her bed and destroy it, pulling the stuffing out of it and literally ripping it to shreds. We've now given her a towel to lay on instead of a stuffed bed. (We did previously allow her to be on the couch while we were on the couch -we would pick her up from the floor- but she would jump onto and off the couch at other times, and when she jumps down she slips on the floor, so we cut that out completely.)
> 
> She has had problems with peeing in the house on occasion, usually 1-2 times per week at most, and went for a long period of 1-2 accidents per month. I always remain calm if I find the accident, and give a firm "NO!" if I catch her in the act. There is no way to get her out of the house before she finishes, because she'll run, while peeing, to hide, leaving a trail of urine through the house.
> 
> In the past month, the peeing has become much more frequent, which correlates with a busier schedule that my family has had outside the home. The accidents are never in her crate, and we are never gone for long periods, usually 3 hours at most. The peeing happens when we are home, and are busy around the home. If I'm buzzing around the house cleaning, doing laundry, playing with the kids, she'll pee in the house, even if I just took her outside and watched her pee outside.
> 
> This morning, she went out and peed at 7:30, at 9:00 she peed and pooped, and at 9:30 she peed in the house while I was in the basement doing laundry and my kids were playing upstairs in their bedrooms. She was alone on the main floor for 5 minutes. Since I found the accident, I let her outside, cleaned up the mess, then let her back in. At 10:00, when I walked into my bedroom (on the main floor), she followed me into the bedroom. I said "Out" and she walked out. She stepped into the bedroom again, so I said "Out" again. She walked just out of the bedroom and peed on the hardwood floor. Since I caught her in the act, I loudly said "NO!" and tried to pick her up to get her outside, but she ran, leaving her infamous pee trail, to her bed in the living room. As a side note, when I caught her peeing, she had her tail tucked, just far enough out of the way to avoid being soaked by the urine. We have never hit her or given her any other reason to tuck her tail, so I don't understand where that's coming from. She has also started tucking her tail when we pet her, but I know that none of us have hit her or hurt her, so I am really confused. Her tail wags when you talk to her, but as soon as a hand reaches for her, she tucks her tail.
> 
> She has a clean bill of health from the vet, so I'm not worried that there's an actual medical issue. I am getting frustrated with her peeing in the house, especially since it only occurs when she hasn't gotten her way about something. If this is an issue of her wanting to be someone's lap dog, spoiled constantly, life is about to get even busier here, since I'm now expecting our third child.
> 
> I have been so consistent with her, but I just can't continue to go through this, especially since it's so much more frequent now. The fact remains that we are going to be busy, even busier with a baby, and I cannot give her any more of myself than she has now.
> 
> I want to do what's best for all of us, even if that means finding a new home for her. My husband is much more ready to find a new home for her than I am. I feel guilty, like I've failed, but I also feel guilty for keeping her, knowing I can't give her more time or attention, and that I'm impatient with her now.
> 
> I would appreciate any thoughts or feedback, particularly on her tucking her tail while peeing. Does this mean she knows she's breaking a rule? Can a dog be this obstinate and defiant? I am so ready to give up, I'm just wiped out at this point, and I'm starting to feel resentment toward her, which I really don't want.
> 
> Thank you!
> Chandres


If you're feeling impatient and resentment, then maybe finding a new home for her would be the best option. It wouldn't surprise me the least if the reason why she's tucking her tail when you reach for her is because she knows you're feeling those things toward her. When she came into your room and you told her "out", and she did, came back in, you told her "out", and she did and immediately peed, she might have been trying to tell you "I need to go PEE"...My papillon usually comes to me when he needs to go out and stares at me. If I ignore him, he'll quietly "woof" at me. If he REALLY needs to go out, he'll literally fling himself into my lap and put his paws on my face. (I got about 30 seconds when he does this... ) Does she indicate she needs to go out, even subtle hints? Sniffing, restlessness, going to the door or even to the general vicinity of the door? Looking at you? Whining? 
When the vet gave her a "clean bill of health", did he do a urinalysis? What is her feeding schedule like? (Do you free feed, or feed her once or twice a day?) How much exercise is she getting?


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## chandres

When she needs to go pee, she'll come to me and stare, and if I don't notice, she'll trot in a circle and stare again, or run to the door and run back to me. I would've considered that she needed to pee if she hadn't just peed in the house 30 minutes before that, and also peed and pooped outside 30 minutes before that.

When she came into the bedroom, she tried to sneak in (she's a very sneaky dog when she wants something she knows she isn't supposed to have), stepping very slowly into the room and trying to get around the bed before I saw her. She wasn't heading for me, as if she was going to tell me she needed to go out.

She's fed twice a day, in the morning and evening, and I don't leave her water dish out all the time anymore, since I thought that may be causing the issue, especially since she never pees in her crate. She eats like she's never eaten before and it's the last meal she'll ever have, scarfing it down, barely chewing at all, and licks the bowl until there are no more crumbs. She sounds like she's choking! She's at a very good size/weight, though, so I'm not sure if that's another issue altogether.

She runs around the yard quite a bit with the kids, and we take her for walks on trails near our house (she really enjoys running with my husband while he bikes on the trail). Since it's been so cold (and we've had so much snow, which she hates), she hasn't wanted to spend much time outside. I thought about training her on the treadmill for the colder months. Could her exercising more inside possibly help with her peeing in the house? I'm open for any ideas, because I really want all the issues to work out so we can keep her.


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## doxiemommy

I have a mini dachshund, too, and have found them to be stubborn. I know your issues are mostly about the accidents, but, I have some other suggestions, too. Please keep in mind that these are just MY opinions, and I fully acknowledge that you have done a lot for your dog! 
Maybe your dog is feeling frustrated because she used to be allowed on the couch, and now isnt'; and used to have a comfy bed, and now doesn't; and isn't allowed in the bedrooms. Could it be that she doesn't feel like a part of the "pack"? Now, I know your reasons for not having her bed, or having her on the couch and not in the bedrooms, and I understand, and that's fine. But, a couple of the accidents you mentioned where when no one was around (you doing laundry and the kids in the rooms she's not allowed in.) So....here are some suggestions:
- get some doggy steps so she can be on the couch with the family? My mini dachshund recently learned to use the steps to get up and down from the couch.
- since dachshunds were badger hunters originally, they love to dig and burrow: gets lots of inexpensive fleece blankets (Walmart or dollar stores) for her to dig in and burrow under. That might cut down on the destructiveness.

Harper pees all the time when he's bored. If he's left to his own for awhile he will frequently want to go out to pee. But, he also has a clean bill of health from the vet, so it's not a UTI. AND, he can hold it for an awful long time when he's occupied with something! So....maybe your girl is bored.....
- We got him a toy box, one that he can easily get into, and he loves to go and get whatever he's in the mood to play with. And, we add new toys occasionally so he can find surprises. 
- We put treats, or peanut butter, or cheese in his Kong and let him at it! It keeps him occupied for at least an hour, especially if we freeze it overnight!
I have heard that bored dogs can be destructive, and in my case, being bored causes Harper to pee all the time, just little dribbles, mostly to get out....it might help to try some new ideas to keep her occupied.
I also agree that you're dog can sense your frustration, anger, and disappointment. 
Good luck, and as I said in the beginning, these are just my opinions and suggestions and are in no way meant to be critical!


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## chandres

DoxieMommy, thank you so much for the suggestions. Some of them we've tried, others I'll be trying. We did have doggy steps, and she would go up the doggy steps, but when she's ready to get off the couch, she leaps off the couch and slips onto the floor (she's a girl on a mission!). It's been about a year since we cut out couch time. 

