There aren't any secrets or magic potions to make housetraining a dachshund an instant success. Housetraining is a training process, and it takes a certain amount of time and patience. It also takes an understanding of your dog's needs, an ability to recognize certain canine body language, and the willingness to be alert and respond to these things so the dog can relieve herself when she needs to.

Your Dachshund's Needs

An adult dog will need to relieve herself immediately upon waking, within half an hour after meals, and after or during periods of exercise. After an opportunity to relieve herself, she should be able to rest comfortably for four to six hours during the day without having a dire emergency. At night, the adult dachshund who has been fed, exercised, and walked to relieve herself should be able to sleep or remain quiet for seven to eight hours.

A puppy is a different story. Puppies need to relieve themselves upon waking, during and after periods of exercise, immediately after eating, very soon after drinking, when they are excited, and every two to three hours during their busy waking hours. Male puppies have a tendency to “dribble” a little if they get excited or when they don't realize they have to go — until the urge is so strong that they can't quite make it outside in time.

Gaining Control

Puppies gain control of their bowels first, usually around fourteen weeks of age, but with smaller dachsies, this control can take longer. At around four months of age, puppies typically begin to have control of their bladders, and at this point, your puppy will begin to be able to go through the night without asking you to walk him. Be forewarned, however, that some pups don't have bladder control until almost six months. If you are still being awakened every night by a puppy who wants to go outside, the problem may not be that your dachshund doesn't understand that you want him to stay inside longer, it may be that he simply doesn't have the physical control yet.

What Are the Signs?

The body language of an accident about to happen is the same for puppies as it is for adults, except that pups seem to go through the motions a whole lot quicker. Typically, the dog or puppy will suddenly stop what she is doing and start sniffing. She may then start circling, as if looking for a good place to relieve herself. If your puppy or adult starts sniffing in a searching kind of way, and maybe even starts to lower her body a bit, grab the puppy or encourage the adult to hustle outside. If you do nothing, the next action will undoubtedly be a squat. (Male puppies will squat to urinate, too, until they reach adolescence.)

Another clue that a puppy or adult needs to relieve herself is if she suddenly disappears behind a couch or chair where you can't see her. Do not interpret this to mean that the dog is trying to hide this shameful act and knows what she is doing is wrong. If your dachshund knew it was wrong, she wouldn't do it! Your dachshund wants to please you. Rather, a dog or puppy may go behind furniture to eliminate as far away as possible from her living spaces.

Of course, the third clue that a dachshund needs to relieve herself is if she is in its crate and starts to bark, whine, or cry. Remember, the dachsie does not want to soil her personal space, and she will let you know when she can't wait any longer. Your job is to make sure you don't ignore your dachshund and give her every opportunity to eliminate in correct areas (that is, outside).

Be Alert

Keeping an eye on your dachshund for telltale signs of having to “go” is important, particularly for puppies, and even for very small adult miniatures. When a puppy or dog is very small, the amount of urine that she releases may only be a few tablespoons at a time. When an accident is this small, and it's on carpeting, you may not find the spot immediately unless you saw the accident occur. Every time the dog leaves a spot on your carpet without you catching it, she will think that what she has just done is okay. Your job, then, is to be vigilant in watching the actions of your dachshund when she is out of her crate and to teach the puppy or adult dachshund what her living spaces are and which spaces are okay for relieving herself.