“Walk Nicely”
If you are simply striving to have a dog who doesn't pull you all over the place when you walk together, it is very easy to train the “Walk nicely” skill. If you are planning on competing in obedience with your dachshund, you will want more precision and will need to approach this a bit differently. (Though there are excellent obedience trainingbooks and videos available, it is sometimes easiest to learn the nuances of precision heeling from a professional trainer who offers competitive obedience classes.) For all of you who simply want a nice walking companion, here's what to do.
To use free shaping, work with a hungry dog because you'll go through a lot of treats on walks at first. Snap the leash on your dog's collar or harness, and start walking. Do not use a retractable leash. Begin walking briskly. Click and treat whenever your dog walks next to you without pulling or straining on the leash. Repeat the click-and-treat process throughout your walk, on every walk. When your dog is walking well consistently, begin to fade the click and treat.
If you are working with your dachsie and she just doesn't seem to be getting it, you need to stop what you are doing. You've probably made an error in the way you are attempting to train her. The most common errors are going too quickly, expecting too much too soon, or using a primary reinforcer that isn't enticing enough.
If you have a dachshund who seemingly is never in the right position and is straining or lagging, you can use a treat to help lure her into position. Holding the leash in your right hand and a yummy treat in your left, allow your dachsie to see that you have a treat. You'll want to literally lure her with the treat for several steps. Click and treat, and repeat. Then increase the distance that you walk with the lure (treat) before you reward your dachshund with a click and treat. Repeat.
Continue using the lure at increasingly longer distances. While you are walking with your dog, always be on the lookout for opportunities for free shaping — that is, for catching your dachsie when she's walking nicely by your side without a lure treat. Eventually, you will move your lure hand up to your waist as you continue working with your dog. You will phase out the lure shaping but continue to click and treat whenever your dachsie is in the correct position. Soon, you will be able to walk with your dachshund and click and treat much more sporadically during your outings.