She absolutely loves to dig in blankets, especially when the kids are sitting under one on the couch and part of it falls to the floor, so I'll go dig out an extra fleece blanket for her to use for burrowing.

As for toys, we have bought her so many toys over the past couple of years. So far, there's only one brand she can't chew up (she destroyed a kong, chewed it into bits). I can't think of the name of the brand, but it's the blue toy that sometimes has string or rope coming out of it, and we have all the different types of those. Any stuffed toy she MUST kill within five minutes of getting it, two minutes if it squeaks. I'll definitely try rewarding her with a frozen kong while the rest of the family watches a movie, hopefully that'll help with her not destroying her bedding.

I know she knows that I'm frustrated, so I'm really trying to work on that, it's just so hard since as soon as I don't feel frustrated, she pees, or destroys something, and it starts the cycle over again. I'm working on it, though.


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## LazyGRanch713

doxiemommy said:


> I have a mini dachshund, too, and have found them to be stubborn. I know your issues are mostly about the accidents, but, I have some other suggestions, too. Please keep in mind that these are just MY opinions, and I fully acknowledge that you have done a lot for your dog!
> Maybe your dog is feeling frustrated because she used to be allowed on the couch, and now isnt'; and used to have a comfy bed, and now doesn't; and isn't allowed in the bedrooms. Could it be that she doesn't feel like a part of the "pack"? Now, I know your reasons for not having her bed, or having her on the couch and not in the bedrooms, and I understand, and that's fine. But, a couple of the accidents you mentioned where when no one was around (you doing laundry and the kids in the rooms she's not allowed in.) So....here are some suggestions:
> - get some doggy steps so she can be on the couch with the family? My mini dachshund recently learned to use the steps to get up and down from the couch.
> - since dachshunds were badger hunters originally, they love to dig and burrow: gets lots of inexpensive fleece blankets (Walmart or dollar stores) for her to dig in and burrow under. That might cut down on the destructiveness.
> 
> Harper pees all the time when he's bored. If he's left to his own for awhile he will frequently want to go out to pee. But, he also has a clean bill of health from the vet, so it's not a UTI. AND, he can hold it for an awful long time when he's occupied with something! So....maybe your girl is bored.....
> - We got him a toy box, one that he can easily get into, and he loves to go and get whatever he's in the mood to play with. And, we add new toys occasionally so he can find surprises.
> - We put treats, or peanut butter, or cheese in his Kong and let him at it! It keeps him occupied for at least an hour, especially if we freeze it overnight!
> I have heard that bored dogs can be destructive, and in my case, being bored causes Harper to pee all the time, just little dribbles, mostly to get out....it might help to try some new ideas to keep her occupied.
> I also agree that you're dog can sense your frustration, anger, and disappointment.
> Good luck, and as I said in the beginning, these are just my opinions and suggestions and are in no way meant to be critical!


They're good suggestions!  And the snow the OP mentioned (which her dog hates) could be a contributing factor, provided that this has gotten worse in the past couple of months. I wouldn't be against training her to use a treadmill either, even though it sounds like her weight/activity level is pretty good. 
I'm not a big fan of teaching dogs to "go" in the house, but I know people (mostly customers of mine) who have taught their dogs to use puppy pads, or a litter box, very reliably. It might be something the OP would be interested in looking into. When ya gotta go, ya gotta go, and the same is true for dogs


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## RedyreRottweilers

You must change your attitude towards your dog. Remember that dogs urinate to indicate submission.

The fact that she runs to hide if you discover her urinating tells me she has been punished and is fearful about urinating when you are nearby.

Here is what I recommend:

STOP all yelling, saying no, and any and all punishment for mistakes in the house. Own up to the fact that it is your job to have the dog where she needs to be when she needs to go. Stop putting ANY blame on the dog for these mistakes.

START rewarding her with a tasty food tidbit every time she urinates or defecates outdoors. This means you need to go with her each time she goes out. As she is eliminating, give it a name. "go pee pee" "be quick" "hurry up" whatever, just give it a name, stick with it, and say it each time she is doing it. Stuff the food rewards, and praise her cheerfully when she is done.

STOP giving her any chance to make a mistake in the house. Tie her leash to your belt. Use baby gates to keep her in the room with you. Get an exercise pen where she can see what is going on but be in a confined area if you can't watch her directly.

I would also bet she might benefit from more exercise both mental and physical.


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## chandres

LazyG, with having kids, and expecting another, I really am not a fan of training her to "go potty" indoors. I'm going to see if training her to use the treadmill will help in her feeling like she's getting some extra time with us, as well as expending some of her energy, especially when it's cold outside. Her accidents have definitely gone up in the past month, so I can't rule out either the temperatures/snow or my family's busy schedule as the reason behind it, or perhaps a combination of the two. I'm hopeful to see some improvement as the treadmill training gets underway!

Redyre, I do get frustrated with her when she has an accident, but we still play together (tossing a toy across the house or yard, hide and seek -her favorite game-, and just running around with the kids and me). She's happy as long as she's not being touched, despite our never hurting her. She enjoys being held, just not petted... if I sit on the floor, she's in my lap in an instant. I do try to rebound from my feelings of frustration as quickly as possible, but with more accidents comes more frequent frustration. A bad cycle, I know, which is why I came here for advice. 

I never said that I yell at her, I do give a firm "NO" but never yelling. I absolutely know that taking her outside regularly is my responsibility, and I take her outside every 1 to 1 1/2 hrs (unless she stares at me to indicate she needs to go sooner), staying with her the whole time or watching her from the porch, to see that she's finished "going potty" (what we've called it since the day she came home) before she comes in. I've made the mistake in the past, thinking she wanted to sit on my lap, but really just wanted to go potty, and I've been covered in urine. I take full responsibility for not reading her signals correctly at that time, but I won't accept that these accidents are a result of my not being a responsible owner. She is very food-motivated, that's the only way we've trained her to do anything. I can go back to giving treats for going potty, but this doesn't seem to be an issue of her regressing. It almost seems to me as if it's an attempt to get attention from me on days when I'm busy.

I'm not sure, other than adding the treadmill in winter, how much more activity she could take. She usually flops to the ground after a good bit of running around with the kids or fetching her toys, and alternates running beside my husband on the bike and walking with me for about 2 miles on the trails when the weather is warm enough. 

I didn't realize that her urinating is a sign of submission, thank you for letting me know. I do appreciate the advice, and I'll work on giving her more mental stimulation... she picks up on new tricks very quickly, so that would be something she'd love!


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## Shell

People have given great advice and I am glad to see that you are honestly listening to the different ideas and willing to try them; lots of people ask for help on here and then dismiss or argue against every suggestion. Good on you.

Only a few additional things come to mind- one is that if she destroyed a Kong before, you could try to move up to the black "Extreme Kong" for power chewers (that is, assuming that's not what she managed to destroy)

Are you cleaning the pee spots with a neutralizer like Nature's Miracle? The less she smells any previous indoor pee spots, the better.

And last... you say that none of you have hurt her or hit her. Since you don't say how old your children are, is it possible that one of them could have unintentionally played too rough with her? I'm NOT suggesting someone tried to hurt her, but clumsy kids and little dogs makes it all too easy for the dog to get hurt and a few grabs or bumps might be enough to make her wary of being petted.


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## tsc

chandres said:


> I never said that I yell at her, I do give a firm "NO" but never yelling.


The thing is, you don't get to decide how harsh any given aversive is-- the dog does. A firm "no" will completely shut down my dog, anything past that turns her into a fearful, retreating, submissive urinating dog. Your dog most likely retreats from you because of that "no"-- it's too much for her. 

