What kind of activities can you do with your Dachshund???
Dachshunds are members of the hound family and are courageous and willing to do anything for their owner if properly trained.
A dachshund needs daily exercise to stay a healthy weight and promote a healthy bond between you and your dog.
So what are some things you can do with your pup (over 16 weeks):
Walks or Hikes: Dachshunds who get out and see the world tend to bark less and sleep better through the night.
Play Ball: Dachshunds love chasing a ball, some even will bring the ball back. Pockets picked up fetch watching my daughter collies fetching a ball, only thing is rather than competing with the big dogs for the ball he will grab a piece of trash from the ground or a blanket from his bed, anything he can find, and bring it to me for praise.
Treadmill: Great for cold or rainy days. Never leave your pet unattended on a treadmill.
Swimming: Dachshund love to swim both in pools and lakes. Be sure your pup has a life jacket and is never left unattended even the best swimmers can get tired. We like to provide a shallow pool just deep enough to get their feet wet for our pup’s play area.
Teaser Pole or Tug O War: Our dogs LOVE when we tie a kong squeaker to a rope and hang it from a tree branch. They will play tug with it for long periods of time both alone and as groups.
Obedience Training: Don’t let Dachshunds fool you they are very smart and while not as quick as some breeds to pick up new tricks it is not typically from lack of intelligence (more like stubbornness). Dachshunds can learn to sit, stay, bed, crate, come, fetch, roll over, and a number of other commands.
Agility: While we do not recommend anything that places stress on their backs like jumping, a dachshund can still learn to go through a tunnel, walk the plank, weave through poles, and many more fun activities.
Digging: Dachshunds are diggers so if you do not want a hole-filled yard it is best to give them a spot they are allowed to have some fun. We have found a mountain of sand in the corner of the yard is a favorite spot and keeps our dogs from digging holes in the grass (most of the time). If you do not have a yard you can put a sand pile in, or you can play a digging game in the house using a dog treat. Create a fort of pillows and blankets and hide a treat inside. Let your doxie rummage through and get his prize!
Playdates: Dachshunds are definitely social animals and love to play with other dogs of any size we have even raised ours at times alongside Great Danes. However, supervision should be given if playing with a larger dog that may pounce on your dachshund's back or get a bit to rough.
Boating: Most Dachshunds love the wind in their faces and enjoy boat rides. Please be sure to use a life jacket!
Scent or Lure Training: Dachshunds were bred to hunt! There are groups in most areas you can join that have group activities.
Mountain climbing or Bike Riding: While not an activity you would usually consider for a dachshund we have more than one puppy parent in the past who takes their dog in a backpack while doing more active sports.
Sled Team: Believe it or not there are dachshund-pulling teams! We found this out after researching because my youngest watched TOGO and decided to try and train her four dachshunds to walk together as a team. We don’t have our pups pull anything but it has sure helped keep the leash tangles down when walking 8 dogs at once.