Changes in Pack Order
When you first brought your puppy home, he was the low pup on the totem pole, in both your human pack and, if you have another dog, your canine pack. With the human and canine pack, the puppy initially sees himself as the “omega” dog. Everyone else, children and dogs included, is above him in the leadership chain, and he accepts this — at first.
As your dachshund matures, however, particularly when he hits the canine version of puberty, it is natural for him to begin challenging family members (starting with the littlest, youngest, and/or weakest human) and any older (or weaker) dogs.
Never attempt to work with a dog who has been diagnosed by a professional as dominant aggressive if you live in a home with frail or elderly adults, a baby, young children, or someone who is very intimidated or fearful of your dachsie. The situation is too dangerous.
Human Challenges
Your children may have been able to do virtually anything with your dachshund while he was little, but now — all of a sudden — he growls when the kids try to hug him, snarls when they try to take their toys out of his mouth, and snaps if anyone leans over his back. Actions like these are all considered dominance aggression, which the dachshund is using to try to exert his power over members of the family.
The best way to handle this situation is to prevent your dachshund from ever thinking that he might be able to be the leader in your household. The gentle and effective way to do this is to work with him in obedience exercises every day. Also make sure that your dachshund is getting enough exercise and mental stimulation. A dog with a lot of pent-up energy is more likely to respond to stimuli in a negative way than a dog getting sufficient exercise and interaction with his owner all day long.
Regaining Leader Status
If you haven't been able to prevent your dachsie from trying to exert some control over you, there are several steps you should take before any additional incidents escalate into a full-fledged bite:
Call your veterinarian for a complete physical exam to explore the possibility of an underlying disease or injury Pain is one of the most common reasons for dogs to bite.
If there is no disease or injury present, seek a veterinary behaviorist immediately for professional advice, and consider medication if it is warranted.
If your dachshund is an intact male, neuter him immediately.
If your dachshund is not currently in obedience classes, enroll now!
If your dachshund is in obedience classes but you have older children who are not actively participating with the dog in classes, bring them to class.
Never put your children in danger. They come first and foremost. To help protect your children, instruct them not to do things that your dog will interpret as challenges, such as hugging and squeezing the dog, putting their faces in her face, taking toys out of her mouth (this is for you to do), leaning on or over her, reaching for her food, or being anywhere near her when they are eating or are being served food.
Dog Pack Challenges
Puppies usually submit to the leadership of the existing adult dog in the home. If the puppy and the existing dog in your home are of the opposite sex, and both are altered, you most likely will never have any confrontations between the two as far as pack order is concerned.
If your puppy is of the same sex as your existing dog in the home, problems can occur when the puppy becomes an adolescent. At this time, the puppy may feel she is stronger and more suited to be the leader of the pack.
The pack rank may have been status quo for years, when suddenly there is a scuffle, and the younger dog takes over. The younger dog may have detected a change in the older dog's physical strength and leapt at its chance to be alpha dog. Owners often see this type upheaval in the canine packonly to discover a couple of months later that the older dog is suffering from a fatal or debilitating disease.
Interestingly, males usually stop fighting when rank is settled, though problems do occur when a male dog simply doesn't accept his lower rank and continually tries to challenge the leader. Females actually are known for getting in the bloodiest battles of all, with some not relenting until one or the other is seriously injured or even dead.
Fortunately, the majority of pack leadership scuffles occur without injury and are decided in a relatively peaceful manner — as long the owner stays out of the situation. If your younger dachshund is challenging your older dog, here is your list of what not to do:
Do not scream or shout. This will only serve to work the dogs up even more.
Do not attempt to physically intervene. You will get bitten.
Do not praise or coddle one of the dogs and be angry with the other. You might prolong the fight for leadership by accidentally supporting the lower-ranking dog and causing her to believe that you will back her up in the next scuffle.
Don't initiate fights by creating situations in which the two dogs are competing for food, toys, bones, or even attention.
Supervise the dogs' interaction, and separate them in crates when you are not home.
If your dogs are male, neuter both of them. This often solves many forms of aggression, particularly aggression between housemates. If your dachshunds are both female, consider spaying both dogs, too. If one or both females are in season and hormones are raging, the argument can easily escalate.