Dogs cannot spite, nor can they manipulate. You've taught your dog to be sneaky when she goes in bedrooms, because if she isn't, she gets yelled at. She destroys 'prey' (toys) because that's what dachshunds do. 

I know it's hard to acknowledge that what you're doing may be wrong, but if it's obviously not working, what's the harm in trying what others have told you? 

Big pee parties when she goes outside, tether her to your belt if you have to for a while, and understand that she's just a dog, and can't let herself out when she needs to go. I'd also reccomend having your vet do a urinalysis to make sure it's not her kidneys or a UTI.

And never, ever restrict water-- again, she decides how much she needs to drink a day, not you.


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## Elana55

> Since I caught her in the act, I loudly said "NO!" and tried to pick her up to get her outside, but she ran, leaving her infamous pee trail, to her bed in the living room. As a side note, when I caught her peeing, she had her tail tucked, just far enough out of the way to avoid being soaked by the urine. We have never hit her or given her any other reason to tuck her tail, so I don't understand where that's coming from. She has also started tucking her tail when we pet her, but I know that none of us have hit her or hurt her, so I am really confused. Her tail wags when you talk to her, but as soon as a hand reaches for her, she tucks her tail.


What sems like a firm NO may actually be interprted differently by the dog. Tail tucking etc,. are fear reactions. What seems like no reason to YOU may seem like an excellant reason to the dog. 

The fact that this dog pee'd in the house once a week or once a monthy indicates the dog was NEVER HOUSEBROKEN. When a dog only has accidents in the house when they are sick, they are house broken. 

Go back to square one. NEVER leave her alone. Tether her to you if you must. Take her out every 30 muinutes, rewarding heavily for pee and poop outside WITH FOOD and I don't mean biscuits. I mean severl 1/2 dime size bits of hot dog, cheesse, chicken etc. If she starts to go in the house SAY NOTHING and pick her up and take her out. She is tethered to you so it won't be a problem because she cannot run away. Crate her every time you cannot tether her to you or watch her. 

Take her for walks. These dogs are pretty high strung and high energy. Tire her out. Teach her to fetch and throw a ball. Anything that can get her physically tired. Work her with a training program too. Make her THINK. That can tire her out as well. 

A dog that runs when you reach for her has had some negative experience as interpreted by the dog.. yelling (remember, dogs have sensitive ears and what is firm to you may be yelling to the dog).. reaching and grabbbing... grabbing quickly etc. are all things some small dogs will fear. Your dog is AFRAID. 

You had to train this dog to not go on the couch and not go in certain rooms.. and you did that somehow. If it involved aversives (positive punishment such as corrections), then that was the beginning of her fear. 

When you want her to settle on a bed, give her a Kong stuffed with forzen cottage cheese (get about 3 Kongs and put unsweetened yogurt, cottage Cheese, or peanut butter in them and put them in the freezer.. so when you want the dog to settle you give her something to work at.. wash them in the dishwasher and repeat so you always have a forzen one or two). 

When you want her to cease a behavior, give her a replacement behavior to do. reqward heavily for performing the replacement behavior. 

If none of this works or you are not willing to put a lot of time and effort into this, then return the dog to the breeder. Dogs are a large time committment.


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## chandres

I had a response all ready to go and it disappeared, so I'll give it another go!

*Shell*, my kids are 6 and 4, and I never considered that their unintentional clumsiness could be related, but it makes sense. My 4. y.o. son can at times be like a bull in a china shop, so I'll definitely be watchful of that. Our dog still loves to be carried around and held by the kids, which is reassuring (she loves any opportunity to snuggle). I've never seen an Extreme Kong in any size other than large or XXL, but Amazon proves to be a wonderful site, so I'm going to order a couple of small ones for her! Oh, and we do use a urine neutralizer!

*tsc* and *Elana*, thank you both for your recommending my not using "NO" when she has an accident, as well as the suggestion to play up her going potty outside. I try to "catch" my kids in positive behavior and compliment them, rather than nag over negative behavior, so I'll apply that to our dog and hope to see the same results!

*tsc*, as far as restricting water, we did so much internet reading (which can be both good and bad) and kept coming across the suggestion to monitor and regulate when they get water. I put water down for her about once an hour or so (giving her enough that she doesn't empty the bowl), then take her out to potty a little while after that. I'd love feedback on if that's still too much restriction, or if I should put the bowl back down at all times. We were just desperate to find a solution, and since with our kids we realized that no drinks after 7:00=no accidents in bed, we thought it sounded logical to have a similar drink, then pee routine for the dog.

*Elana*, housebreaking our dachshund was definitely a struggle. I don't think the breeder had even begun to work with the puppies on housebreaking, and she was 10-11 weeks old when we got her. When we trained her to stay off the couch, anytime we found her on the couch we said "down" and rewarded her when she got down. We did the same with her staying out of the bedroom, rewarding her anytime she went "out" of the room. And she loves her walks! As I mentioned in an earlier post, she goes on the trails with us, alternating walking with me and running next to my husband while he bikes for about 2 miles. And we have a very hilly yard, so she's learned to fall into a hill (even for her short legs, she discovered the shortest distance to the ground is to lean into a hill to rest) when the kids and I have exhausted her by running around and throwing her ball! We're going to work on using the treadmill when it's too cold outside, so it'll be interesting! When you suggested a training program, do you mean an obstacle course of some kind? She's very smart and picks up on tricks quickly, but I've never thought about training her to do anything like that before. Can you elaborate on what you meant? I'm ordering a couple of small Extreme Kongs as I type this, so I'll fill them and freeze them... this'll be her version of popcorn on movie night! 

I am so thankful for all the advice I've gotten from this thread... I was getting overwhelmed and really needed input from other dog owners on how to successfully overcome these issues. I am so excited to put into practice so many of these ideas, and I feel so reassured that there will be positive results. We've had our girl for 2.5 years, and I came here because I needed a way to get to the bottom of the cause of the problems, and I cannot tell you how relieved I am that I have fresh, new ideas to try. I'll update again over the next couple of weeks, and am definitely still open to any ideas! Thank you all!!!


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## Elana55

By training program I mean just that. Thirty minute down stays, sit, lie down wait, heel with focus on your face (hard for little dogs but not impossible), focus on your face every time you ask for it and for as long as you ask for it and any place you ask for it, rertrieves back to you and sit in front. Return to heel on a hand signal. 

Work on real obedience and consistancy adding duration for both focus and stays. Practicing them every where. Introducing new things. 

All the stuff a really good obedience dog needs to do. Not beause you need to compete and not because you love obedience but because all of this stuff will tax her little brain and get her more in tune with you. 

The first time you send her out and she goes out 50 feet and turns and sits when you say "SIT!" and then comes back to you only to drop into a lie down on a hand signal part way back.. and then comes all the way back and sits in front of you and finishes up in heel position.. all on hand signals.. you will feel great. When she does it any place you go you will be proud. And to teach it you will have given her the greatest gift.. a solid soild bond between the two of you. 

Go to www.clickertraining.com and look for "101 things to do with a box." That can wear a dog out faster than anything once you get them going with a clicker or marker word training (and it is fun and you 6 year old can do some of this too). Thinking is hard work! I know. I have to out-think my dog and 5.5 cats (one is a kitten) all the time and I am tired a LOT!


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## LazyGRanch713

chandres said:


> LazyG, with having kids, and expecting another, I really am not a fan of training her to "go potty" indoors. I'm going to see if training her to use the treadmill will help in her feeling like she's getting some extra time with us, as well as expending some of her energy, especially when it's cold outside. Her accidents have definitely gone up in the past month, so I can't rule out either the temperatures/snow or my family's busy schedule as the reason behind it, or perhaps a combination of the two. I'm hopeful to see some improvement as the treadmill training gets underway!


