How to House Train a Wiener Dog

Dachshunds, also known as wiener dogs, make excellent pets but are notoriously difficult to house train. In fact, they may rank among the top 20 most difficult breeds to potty train. Though you may find your wiener dog to behave stubbornly in this area, you can still train the dog to relieve himself or herself in the proper location as long as you remain patient and vigilant.

Things You'll Need

  • Newspaper or puppy training paper
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Instructions

    • 1

      Designate where your dachshund should use the bathroom. If you choose your yard, no preparations are necessary. However, if you choose an indoor area, then you'll need to lay down a few sheets of newspaper or a sheet of puppy training paper in a place that's easily accessible and far from food and water.

    • 2

      Bring your dachshund to the designated potty area immediately after feeding time and then once every few hours. Also, keep an eye on the dog and look for signs that he or she needs to go. Such signs include lowering the head to sniff out a spot, walking repeatedly in a circle or suddenly leaving the room for no apparent reason.

    • 3

      Praise your dachshund every time he or she uses the bathroom in the appropriate area. Do this as often as possible throughout the training period and seize every opportunity to encourage him or her. Dachshunds learn slowly, so you will need to constantly reinforce the idea that he or she pleases you by doing business in the appropriate area.

    • 4

      Scold the dog firmly whenever he or she uses the bathroom in an inappropriate spot, but never use physical punishment. Most importantly, only scold the dog when you catch him or her in the act. Scolding the dog later will only cause confusion and won't help your house-training efforts.

    • 5

      Remain persistent. Once again, dachshunds require a great deal of patience when training, so expect to spend several weeks constantly repeating these processes and slowly developing new habits.