If you’re a proud Dachshund parent, you’re familiar with this dog’s incessant barking. Although Dachshunds were originally bred to be hunting dogs, it’s natural to wonder, “Why do dachshunds bark so much? Is it their way of expressing boundless enthusiasm or an unyielding warning to potential intruders?
Dachshunds bark so much to communicate with their owners and alert them when something is off. They can also bark for hours out of boredom or to express excitement or anxiety. Solutions to excessive barking include desensitization to triggers and increasing exercise and socialization.
In this article, I’ll discuss the 10 causes of excessive barking in Dachshunds and their solutions. This will make it easy to control your dog’s irritating barking behavior. Keep reading!
1. The Dog Is Just Doing Its Job
Dachshunds are work dogs. Without hunting gigs, they take their duties as watch and guard dogs all too seriously. Their strong auditory and olfactory senses make it easy to sense when something is off.
Your dachshund is always on duty. The strange scent of an intruder or even a truck rolling down the street can easily send the dog barking nonstop.
Solutions
Proper socialization can help if your Dachshund barks at everyone and everything. Socialization involves exposing the dog to various stimuli, including new sights, sounds, scents, and environments.
To ensure your socialization sessions help alleviate excessive barking, your pup must be acclimated to various stimuli safely and gently. The idea is to help it know the difference between what is normal and what is out of the ordinary and warrants barking.
Here are some ways to acclimate your dachshund to different environmental stimuli effectively:
- Gradual exposure: Introduce the dog to the new stimuli slowly and calmly. Start at a safer distance and then gradually decrease the distance as the dog becomes more relaxed. For instance, if the dachshund is afraid of car rides, start by letting it sit in a stationary car, then drive shorter distances gradually around the block.
- Positive reinforcement: Use praises, treats, and toys to reward the dog for staying calm in the presence of the stimuli. This creates positive associations, eliminating the chances of the dachshund barking in the presence of the stimuli.
- Counterconditioning: Pair the presence of the new stimuli with something the dog already enjoys. For example, if the dog is scared of strangers, have a stranger offer treats or playtime to create positive associations.
Find Out: Why Do Dachshunds Sleep on Their Backs? 4 Main Causes
2. It’s a Territorial Behavior
Dachshunds are highly protective of their pack members and homes. Any stranger or animal approaching you or your home can turn your goofy Doxie hostile in a heartbeat.
Most dogs, irrespective of breed, are territorial to some extent. This vital survival skill helps keep potentially dangerous animals off their turf. Unfortunately, the behavior can become problematic if your dog also barks whenever someone jogs down the street adjacent to your home.
Solutions
To get effective solutions, you must first understand what triggers the territorial barking.
Does your dog bark because it senses an actual threat? If not, consider limiting your pet’s exposure to external stimuli.
Here are a few tricks that may help:
- Install a privacy fence to lock out sights outside your home’s parameters
- Close your curtains when your Dachshund is indoors
- Leave your TV on to limit the sounds of people or animals outside your house
3. To Guard Important Resources
Dachshunds are highly territorial. It’s common for them to bark and show teeth when guarding things they value, including food, toys, and bedding.
Territorial barking often occurs because the dog views other people or pets as a threat to vital resources. The habit can get out of hand if not handled promptly and effectively.
Solutions
If you notice your Dachshund guard barking, you must immediately nip the behavior in the bud.
Start by studying the context, and if your dog is guarding items like a toy, take it away and remain calm. Give back the toy once your pup is calm and quiet.
Generally, Dachshunds are good family pets for homes with kids above seven years.
Guard barking can become dangerous if you have children below seven years. Thus, it’s necessary to consult an animal behaviorist in such a situation.
4. Warning Their Owners of Actual Danger
If your Dachshund is well-trained and socialized, the persistent barking will not begin out of the blue. Your furry friend could be warning you of an actual threat.
In this case, it will let out one bark and retreat from the scene to fetch you. If you don’t heed the warning and your dog can still get a whiff of the unusual, it will return to the location and bark again. The constant back and forth indicates that something could be off.
Solution
If your Dachshund seems torn between protecting you and scaring away an intruder, it’s necessary to be vigilant of your surroundings.
If possible, go to the scene in the company of your dog to find out why it’s barking. There is a good chance your Dachshund has seen a threat and wants you to deal with it.
5. It’s a Sign of Excitement
Dachshunds can bark persistently to express feelings of excitement. For example, your furry companion may elicit a high-pitched bark when you return home from work.
An excited Dachshund will also show the following body language cues:
- Assume a play bow position
- Run around, jump, spin, and wag the tail
- Attempt to make physical contact with you
- Make unique facial expressions and try to initiate eye contact
Unfortunately, an excited Dachshie can get quite hysterical. Apart from barking nonstop, it can also get clumsy and knock things over.
Solutions
The best way to limit excessive barking caused by excitement is to keep your greetings simple. Another advice that may be tough to follow is to ignore the barking and only offer attention once your dog calms down. If your pet remains quiet for a minute, provide a quick petting session, a treat, and a kind word.
6. A Sign of Separation Anxiety
Dachshunds are pack animals that love spending time with their pack members. Therefore, they can experience separation anxiety if left alone for too long.
It’s common for Dachshunds with separation anxiety to whimper or bark to show displeasure when their owners perform their leaving ritual.
Solutions
To address separation anxiety in Dachshunds, you must first refrain from making dramatic exits.
Avoid showering your dog with kisses and endless “goodbyes” before leaving. The idea is to help it learn that going is not a big deal and it doesn’t need to get worked up.
Other viable solutions to persistent barking caused by separation anxiety include crate training your dog.
Alternatively, consider hiring someone to check on your pet and play with it for a while, especially when you plan to be away from home for long hours.
7. A Sign of Frustration and Boredom
Dachshunds love action! After all, they’re work dogs and are happier engaging in activities that give them a dose of adrenaline.
Consequently, they can become persistent barkers out of boredom or frustration if their routines seem too static and repetitive.
Furthermore, boredom can lead to destructive behavior. Your Dachshund may even resolve to do crazy stuff like chewing your favorite pair of shoes or digging out the herbs in your kitchen garden.
Solutions
The best medicine for a bored dog is to offer plenty of mental and physical stimulation. The idea is to get that pent-up energy dispensed.
A walk in the park or a detour using a new route can help stimulate your dog and stop the boredom barks.
8. A Sign of Sickness or Pain
Dachshunds are vocal dogs, and it’s only natural for them to bark, growl, or whimper when unwell or in pain.
The concern can be as simple as a flea infection, bee sting, or conditions as severe as a brain tumor, arthritis, or hip dysplasia.
It’s also common for older dogs to develop a form of canine senility that triggers excessive vocalization.
If you can’t pinpoint why your relatively quiet Dachshund is suddenly barking persistently, it’s essential to first rule out medical issues.
Solutions
Before you rush to your vet, try giving your furry companion a keen petting session.
The idea is to run your fingers through its fur and check for lumps, bruises, cuts, and other signs of physical injury.
If your pet growls or acts out of the ordinary during the petting session, talk to your vet even if you don’t find visible signs of injury.
9. A Sign of Fear and Anxiety
Dachshunds are bold and fearless under most circumstances. However, they also have fears that can trigger aggressive behaviors, including excessive barking and growling. A fearful Doxie is also likelier to bite or snap if the trigger is not removed or limited.
Most dogs are afraid of loud noises, thunder, and fireworks. Bold as they may be, Dachshunds are not an exception. It will take time and patience to desensitize your furry friend from potential fear triggers that cause nonstop barking.
Solutions
You must first modify your behavior to stop persistent barking caused by fear. Most pet parents unknowingly fuel a fear response by adding drama when their dogs are afraid. For instance, consoling your dog for hours during a thunderstorm can make it more likely to bark persistently.
If you must console your furry companion, consider sitting quietly next to it and placing your hand on its body. Don’t pat it because this is likely to stress it further.