I understand; I am the same way  It has been do-able for some posters so I thought I'd throw it out there anyhow!  I hope you see improvement working her on the treadmill. She also might be "sensing" some stress from you (even if you don't realize the extra stress is there) with preparing for a new baby. Hopefully the treadmill will help; I would love to have a treadmill for my dogs.
And I also understand about feeling frustrated with her. I have a german shepherd who went through a horrific time with diarrhea on a nightly basis. Every morning I woke up to a huge mess to deal with. It absolutely frustrated me, and even though it wasn't his fault, it was obvious he knew I was extremely upset at the situation which didn't help. We got him turned around, he's fine now, and I hope the same for your dog too!


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## chandres

*Elana*, I ordered a clicker tonight as well as the kongs, and placed a hold on one of Karen Pryor's books on clicker training at the library. The "Box" article should be interesting to try out, and I know my 6 y.o. daughter will get a kick out of it! I read Pryor's book "Don't Shoot the Dog" several years ago when my sister was working on a zoology degree. My sister ended up doing a summer internship at a sanctuary, where she clicker-trained rescued tigers. I can't believe I haven't tried it with my dog, knowing the results she got working with tigers.

*LazyG*, thank you for your encouragement! Frustration seems to be lose/lose with dogs. I can explain to my husband and kids that I'm frustrated about something without them thinking it has anything to do with them, but I can't explain to the dog that it's a bad day, and she's showing me that it's all personal to her. I'm just going to try to be consciously aware of my stress level, and hope that the good days continue!


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## chandres

An early update, but we've had no accidents since the day of my original post! We haven't made much progress on the treadmill (she'll jump up onto it, but as soon as the motor makes the hum, she's off, even before the belt moves). I think I'll just have her in the room with me while I walk on the treadmill until she's used to the sound. Any other suggestions for the treadmill?

And my sister left a clicker at my mom's house, so we've been working on that. One thing that has always bothered me about the way the dog sits is that she never sits on her bottom, she always squats and it looks exactly like she's peeing. With the clicker, we've already changed that to her sitting on her bottom before she gets a click/treat. And that was in the first session! After two short sessions today, she's been asleep on her new fleece blanket bed (which she "adjusts" every time she lays down, moving the folds around until they're just right ) most of the evening! 

The Kongs are on their way, I'll probably get them tomorrow, and I'll stuff them and freeze them in time for movie night!

Thanks so much for all the help, this week is ending much better than it began!


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## Elana55

this is very heartening to hear. Many times folks come here and ask for advice and then argue that the suggestions given are N.G. or wrong... etc. 

Keep up the good work! 

I used a leash and limited my dog so she had to walk on the treadmill (could not jump off). I don't use it much tho because the foot bed is just a bit short for her trotting stride to fit on.


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## doxiemommy

I'm glad things are looking up! It's so neat to hear your dachshund stories, because Harper is a mini dachshund and has lots of the same habits, like trying to sit, but not sit all the way. We're constantly worried he is peeing!  One thing I've noticed is he doesn't like to sit on the laminate floors! Too cold, I guess! But if I move him just a bit over to a rug, he'll do it right! 
And, he has to get his blankies just right, too! He's picky!


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## LazyGRanch713

chandres said:


> An early update, but we've had no accidents since the day of my original post! We haven't made much progress on the treadmill (she'll jump up onto it, but as soon as the motor makes the hum, she's off, even before the belt moves). I think I'll just have her in the room with me while I walk on the treadmill until she's used to the sound. Any other suggestions for the treadmill?
> 
> And my sister left a clicker at my mom's house, so we've been working on that. One thing that has always bothered me about the way the dog sits is that she never sits on her bottom, she always squats and it looks exactly like she's peeing. With the clicker, we've already changed that to her sitting on her bottom before she gets a click/treat. And that was in the first session! After two short sessions today, she's been asleep on her new fleece blanket bed (which she "adjusts" every time she lays down, moving the folds around until they're just right ) most of the evening!
> 
> The Kongs are on their way, I'll probably get them tomorrow, and I'll stuff them and freeze them in time for movie night!
> 
> Thanks so much for all the help, this week is ending much better than it began!


Great news!!! Clicker training is amazing in the little teeny tiny things you can train, like sitting on her butt  I've known some conformation people who clicker train their show dogs to free stack, perk their ears, hold their tail in the correct position, etc. Keep it up!!!!!
Have you tried using the clicker for the treadmill? One thing that might help is sound sensitizing with the clicker. I have a little papillon who HATED the teeter when we started agility because it makes a really loud BANG when it hits the ground. For weeks, every time a dog got on the teeter and made it slam onto the ground, I clicked and Tag got a treat. A few weeks of this, whenever the teeter would slam onto the ground, and Tag would look at me for his treat. We've been working on the teeter for a few weeks and the sound doesn't seem to bother him nearly as much. We call it the French Fry machine (when he chooses to go on the teeter and stay there...french fries magically appear for him to eat, lol). 
You could try the same thing with the treadmill. When the treadmill is running, All Good Things Appear. When the treadmill goes off, All Good Things Disappear. This isn't something that will have to be kept up for her whole life, just until she has a changed attitude towards the sound of the treadmill, and you can eventually phase out the clicker and later, the food.
I'm so happy to hear of all the hard work you're putting into your dog, just makes me happy


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## Cracker

I have no suggestions, they've pretty much all been covered by the outstanding posts.
I just wanted to say "click! treat!" for you Chandre for your hard work and willingness to learn to help your dog. 
Good on you, kiddo!


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## ThoseWordsAtBest

Lots of great suggestions for you. As a doxie momma myself, I know your frustrations. Dachshunds can be INCREDIBLY stubborn pups. I have a stubborn but soft, fearful guy who needs lot of patience and understanding. Good luck!


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## RedyreRottweilers

I'm so happy to hear of your progress!! Cookies for you both!


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## meganbarteaux

Hi!

It's sounding like things are going better for you, but I just wanted to throw an additional suggestion out there:

If your little girl is thinking that telling her "Out" of the bedroom is a bad thing, and she just wants to follow you in there, here's an alternative:

Does she know the "Stay" command yet? If so, you can play a game with her. Make sure she knows that when you say "Stay" that she should stay there until you return to her.. and give her big praise when she succeeds. This way she won't be sitting at the door thinking "Oh I wish I was in there but I'm not allowed, and I'll be in trouble if I go in...but I want to!!! I'm going to sneak and maybe I won't get in trouble this time.." instead, she will be sitting there thinking "Oh if I stay here then Mom's going to be SOOO happy with me, I'm going to sit here perfect so she'll pet me and love me forevvverrrr!"

Instead of her concentrating on not doing something bad, she'll be concentrating on doing something good! 

If she doesn't know the command yet, you should try to teach her


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## rosemaryninja

Cracker said:


> I have no suggestions, they've pretty much all been covered by the outstanding posts.
> I just wanted to say "click! treat!" for you Chandre for your hard work and willingness to learn to help your dog.
> Good on you, kiddo!


Firstly, I just wanted to echo this post... too many owners come here and turn down the suggestions they're given, and I must admit I was expecting to see that when I clicked on this thread, but it's heartening to see someone taking advice and making progress.

Secondly, I wanted to recommend a few clicker training resources, since that seems to be your route of choice (and a good route I must say). 

http://www.clickertraining.com - Karen Pryor's site, has a good collection of free articles on clicker training
http://www.clickersolutions.com - has good articles and nice walkthrough training plans
http://www.youtube.com/user/kikopup - she has lots of videos that show the kind of incredibly advanced things you can train your dog to do with clicker training, but she also has some videos on basic training that have worked well for me

If you search Youtube for "clicker training" (or this forum, in fact) you will get a wealth of resources too.

