05/10/2026
Awesome potty training tips!!!! 🐾
Are dachshunds really impossible to potty train? 🤔
Nope. But they ARE often slower and more frustrating than other breeds, and there are real reasons for that. When you understand the “why,” it’s a lot easier to set them up for success, whether you’re raising a baby puppy or working with an adult who still isn’t fully housebroken. 💩🐾
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🐶 Why dachshunds feel so hard to potty train
First, this is not about “bad dogs.” It’s about how they’re built and how we teach them.
👉 Small dog, small bladder
Dachshunds simply can’t hold it as long as bigger breeds, especially under 6 months. When their physical needs don’t match our schedule, accidents happen and get called “stubborn,” when it’s really just biology.
👉 Independent, stubborn temperament
They were bred to hunt underground and make decisions away from people. That independence means they don’t automatically care that you want them to p*e on a schedule or in a specific spot. We have to be very clear and very consistent.
👉 Scent driven and easily distracted
Outside, their nose is BUSY. They sniff, explore, forget to potty, then come inside and suddenly remember and go on the floor. It’s not spite, it’s wiring.
👉 Weather drama
They’re low to the ground, so cold, wet yards feel miserable. Many dachshunds refuse to go in bad weather and then potty as soon as they’re back in the warm house. They often need extra help (jackets, a cleared potty area, super high value rewards) when the weather is gross.
👉 Mixed messages and inconsistent routines
“Just this once” indoor accidents, p*e pads, free roaming with no supervision, and changing rules all teach them that inside can sometimes be a bathroom. Dachshunds thrive on predictable structure. If the routine is inconsistent, their potty habits will be too.
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🌱 Texture matters more than most people realize
Puppies don’t just learn “go potty.”
They learn: “go potty on THIS kind of surface.”
Over time they build a surface preference:
❥Grass, dirt, gravel
❥Fake turf
❥Fabric (rugs, blankets, beds)
❥Pads, paper, towels
❥Hard floors
If a puppy is encouraged to potty on soft, absorbent things (pads, towels, bathmats, rugs, blankets), they can easily learn:
🧠 “Soft and squishy under my feet = bathroom.”
That’s how you end up with adult dogs who seek out carpets, dog beds, and laundry piles to p*e on.
Choosing the right surface early and being consistent with it makes a HUGE difference later.
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🚫 Why p*e pads cause so many headaches
P*e pads sound convenient… but they often make things harder, especially with dachshunds.
❌ They teach that it’s OK to potty indoors. Some dogs never fully turn that off.
❌ Pads feel a lot like rugs and bathmats. Dogs don’t see the brand logo; they just feel “soft thing on floor = ok to p*e.”
❌ Many dachshunds develop a strong preference for that indoor pad surface, hold it outside, then run back in to find their pad (or your carpet).
❌ If your goal is an outdoor potty dog, pads add extra steps: teach the pad ➜ unteach the pad ➜ teach outdoor surfaces.
Pads DO have a place in some situations (high rise living, disability, extreme weather, serious medical issues), but for the average home they tend to delay true house training and create confusion.
If you absolutely must use pads:
✔ Keep them in one dedicated area only.
✔ Use a tray or border so it feels like a defined station, not just random fabric on the floor.
✔ Transition as early as possible to a more outdoor-like surface (pellets, turf) and then to actual yard time.
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🐾 For puppy owners: giving your dachshund the best start
Think: STRUCTURE + REPETITION = SUCCESS.
✅ Take them out constantly at first:
❥After waking
❥After eating
❥After playing
❥Before bed
❥Plus every 20–60 minutes depending on age
✅ Go to the SAME potty spot each time.
Potty first, fun after. Don’t let them get distracted with play until they’ve gone.
✅ The instant they finish, celebrate:
Praise, treats, happy voice. Make it extremely obvious they did the right thing.
✅ Use crates, pens, leashes, or tethers indoors.
No wandering off to have “secret” accidents.
✅ If you need an indoor backup, choose a defined potty texture (like a tray with pellets or turf) that’s clearly different from your rugs and beds, and have a plan to phase it out.
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♻️ For older pups and adults or rescues who still aren’t potty trained
Yes, adult dachshunds CAN learn.
The challenge is you’re not just training, you’re RETRAINING and undoing old habits and surface preferences.
🔁 Treat them like an untrained puppy for a while:
❥4–8 weeks of a strict schedule
❥Constant supervision
❥Crate or pen when you can’t watch
🔁 Assume their past lesson was:
“Inside is fine” and maybe “soft stuff is fine.”
Now your job is to teach: “Outside, on this surface, is the ONLY thing that pays.”
🔁 Go back to basics:
Same outdoor potty spot, wait them out, and pay BIG every single time they go where you want.
🔁 Manage tempting indoor textures:
Put away bathmats, small rugs, laundry piles, and extra fluffy beds while you rebuild habits.
🔁 No free roaming until they’ve had a good stretch of being accident free.
🔁 If a dog who used to be reliable suddenly regresses, talk to your vet to rule out UTIs, stones, or other medical issues.
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🐕 A gentle note to breeders
Breeders have HUGE influence over how easy potty training will be for their puppy families. Early habits and surface preferences start in the whelping box.
🌳 If it’s safe to take puppies outdoors👇
❥Once puppies are steady on their feet, start a simple routine.
❥Take them to the SAME small, clean potty area after waking, after eating, and after play.
❥Use a consistent surface (grass, gravel, turf) and keep it as clean and dry as possible.
❥Stand quietly, let them sniff and go, then calmly praise and reward.
❥Manage parasite risk and yard safety based on your vet’s guidance.
🏠 If outdoor access is too risky for their health or vaccine status👇
❥Create a clearly defined indoor potty zone (a low litter box with paper or wood pellets, or a turf tray) that is different from blankets and bedding.
❥Place the potty surface away from sleeping and eating areas so they learn “we sleep here, we potty there.”
•Gently move or carry puppies to that spot after waking and meals, and reward them for using it.
❥Keep that setup consistent so the association sticks before they go home.
❥Avoid relying on household towels, random pads, or soft bedding as the main potty surface, because puppies will look for similar textures in their new homes.
When puppies leave already understanding “I potty over THERE on THIS kind of surface, not where I sleep and eat,” their new families start several steps ahead and you hear “dachshunds are impossible to housebreak” a lot less.
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✅ The bottom line
Most “dachshunds are impossible to potty train” stories are really about:
❥Small dog biology
❥Independent personality
❥Texture and surface preferences learned early
❥Confusing or inconsistent human routines
❥Old habits that were never fully fixed
With clear structure, smart surface choices, and consistent rewards, most dachshunds — puppies AND adults — can absolutely become reliably housebroken. It usually just takes more time, more patience/repetition, and more management than people expect.
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