Moreover, refrain from unintentionally encouraging your dog to be fearful by saying words like “good boy.”
If you can’t remove the fear trigger, consider desensitizing your pet from it. The desensitization process involves exposing your pet to a fear trigger.
If it’s afraid of fireworks, download some fireworks sound effects and expose your dog to the sound within a controlled environment. Take it slow and offer a tasty treat as a reward each time your pet remains silent.
10. To Attract Their Owners’ Attention
Dachshunds are sneaky fellows who can bark to get your attention. For instance, your furry friend may bark at you to get a taste of your burger, a petting session, or to invite you to play.
If yours is a well-behaved dog, it will start by pawing you and then start barking if it doesn’t get the desired response.
Solution
It’s crucial to teach your dog that barking is not an appropriate form of communication. The best way to drive the message home is by ignoring it.
Here are some ways to ignore your dog like a pro:
- Act like your furry friend doesn’t exist
- Do not look its way, offer a treat, or speak to it
- Wait for the barking to stop
- Reward your pet for being quiet
3 Ways to Stop Dachshund Anxiety
Although vertically challenged, Dachshunds are not lapdogs. They’re working dogs bred to spend time in the fields with their humans flushing out burrowing creatures like bunnies and badgers.
Moreover, they’re pack animals with an above-average predisposition to feel lonely or anxious if left alone for too long.
Anxiety in Dachshunds can manifest in multiple ways. When anxious, most dogs whine, bark, shiver, or whimper. Dachshund howling is also another sign of an anxious dog.
Moreover, you may notice your dog display hostile or destructive behavior or seem completely withdrawn if the concern goes unaddressed.
If that’s the case, here are 3 ways to stop Dachshund anxiety:
Increase Your Pet-Owner Bonding Time
Dogs with strong social and emotional bonds with their owners generally enjoy better mental and emotional well-being—bonding time can be quite soothing for an anxious Dachshund.
Lavishing your pet with all the attention, love, and tender care you can muster can be instrumental in alleviating stress and anxiety.
Consider cuddling on the couch while giving your dog a good petting session.
It’s also essential to take the time and provide a soothing grooming session. When bonding, give your pet maximum attention and use treats and kind words to help it feel relaxed and loved.
Tap Into the Power of Massage
An anxious Dachshund would highly appreciate a gentle massage. Although anxiety mainly affects a dog’s psychological health, it can also cause physical symptoms like muscle tension.
Massage for dogs, just like for humans, helps lower blood pressure, relieve muscle tension, increase circulation, decrease pain, and alleviate stress.
Here is the procedure to give a Dachshund a relaxing massage:
- Pick a quiet spot in your home for the massage
- Press against your dog’s skin lightly using flat palms
- Move your hands slowly around the targeted areas using long, sweeping motions
- Gently increase the massage pressure as you work down the body
- Skip areas where your Dachshie doesn’t like to be touched
- Inspect your dog’s body for sore spots, lumps, and other anomalies during the session
Exercise Your Dachshund
Another excellent way to stop Dachshund’s anxiety is by ensuring the dog is tired to the bone.
Dachshunds are energetic dogs that love work. It should not be hard to make your dog work out and enjoy a dose of stress-relieving endorphins.
Here are a few ways to exercise your Dachshund:
- Go outside and take a long walk or hike
- Jog your Doxie’s mind by teaching it new commands or tricks
- Put your pet’s nose to work and play games like hide and seek
- Play with indoor enrichment toys like food puzzles
- Offer your Dachshund things to lick and chew on
So, Why Do Dachshunds Bark So Much?
At some point, every Dachshund parent has probably asked themselves this question, “Why do Dachshunds bark so much?”
Dachshies bark so much because they have the lungs and stamina to keep at it for hours. By nature, they are highly vocal dogs. Not even training and socialization can make them entirely quiet.
Excessive barking can be disruptive and irritating, especially if you live in an apartment, condo complex, or housing development. We hope this post helps you identify the possible reasons behind your dog’s nonstop barks and the best solution to address the problem before it becomes a serious nuisance.