Otherwise, "The Power of Positive Dog Training" by Pat Miller and Kay Laurence's "Clicker Training: The Perfect Foundation" are good books to check out. You can order them online at http://www.dogwise.com.


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## juanice

I have an 11 month old dachshund, Schatzi. She should have been named stubborn. She would have everything in the house torn up if it wasn't for bully sticks. She gets one each morning and will chew on it for hours off-n-on all day. It really does help to keep her out of mischief and occupied. It is an expensive habit but one I willing pay for. If she doesn't have her bully stick she seems to be constantly wanting attention or finding something to destroy.

Schatzi was very hard to housebreak and I still do not consider her 100%. We have a doorbell that she rings to go out. I feel certain if we didn't answer her ring that she would be happy to squat, put that tail up, and pee right there.


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## TheStins

Allow me to share what I've learned.
After reading this post, others, and all of the responses I had to say that I observe some people must make excuses for their dog's bad behavior and some easily criticize others for not doing the right things to train their dogs, and others are merely trying to provide some help. I'm far from perfect, and struggle with the Mini Dachshund living in my house, but have been around, had, or trained my dogs for most of my life and know this much:

For the people who make excuses about their displeasure with their dog's bad behavior.
*Breed Selection*
It simply goes back to breed selection and getting information before you buy a dog. I feel like most people never take the time to REALLY understand what a dog breed is like. They probably look at pictures or see one and decide at some point "I want one of those" without learning enough about the dog breeds themselves. It's probably all too common for owners of the Miniature Dachshund to think it's going to be a cute and cuddly bundle of joy that everyone will love, and then when they get one they realize they're some of the most stubborn, hard to potty train, fragile, and most difficult to house train breeds in the book.

*These dogs aren't for everyone.*
They can be great companions, but they can be a great source of frustration, irritation, and patience testing too. If you don't have the patience of Job (or even if you do), these dogs will test your patience. If you're not someone who can handle accidents in the house multiple times per week, don't even think about getting one of these. Mini Dachshunds, Weiner Dogs, Doxie's, whatever you want to call them are hard to deal with animals. We have a Mini Dachshund that has pee'd and pooped in the house more in one year, than in my Samoyed's entire lifetime. Moral of the story, you better know what you're getting into before you get one. If what I've written above doesn't sound like you're cup of tea, look for another breed.

*A note for the guys.*
For most guys out there, medium to large dogs might be a better fit. If you're a guy and you've got an affinity for small dogs, that's cool too. I'm simply asserting that Weiner dogs just aren't a good fit for most guys that have the expectation of this being Man's best friend, or for whatever reason you decided on one. At least this has been my experience. Your mileage may vary.

*A note for the gals.*
If you have a boyfriend, fiance, or husband and you're thinking about getting a mini dachshund, make sure your significant other is really ok with it too and willing to help train it and be frustrated with it. It's very easy to have dreamy thoughts about how cute these dogs are when they're puppies (or any dog for that matter), and how much you want to test out your 'mothering abilities,' but is it worth having them get pissed (or worse leave) when this little cutie turns out to be the straw that broke the camel's back? I've heard most relationships end up poorly due to discrepancies over money, or communication issues (I might suggest adding one of these to that list)... if you have either, one of these is not going to help. If you're a single gal and you're looking at getting one of these, a lot of guys have trouble with little dogs. It might be a conversation piece, but for a lot of guys... as soon as a guy realizes they might have to deal with them more than a few minutes or realize that they'd have to schlep a little fufu dog around everywhere they go with you... say buh bye. Food for thought.

For those that are quick to criticize other people's training.
Have you ever actually tried to train one of these dogs? Until you've spent two years consistently dealing with the same problems these Miniature Dachshund's are known for over and over again per reasonable means and advice... just keep it to yourself. I know several people with 6 year old weiner dogs that still have multiple accidents in the house per week. They didn't all just come from the same bad batch. They are difficult dogs to deal with. Training a weiner dog is like trying to start a fire like a cave-man with sticks and wet tinder. If you've had better luck, good for you - the rest of us struggle.

For those just trying to provide some helpful advice
Thanks for trying. For those willing to try and try again best of luck and keep this in mind:
May god, grant your the serenity
To accept the things you cannot change;
Courage to change the things you can;
And wisdom to know the difference.


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## ThoseWordsAtBest

TheStins said:


> *A note for the guys.*
> For most guys out there, medium to large dogs might be a better fit. If you're a guy and you've got an affinity for small dogs, that's cool too. I'm simply asserting that Weiner dogs just aren't a good fit for most guys that have the expectation of this being Man's best friend, or for whatever reason you decided on one. At least this has been my experience. Your mileage may vary.
> 
> *A note for the gals.*
> If you have a boyfriend, fiance, or husband and you're thinking about getting a mini dachshund, make sure your significant other is really ok with it too and willing to help train it and be frustrated with it. It's very easy to have dreamy thoughts about how cute these dogs are when they're puppies (or any dog for that matter), and how much you want to test out your 'mothering abilities,' but is it worth having them get pissed (or worse leave) when this little cutie turns out to be the straw that broke the camel's back? I've heard most relationships end up poorly due to discrepancies over money, or communication issues (I might suggest adding one of these to that list)... if you have either, one of these is not going to help. If you're a single gal and you're looking at getting one of these, a lot of guys have trouble with little dogs. It might be a conversation piece, but for a lot of guys... as soon as a guy realizes they might have to deal with them more than a few minutes or realize that they'd have to schlep a little fufu dog around everywhere they go with you... say buh bye. Food for thought.


Yeah.. I have a miniature Dachshund, and always will have Dachshunds in my life, and these things have nothing to do with any thing. Not only are Dachshunds anything but little fufu dogs, the fact that my fiance is a guy matters very little. Dachshunds are an incredibly hardy breed, regardless of their size, and I don't know many people, men or otherwise, that could handle mine. I have no idea why men should not consider Dachshunds, and saying they can't be a companion to a man or a "best friend" is pretty far from the truth. Dachshunds are very owner oriented.


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## sassafras

What a bizarre post.


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## ThoseWordsAtBest

No kidding, but thankfully they posted so I could tell my fiance to stop walking Jonas lest someone sees him.


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## sassafras

I'm just imagining some poor woman somewhere lamenting "I _really like_ them, but however will I land a husband if I get a miniature dachshund?!"


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## ThoseWordsAtBest

Miniature Dachshund owners: NO ONE will marry you.


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## Cracker

Yes, bizarre and full of assumptions about people and dogs....and it's an OLD thread.


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## TheStins

ThoseWordsAtBest said:


> I don't know many people, men or otherwise, that could handle mine. I have no idea why men should not consider Dachshunds


Thanks for clarifying that. Re-read what your wrote and if you're unable to make the connection, I'm sorry.

And to some others that posted, I'm not asking for your agreement, I'm simply stating what I've learned over the years. If your experiences have been different, why don't you post them in hopes to be helpful to others rather than just dismissing what I've stated. Unless what I've written is accurate and you're simply trying to dismiss my points and/or defend your choice of dog... why don't you corroborate your claims and jestures.


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## Elana55

FWIW if I get a dog (any breed) and it means less chance of a guy moving into my house then I am twice blessed. Not everyone WANTS a relationship. 

If I am in a relationship and get a dog (ANY dog) and that is the "reason" for the relationship ending, there is likely more wrong than the dog. 

If someone would guarantee me that people would go away and leave me alone if I got a Mini Daschshund I would go and get one. So far I can say that I have not needed to do that. The two GSD's and the 6 cats are doing a fine job.......


