One spot
Use the same outdoor area and a short cue such as “go potty.”
THE McWHIRT FAMILY FIELD GUIDE
Tips, Tricks & Dachshund Facts
Helping you understand your little low rider from puppyhood and beyond.
Welcome to life at dachshund level
Bringing home a miniature dachshund is wonderfully exciting. Their intelligence, determination, attachment to their people, long backs, short legs, and very big personalities also mean there are a few things every dachshund family should know. This is the practical, family-to-family advice we want our puppy homes to have close at hand.
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🐾 Low Rider Quick Guide
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ⅡRaising LittermatesTwice the love takes individual confidence, training, and attention.🚽Potty TrainingAccidents happen. Let’s get your little low rider on a routine.🏠Crate TrainingHelp your puppy learn that their crate is a safe place.🦴Back & IVDD SafetyEveryday habits for that long dachshund back.❤️Separation & Alone TimeTeach your puppy that being apart is okay.🐶New Puppy ChecklistBe ready before those tiny paws arrive.🌎SocializationBuild confidence through positive experiences.🎓Training & CommandsStart with basics and build good habits.🧠Boredom & EnrichmentPut that busy brain and nose to work.🔊BarkingBecause dachshunds have opinions.🛏️Sleeping & Co-sleepingComfort, routines, and safety considerations.🛁Grooming & CareTeeth, nails, ears, baths, and handling.🥩Feeding & Healthy WeightHealthy portions and body condition matter.
FROM GERMANY WITH COURAGE
Meet the Miniature Dachshund
Dachshunds originated in Germany. Their name literally means “badger dog” (Dachs for badger and Hund for dog). They were developed to follow quarry underground—a job calling for far more courage than their height suggests.
Their long bodies, short sturdy legs, strong digging paws, deep chests, powerful noses, and determination suited that work. