Dachshund Barking is Loud and A Lot – Do You Hear What She’s Trying To Say?

Barking is a dog’s way of communicating with each other and their family. It’s an entirely natural behavior and yet can be utterly frustrating for pet parents. The Dachshund breed is no exception to that rule. Dachshunds bark a lot and do so loudly, inherently due to breeding as hunting dogs who would communicate their success in finding prey to their human hunting companions.

At What Age Do Dachshunds Start Barking? The pup will typically begin to make sounds roughly between 2 and 3 weeks. You’ll begin to notice whines or grunts usually starting between the 7 and 8 week-stage. Still, these won’t actually turn into full bark and yip vocalization until approximately the 16-week mark for most Dachshunds. Again, all dogs are unique with some developing sooner and some could possibly be later. It all starts when the eyes and ears open making her aware around the second or third week.

A tool is still a form of communication today. Now, the animal finds a host of reasons to use their voice in an effort to express needs to their pet parents. While the sound can often become a source of frustration and, at inopportune times, an embarrassment, it’s up to us as caregivers to listen and attempt to understand what it is the animal is lacking.

Dachshund Bark A lot
Credit: Taylored Dachshunds

A puppy wouldn’t feel the need to be so verbal if there wasn’t something she was in need of. With a Doxie not only is she a prolific barker, but the dog is highly intelligent. With the expressive face, it’s really not that challenging to look in her eyes and determine one of these reasons for the loud communication:

  • Warning
  • Attention seeking
  • Anxiousness
  • Responding to other dogs
  • Excitation

While Doxies require early training as a puppy, before doing so, it’s essential to recognize what is triggering her need to speak (and so loudly).

Do Dachshunds Bark A Lot?

Do Dachshunds Bark a lot?

Before adopting any dog, you need to consider the behavior, especially if you can tolerate a chatty animal. One question to ponder, especially with a Doxie, is “do Dachshunds bark a lot,” especially because the little dog was born for hunting, making barking a part of their genetics. Not only is Dachshund barking quite excessive, whether it bit when a package arrives, another dog barks outside, or merely a dust bunny moves on the floor, but they do so in a thunderous voice for such a tiny small breed.

How Loud Can A Dachshund Bark?

Statistics indicate the Doxie has the privilege of coming in as the top 7 on a list of 25 breeds who bark the loudest after the Husky. For a bred hunting dog, it’s necessary to have a booming voice so that the hunters can hear the barks after the prey is located.

The animal also projects robust warnings to let its family know when the dog believes it might be in harm’s way. If there’s a knock at the door or a person unfamiliar with the dog is approaching. Once the Dachshund starts talking, though, it can be a challenge to get her to stop.

Why Won’t My Dachshund Stop Barking?

Why Won't My Dachshund Stop Barking

A Dachshund is a high-energy dog that requires adequate mental and physical stimulation to avoid boredom. When a dog doesn’t have sufficient playtime or enough activity, generally, the animal will find destructive things to do, or they’ll chat with you.

Doxies are typically friendly animals who tend to follow their pet parents throughout the day. If the dog has too much time on her own, the Dachshund can experience separation anxiety and loneliness, resulting in barking that can easily disrupt the neighborhood.

The pups are not fond of unfamiliar people or places, creating anxiousness, in turn, leading to excessive barking. It’s essential to socialize the animal early to allow her to become familiar with areas you frequent and people you’ll often be seeing.

Can Dachshunds be Trained Not To Bark?

how to train your dachshund not to bark

If you want to learn how to stop a Dachshund from barking, you should probably not get a Doxie or maybe any dog. Preventing a dog entirely from talking is unnatural and shouldn’t be expected of the animal. Anyone who wants an utterly silent animal doesn’t need an animal.

In saying that, the Dachshund could use a bit of curbing in the speaking department. The dog can be pretty excessive with her voice. There are ways to bring it down a notch, but it takes early training using positivity and patience.

Sadly, too often, pups end up in shelters because parents give up on them. Doxies can be trained, but they need proper management. If you don’t feel you can do it alone, contact an expert and invest in having a professional help you train her adequately.

How to Stop Your Dachshund From Barking?

A Dachshund might be a small dog, but what the Doxie lacks in size, she more than makes up for with her brilliant personality and demonstrates it so well with a booming voice.

Most pet parents want to know how to deal with what is a significant Dachshund barking problem. The animal loves to talk and does so incessantly. Training a Dachshund not to bark quite so much is critical when the pup is young to avoid excessive problems as she grows.

The idea is to work with your Doxie in a way that doesn’t create stress for the pooch or interfere with her lifestyle. While you might experience a sense of frustration with constant barking, you need to realize the dog will never completely give up her voice. It’s instinctual and natural for this breed to bark. Some tips you can follow to quiet your Doxie a bit:

Physical Stimulation

A Dachshund needs exercise and playtime. The animal has plenty of energy and needs to have at least an hour of activity outside each day. These canines had original breeding as hunting dogs. She can feel stifled and become frustrated if pent-up for too long without releasing that energy.

If you ignore the need for the dog to go outside, she will let you know loud and clear that she’s bored. My Doxies do. When I get caught up with work and run a little past walk time, my boy lets me know he will not allow me to ignore him in no uncertain terms.

Emotional Stimulation

If you’re wondering why Dachshunds bark so much, your pup might need emotional stimulation. Doxies aren’t the kind of dog that will come in and lie down on her bed without any interaction from her family. These dogs thrive more where there is activity and affection.

The animal makes time for everyone in the home, whether they’re enjoying playtime or merely taking a nap in front of the TV. If you don’t spend quality time with the dog, she will make it known verbally, but giving attention when a dog’s behavior is not ideal is not the right thing to do.

What is preferred is to give your Doxie quality time regularly when behavior is at its best, so there’s no need for her to bark for you to give her some attention. Each family member must interact with the pup in the same manner.

Social Stimulation

It’s common for the Dachshund to bark in a warning tone when approached by an unfamiliar person or another animal. If you have a Doxie, it’s likely this has happened to you with a neighbor, at the dog park, or when taking a walk. Not only is the pup in a mode of protection for their family, but she is feeling nervous around these strangers.

The best tip to prevent this type of barking is to begin socialization as a young puppy and ensure she is given as much time as possible to be social. That would include slowly introducing other animals like in the dog park or new people while on the go for walks or in the garden having a visit. If the dog barks, take her out of the scene, so she ultimately learns barking is not acceptable in those situations.

Decorum

Positive reinforcement is essential when working with a pup. There should never be a time that you lose your cool when attempting to train your dog not to bark so much. Some people will use a dachshund bark collar. Some of these send an electrical shock to the animal. There should be no form of pain associated with training or in any way related to having a dog.

Dogs of any breed, but especially a friendly Dachshund, thrive on pleasing their owners. If an animal believes they in any way disappoint or worse make their pet parent angry, it breaks their hearts (literally) and makes them exceptionally anxious.

No one should ever make their Doxie feel this way. If you’re frustrated or it becomes embarrassing that your Dachshund won’t quit her barking whether you’re in a social situation or at home with visitors, the dog will sense this and become frustrated as well, making her bark more.

It would be best to separate yourself from the situation until you come to the point of calm and then go back to handle the situation with positivity and patience. Your Dachshund will respond much more agreeably and be a happier puppy with this type of training using treats and positive reinforcements instead of whichever are considered a quality bark collar for a Dachshund.

How do I Stop a Dachshund From Barking At Other Dogs On Walks?

Dachshunds, again, are not fond of unfamiliar animals or people. The only way for them to develop a fondness for other dogs is for the Doxie to learn socialization from a very early age so that she doesn’t bark each time she comes in contact with other dogs.

You’ll find not only will a Dachshund bark when meeting a dog on a walk or at the dog park, but the lovely Doxie will start barking if she hears another dog barking outside while she’s comfortable in her bed inside the house or if she hears a pup barking on TV. See, a Dachshund likes to talk and takes every opportunity to do so. You genuinely need to work with the puppy early to curb the conversation just a bit.

Why Do Dachshunds Bark at Strangers?

Why Do Dachshunds Bark at Strangers?

A Dachshund is relatively protective of her family. The dog feels she is warning them of danger, plus the pup is nervous when approached by someone unfamiliar.

Making sure to introduce the animal to everyone within your circle as a young puppy is essential for her socialization, or you will be dealing with a lot of barking each time someone pays a visit.

It’s also a good idea to be reasonably social when walking or at the dog park so the puppy can become social as well and doesn’t lash out with the people you see. The idea is to start doing this immediately upon adoption for optimum results.

Should I Shout at My Dachshund When He Barks?

Should you shout at your Dachshund under any circumstances? The short answer is absolutely not! If you feel a need to shout at any animal, please don’t get one. No dog, including the Doxie, deserves this type of treatment. It scares the pup, makes her anxious, and creates an abusive environment for the dog.

Shouting is abuse. People who engage in shouting at a Dachshund or animals of any species abuse the creatures emotionally and mentally, an illegal act. If you want a fur baby, a companion pet, a furry best friend, the proper treatment is respect, love, and affection because that’s what they give us.

Final Thoughts

Dear Dachshunds love to use their voices and do so loudly and proudly. We are not going to stop these lovely creatures from barking altogether. It wouldn’t be natural for them. It’s part of who they are as bred hunters.

You can help them to feel a little less anxious in their surroundings, a bit more calm and relaxed, so there’s not a need to bark quite so much. Still, eliminating it is not going to happen. The dog is just too lively and spirited. And that’s why we love her so much.

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