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## TheStins

You're absolutely right Elana, and I should have qualified that statement... "For those of you who are more interested in human companions than animal companions." I'm also not a dog breeder and feel that some of those that oppose my statements probably breed these dogs. But Elana, if you're interested in warding off anyone taking interest in co-habitating with you, these just may be the right dogs for you. Although, I personally prefer the German Shepherd. 

In this forum at least, I might be surrounded by people who's lives revolve around their dogs, and that was not at all my target audience for my previous comments. I was aiming at people like me, who have dogs as 'pets' and love them as such, but agree that they do not supplant human relationships.


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## Cracker

TheStins said:


> Thanks for clarifying that. Re-read what your wrote and if you're unable to make the connection, I'm sorry.
> 
> And to some others that posted, I'm not asking for your agreement, I'm simply stating what I've learned over the years. If your experiences have been different, why don't you post them in hopes to be helpful to others rather than just dismissing what I've stated. Unless what I've written is accurate and you're simply trying to dismiss my points and/or defend your choice of dog... why don't you corroborate your claims and jestures.


Unable to make the connection? Oooh sarcastic much? 

Your piece of 'advice' was generalized and offensive towards men and women. Your experience may be what you described, but it's not necessarily what anyone else here has found. It also had little or nothing to do with the original thread, which was several months old at that. You can supply your opinion for sure, but it is naturally going to be taken with a grain of salt, given the attitude it was posted with.


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## sassafras

TheStins said:


> Thanks for clarifying that. Re-read what your wrote and if you're unable to make the connection, I'm sorry.
> 
> And to some others that posted, I'm not asking for your agreement, I'm simply stating what I've learned over the years. If your experiences have been different, why don't you post them in hopes to be helpful to others rather than just dismissing what I've stated. Unless what I've written is accurate and you're simply trying to dismiss my points and/or defend your choice of dog... why don't you corroborate your claims and jestures.


I didn't dismiss what you stated about the breed, but I do think the gender stuff is whack. I think it's bizarre to advise women to choose a breed of dog based on what a man might think about it, to dismiss a woman's breed choice as "testing out her mothering abilities", and to advise men that dachshunds aren't "manly" enough for them. :/


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## Elana55

Been there done that on the human thing. 

I got a cat for my husband. It was a good trade.
Years later I had a BF and I got a dog for him. That was a good swap too. 

Twenty years of FT dairy farming and being married I quickly figured out that the animals did more to support me than the husband did.. and good care of animals equaled a better income. 

The GSD herded cattle. The horses herded cattle and were used for fence maintenance, checking crops and other work. Both were more reliable workers than humans. 

To this day the animals are cared for first and only after they have been cared for do I get to sit down and eat and relax for a bit. 
Humans are messy, difficult to train, and demanding.. my patience for humans is inversely proportional to my age. 

BTW I oppose a lot of your statements and I do not own, breed, or show any sort of Daschshunds. I do know people who say that they are the best dogs ever. Funny thing is that the ones I know personally are all men!! I suspect that most of the house training issues are lack of persistant vigilance and timing to get them out.. because that is typically the issue with most house training of dogs. The flip side of this is the person who couples a lack of persistance and vigilance with hitting the dog or other aversive during or after the dog has eliminated in the house (nose in their duty and other cruel practices). 

The last several dogs I have had were nearly accident free in the house as puppies.. and the youngest dog I have (now 6 months old) I got at 7.5 weeks and she has NEVER had an "accident" in the house. Ever. Persistance and vigilance! 

But.. guess what? You will believe whatever you want to... and I am not up for changing it. It is that inverse relationship between age and patience again...


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## TheStins

Fair enough. What I stated about the breed is summative of what I've experienced over the years with these dogs. Why it's relevant? The original poster had many of the same issues I have had and for people who are searching for answers, I wanted to give them a shortcut to help them with their decision making process. Bottom line, these dogs aren't for everyone... and I would argue that they're for a very select few who probably aren't the typical American family. If you don't fit that mold, don't be offended... I wasn't addressing you. They're probably great dogs for people like Elana55 who aren't looking for people to be around and wouldn't be attempting to put a human relationship first either. I tried to qualify those statements with 'most people' in hopes that those who aren't would get it. My advice to 'people' was simply that, my opinion and you don't have to agree with it.


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## Elana55

> An early update, but we've had no accidents since the day of my original post! We haven't made much progress on the treadmill (she'll jump up onto it, but as soon as the motor makes the hum, she's off, even before the belt moves). I think I'll just have her in the room with me while I walk on the treadmill until she's used to the sound. Any other suggestions for the treadmill?
> 
> And my sister left a clicker at my mom's house, so we've been working on that. One thing that has always bothered me about the way the dog sits is that she never sits on her bottom, she always squats and it looks exactly like she's peeing. With the clicker, we've already changed that to her sitting on her bottom before she gets a click/treat. And that was in the first session! After two short sessions today, she's been asleep on her new fleece blanket bed (which she "adjusts" every time she lays down, moving the folds around until they're just right ) most of the evening!
> 
> The Kongs are on their way, I'll probably get them tomorrow, and I'll stuff them and freeze them in time for movie night!
> 
> Thanks so much for all the help, this week is ending much better than it began!


What bothers me about TheStins post is that the OP took advice and made progress. Her last post is quoted above. 

TheStins post was totally negative and the only advice given was that the breed was a bad choice?!! Heck.. the OP already HAD the dog.... and wanted advice.. not be told, "Too bad, So Sad. You got a Doxie and they are impossible dogs to train, will ruin your relationship with your husband and are lousy family dogs. You should not have gotten one." 

Sort of reminds me of the guy who locked the barn door after the horse was stolen?


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## ioreks_mom

i honestly don't know what you are getting at here. the dachshund is not for the "american family"? that makes no sense. yes, some dogs are more difficult than others but the most important thing is training and socializing for the dog.


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## TheStins

They're known to have more issues than other breeds in the areas of aggression, house-breaking, submissive urination, not being good with unfamiliar dogs, aggressive with children, and being spiteful. 

Don't believe me? Maybe read a 'more objective' POV
http://rescueeverydog.org/dachshund_breed.html



Elana55 said:


> TheStins post was totally negative and the only advice given was that the breed was a bad choice?!!


 Well you missed the boat then, and it was meant to be my opinion and informative. You don't have to agree, just like any advice you would provide I would likely dismiss because it appears that you admittedly put animal relationships before human relationships and I think that's absurd. So for the people who may be likeminded, they'll probably consider my advice. Agree to disagree and leave it at that.


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## Elana55

TheStins said:


> They're known to have more issues than other breeds in the areas of aggression, house-breaking, submissive urination, not being good with unfamiliar dogs, aggressive with children, and being spiteful.


Dang... sounds like my Ex(s)....... except for the submissive urination.... well.. maybe that ONE guy I knew.... ound:



> You don't have to agree, just like any advice you would provide I would likely dismiss because it appears that you admittedly put animal relationships before human relationships and I think that's absurd.


Because you have never relied on those very animals to provide you with food, shelter, and all the other stuff of life. If you farm, the animals come first and if they do not you lose money. It is really a math problem..... more than a human problem. Now it is second nature to get home, take care of the animals and THEN take care of my own stuff... like eating, cleaning etc.

I was married for 20 years. I don't WANT a relationship. I DID that. That does not mean Human relationships are "less important." It means *I* _prefer_ being single. It brings me joy and peace and happiness less than half the laundry, less than half the grocery bill, fewer dishes to wash and no dirty socks under the bed. Oh yeah.. and when I had TV I controlled the Remote!!!

Absurdity is to put any breed or dog or all people (yes.. even coming from someone as irrascable as me) in one, generalized, box. Sort of like saying, "All German Shepherds are human aggressive." "All Pit Bulls are Dog Aggressive." "All men Cheat on their wives" "All women are bad at math" "All Dachshunds are untrainable.." Yadda Yadda Yadda. 

I have done a fair amount of animal training.. more horses than dogs.. and many 'incorrigible' horses of all kinds. Worst dog I ever dealt with? A Golden Retriever! One of the hardest dogs to train? a German Shepherd.. same breed for one of the easiest dogs to train! And the horses? Nicest horse I ever worked was a "difficult" gelding who worked like magic for me... One of the worst was a Quarterhorse filly. Had nothing to do with their breeds... more to do with the animal itself and my skill (or lack) training that animal. 

I think that rather than take an entire BREED of dog and generalize, the best thing to do is look at the individual dog you are working with, set aside the preconceived stuff, and just TRAIN THE DOG. 

As I previously pointed out.. the Original Poster HAD the dog. What was she supposed to do? PTS the dog? She asked for advice and got that.. made progress and was happy. Thank goodness she did not read YOUR post first!!! 

From what you wrote she should have given up and lived with the issues or killed the dog w/o even TRYING! Talk about absurd? Hello?????

Just took a quick look at the site you quoted and according to that site several dogs are listed as having child conflict issues... including the Labrador Retriever AND the German Shepherd AND the Border Collie..... and the reasons for shelter turn for most of the breeds listed are 'new human baby..' 

Not your best resource as it (again) generalizes.... and some of those generalizations seem to be.. inaccurate... 

..or maybe I just train the dog....

After reading your post on the other thread I get it now. YOU have a Mini Dachshund and YOU cannot get her house trained and because this is the first dog YOU have had trouble with it is the Dog's fault and the entire breed's fault. :doh: I GET it now!


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## TheStins

I'm not going to waste my time criticizing you, that's not what I'm here for. You're putting words into my mouth and mis-quoting me. I never suggested killing any dog or giving a dog away rather than taking the time to train them. I only know what I have learned from my own experiences and from literature that is available out there. Thanks for the comments though, and I hope you feel better about your life now.


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## Shell

Hmm, I must have some very strange male friends since several of them have small dogs AND wives or girlfriends. Somehow, they have managed to care for an animal that weights less than 30 lbs and not feel emasculated. 

But I feel so much better knowing that my big "manly" dog won't scare away men. I mean, I'm not looking for a man, but it is nice to be reassured anyway. LOL.

I agree with Elana; dogs, horses, people etc are all individual creatures with their own minds and personalities. To each their own. Way to perpetuate gender stereotypes AND to assume that what all women want is a man.


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## ThoseWordsAtBest

TheStins said:


> Thanks for clarifying that. Re-read what your wrote and if you're unable to make the connection, I'm sorry.
> 
> And to some others that posted, I'm not asking for your agreement, I'm simply stating what I've learned over the years. If your experiences have been different, why don't you post them in hopes to be helpful to others rather than just dismissing what I've stated. Unless what I've written is accurate and you're simply trying to dismiss my points and/or defend your choice of dog... why don't you corroborate your claims and jestures.


Your first sentence makes no sense, but regardless, there was nothing from your post to "get" because it was uninformative and unhelpful. Your experience nor mine matters because the OP asked a very specific question and got the help they were looking for. The fact that you think men shouldn't own Dachshunds, and women looking to get married should really think about owning a Dachshund is just plain nonsense and not an experience. I'm dismissing all of that because it was asinine, not accurate. I've also been around this board quite a bit, so my "experiences" are well known and easy to find. I also don't need to defend any thing about any of my dogs to you, or anyone else for that matter. 

And corroborate what claims and jestures? The sentence you wrote immediately before that says I have not offered my experiences but I have to corroborate something? I don't think that word means what you think it means.


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## Cracker

G estures...unless jestures was in jest.

THis argument is ridiculous. Why open an old thread where, if you had READ it, progress had been made and excellent advice given? What did you hope to help or accomplish besides rile up the other participants with sexist and breedist claptrap? People are offended because the POST WAS OFFENSIVE. You obviously don't get the connection...and YOU wrote the damn thing.

Some people are dachshund people, some are husky people, some are terrier people....there is a breed for everyone. What one person finds a positive another will find a pain. There are going to be certain traits inherent in each breed yes, just like there are inherent traits in men and women, but to generalize in such a negative manner does no one any good.


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## CerbiesMom

ThoseWordsAtBest said:


> Miniature Dachshund owners: NO ONE will marry you.


Holy crap! I have 2, and I've been married for 2 years! Should I see the divorce lawyer now?


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## Elana55

Too late for you but if you want it to last you better get a husky or a Newfie....

or if you want it to end get two more weiner dogs. I wonder..... if I take 'em to work will my boss leave? Oh wait.. he told me that years back HE had a Weiner dog and it was the "best dog ever..."


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## CerbiesMom

Oh, wait, my dogs are potty trained; they can't possibly be miniature dachshunds. They also enjoy children. Nope, they must be something else.


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## Elana55

Gecko's with fure coats... or at they Ferrets?????


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## lisaj1354

I don't have a Doxie, but do have a Maltese, and my 6ft 2 inch BF adores him. 

I also know a guy who has a mini-long hair Doxie AND a Great Dane. The Dane is his GF's and the Doxie is his.

Based on TheStins post, I guess everyone in my life is just asking for trouble with their pet choices.


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## ThoseWordsAtBest

CerbiesMom said:


> Holy crap! I have 2, and I've been married for 2 years! Should I see the divorce lawyer now?


I just got engaged this year.. do you think I should tell my fiance we actually have a Dachshund or will that ruin our future??


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## LazyGRanch713

CerbiesMom said:


> Holy crap! I have 2, and I've been married for 2 years! Should I see the divorce lawyer now?


You already did. Your impossible, aggressive doxies ripped the divorce papers up  



TheStins said:


> They're known to have more issues than other breeds in the areas of aggression, house-breaking, submissive urination, not being good with unfamiliar dogs, aggressive with children, and being spiteful.
> 
> Don't believe me? Maybe read a 'more objective' POV
> http://rescueeverydog.org/dachshund_breed.html


It amazes me that the link you posted said that doxies won't be the star pupils of obedience class, however a quick youtube search shows there are plenty of dachshunds competing in obedience, rally, agility, etc. 
And with kids...I read a very sad story about a golden who pinned a kid down by his neck, growling in a not nice way. The owner euthanized the dog. We're boarding a lab right now who had lots of fun attacking the front of his run and barking, hackles raised, at my 10 year old neice. I guess if you plan to have kids, you shouldn't have ANY breed, even the nice "Disney Dogs", correct?


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## petpeeve

LazyGRanch713 said:


> It amazes me that the link you posted said that doxies won't be the star pupils of obedience class, however a quick youtube search shows there are plenty of dachshunds competing in obedience, rally, agility, etc.


one of my all-time favourite, heart-warming, inspirational, eye-opening vids .. 

http://vimeo.com/7356697


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## Cracker

petpeeve said:


> one of my all-time favourite, heart-warming, inspirational, eye-opening vids ..
> 
> http://vimeo.com/7356697


wow, that was quite awesome! I love stuff like this. Amazing too, that it was a Dachshund specialty show and the noise was pretty low too....


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## LazyGRanch713

Cracker said:


> wow, that was quite awesome! I love stuff like this. Amazing too, that it was a Dachshund specialty show and the noise was pretty low too....


And imagine, there wasn't pee and poop all over the ring...


