Crate Training
One of the best ways to teach a dachshund the difference between appropriate and inappropriate bathroom spots is by using a crate. Crate training is not cruel by any means, as long as you understand that the crate is a tool in housetraining and never a means of punishment.
How Crate Training Works
If you are planning to use the crate-training method, you will first need a crate that is tall enough for your puppy to stand up in without having to bow his head and just big enough so he can turn around comfortably and lie down. You don't want any more room than that.
The problem with purchasing a too-big crate is that if there's too much room in the crate, the dachshund will have no problems with trotting over to the corner, relieving himself there, and curling up in another corner far away from his urine or feces. On the other hand, if the puppy (or adult) knows that relieving himself will mean that he won't have room to lie down in a clean, dry spot, he will hold it as long as he can to keep from wetting or soiling the crate.
If your dachshund is able to urinate in an inappropriate place on a regular basis without your realizing it, you're in for loads of trouble. For every unwitnessed accident your puppy has, it will take between 10 and 20 correct repetitions in appropriate locations, with praise and rewards from you, to “undo” and correct the original mistake.
With this said, it is critical — absolutely critical — that you never allow your dog to soil her crate. Any accident your dachshund has in the crate sets your housetraining progress back several steps. In addition, the act of soiling her crate is abhorrent to the dachshund and is a bit traumatic. In other words, you must make sure that your dachshund is never left in her crate long enough to have an accident.
As soon as your dog indicates that she has to eliminate, you want to be able to take her directly from the crate to your back yard, where she will immediately relieve herself — and you will praise her for being such a smart dachshund and reward her with a small treat.
Introducing your dachsie to a crate early on is helpful for training and gives your pet a space that's all his own.
Saving Money on Puppy Crates
Using a crate without a lot of extra space in it might mean that you will have to purchase two different size crates (or more) if you have a growing puppy. If the idea of purchasing more than one crate for the purposes of housetraining your dachshund puppy has you concerned, don't worry — a hard-shell, plastic carrier is relatively inexpensive. They usually cost between $15 and $25 — far less than the price of a new carpet!
You might also be able to borrow a small crate from another dog owner or even a cat owner. Cat carriers are often the perfect size for a small dachshund puppy. You might also consider purchasing a wire training crate with a partition that divides the crate in half for the purpose of making a smaller initial space for housetraining.
The bedding in your dachshund's crate during the initial stages of housetraining should be something that's absorbent and easy to clean up. A thick layer of newspapers provides absorbency, and if you shred some papers into strips on top, it gives your dachshund something to fluff and snuggle into. Once your dachsie becomes more reliable in her crate, you can change the bedding to something more comfortable, such as a soft crate pad or a cozy blanket.
Backup Plans
If you aren't able to relieve your puppy or adult on a timely schedule, or if you work and your schedule is not flexible, you'll need to rely on a neighbor or friend to take your dachshund out several times during the day or hire a pet-sitter or dog-walker for these tasks.
If you don't have the means to hire a pet-sitter or dog-walker, and you don't have any reliable (and they must be reliable) friends or family to assist you, you might consider using another method of housetraining, such as a “space within a space,” a crate and dog-door setup, or, if you have a miniature dachshund, a canine litter box.