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## sassafras

LazyGRanch713 said:


> And imagine, there wasn't pee and poop all over the ring...


And his handler was a MAN!


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## doxiemommy

I haven't been back to this thread since the OP posted that she'd had success and was waiting for the Kongs, etc. because I figured, yay!
Wow! Have I missed some entertaining posts!

My macho, manly, sports addicted boyfriend gave me Harper, our mini dachshund, for Christmas a last year. (And, before anyone plays the "puppies shouldn't be gifts" card, YES, we had researched and discussed the whole thing)  BUT, Harper was my gift that year! And, the best gift I ever received!

He is potty trained, can sit, stay, lie down, fetch, play the piano (seriously, just a tinkle on a kid's toy piano, but on command!), loves my nieces, and loves to please me! 

Wouldn't trade him for the world!!!!!


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## helldog

My Dachshund is almost 1yrs old. I have done the exact samething that you have tried. I can take her outside watch her go to bathroom and do both her duties. I come inside and do whatever i was doing and in less than 5minutes she has peed or pooped or both on something of mine that has to be dry cleaned. She does this out of spite. My partner and I give her so much time cause she is never alone. I work days and he works nights. 4 months gone by and no vindictive behaviors and all of a sudden she started up again. Sometimes she does it to my stuff and sometimes she does it towards him. We thought we were giving her too much attention. We have made the kennel a fun place but she destroys stuff that is inside it. She will poop and pee in the kennel, and get it all over her. I love her but she is so unpreditable and vindicitive that I am almost to give up and adopt her out. I have talked to people and heard time and time again it will happen till they die. I ask how long they live? For those of you that have posted and have dachshunds that do not dimistrate this behavior are either in denial, on drugs, or a dranker. Everyone that owns one, and every rescue group I personally know will say this. The dog gets upset over 1 thing and it on. I have been a vet tech, trainer and now in vet school and I will never ever own another dachshund again. She is great when we take her to other peoples houses but if owner tells her NO i know she will be doing something out of spite. I feel ya and wish you luck.


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## ThoseWordsAtBest

helldog said:


> My Dachshund is almost 1yrs old. I have done the exact samething that you have tried. I can take her outside watch her go to bathroom and do both her duties. I come inside and do whatever i was doing and in less than 5minutes she has peed or pooped or both on something of mine that has to be dry cleaned. She does this out of spite. My partner and I give her so much time cause she is never alone. I work days and he works nights. 4 months gone by and no vindictive behaviors and all of a sudden she started up again. Sometimes she does it to my stuff and sometimes she does it towards him. We thought we were giving her too much attention. We have made the kennel a fun place but she destroys stuff that is inside it. She will poop and pee in the kennel, and get it all over her. I love her but she is so unpreditable and vindicitive that I am almost to give up and adopt her out. I have talked to people and heard time and time again it will happen till they die. I ask how long they live? For those of you that have posted and have dachshunds that do not dimistrate this behavior are either in denial, on drugs, or a dranker. Everyone that owns one, and every rescue group I personally know will say this. The dog gets upset over 1 thing and it on. I have been a vet tech, trainer and now in vet school and I will never ever own another dachshund again. She is great when we take her to other peoples houses but if owner tells her NO i know she will be doing something out of spite. I feel ya and wish you luck.


In case you missed the general theme here, dogs don't do things out of spite. They're dogs. My dogs are not lying in wait to spite me. If they were, I'd probably be dead by now. Don't trash a really awesome breed because of your inability to train a dog. I'm assuming you did not research Dachshunds before owning one.


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## PatchworkRobot

ThoseWordsAtBest said:


> In case you missed the general theme here, dogs don't do things out of spite. They're dogs. My dogs are not lying in wait to spite me. If they were, I'd probably be dead by now. Don't trash a really awesome breed because of your inability to train a dog. I'm assuming you did not research Dachshunds before owning one.


This.

Also, dogs that destroy things do so out of boredom (at first and then possibly because they discover that destroying stuff is fun!). But TWAB is right, your dog isn't doing things out of spite. What I'm thinking is going on is that you're dealing with a breed that may be a little smarter than you can handle.


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## Willowy

LOL, I'm remembering a thread on my cat forum. Someone who was insiting that their cat was doing whatever (I don't remember the exact details) out of spite. Wouldn't hear of anything otherwise. Round and round, etc. So someone finally said "OK, so if your cat IS doing this to spite you, what are you doing to make her hate you so much?". So, yeah, if you're insisting your dog is doing something to spite you, sit back and wonder why your dog wants to spite you in the first place. In a healthy relationship, nobody wants to spite anybody else.


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## daydreamer

I have a 15 year old miniature dachshund (runt of the litter) that has a very weak blatter. Her name is Gretta. We just don't have the time to take her out every hour when we're at work. She is paper trained so she has her own little potty spot in the house. I've gotten use to cleaning up her paper twice a day. Maybe your dog has the same problem as my Gretta?


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## doxiemommy

helldog said:


> My Dachshund is almost 1yrs old. I have done the exact samething that you have tried. I can take her outside watch her go to bathroom and do both her duties. I come inside and do whatever i was doing and in less than 5minutes she has peed or pooped or both on something of mine that has to be dry cleaned. She does this out of spite. My partner and I give her so much time cause she is never alone. I work days and he works nights. 4 months gone by and no vindictive behaviors and all of a sudden she started up again. Sometimes she does it to my stuff and sometimes she does it towards him. We thought we were giving her too much attention. We have made the kennel a fun place but she destroys stuff that is inside it. She will poop and pee in the kennel, and get it all over her. I love her but she is so unpreditable and vindicitive that I am almost to give up and adopt her out. I have talked to people and heard time and time again it will happen till they die. I ask how long they live? *For those of you that have posted and have dachshunds that do not dimistrate this behavior are either in denial, on drugs, or a dranker. * Everyone that owns one, and every rescue group I personally know will say this. The dog gets upset over 1 thing and it on. I have been a vet tech, trainer and now in vet school and I will never ever own another dachshund again. She is great when we take her to other peoples houses but if owner tells her NO i know she will be doing something out of spite. I feel ya and wish you luck.


Yep, you MUST be right. All of us who have dachshunds who DON'T behave badly, well, we're just all in denial, and we drink. We're basically just sitting at home in a drunken stupor, and we IMAGINE the way we want our dogs to behave, and think that it it REAL.

Uh huh.


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## Crantastic

My aunt and two of my cousins have dachshunds and none of those dogs mess in the house. They don't even pee in _my_ house when they visit. I guess they're not real dachshunds. Either that or I am just completely incapable of seeing the piles of poop and puddles of pee all over my house. 










Is there poop and pee in that picture and I'm just not seeing it? You guys can tell me. I promise not to get (too) upset. 

helldog, I absolutely agree that you should adopt your dachshund out to someone else asap. And if you make it through vet school and become an actual vet, please come back and tell us which clinic you work at so that we can all stay far, far away.


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## DustyCrockett

The sweetest dog I ever owned was a dachshund, I still miss her after 10 maybe 12 years. She never got over the habit of wetting her bed at night. Not every night. Otherwise perfect in every way.

Boy do I feel like a fool! All this time she was doing it out of spite!


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## ThoseWordsAtBest

doxiemommy said:


> Yep, you MUST be right. All of us who have dachshunds who DON'T behave badly, well, we're just all in denial, and we drink. We're basically just sitting at home in a drunken stupor, and we IMAGINE the way we want our dogs to behave, and think that it it REAL.
> 
> Uh huh.


Well, I drink, but that happened LONG before Jonas ever got here..


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## doxiemommy

Lol! Me, too, but for me it's not because of my dogs, it's the wedding planning that's the problem!


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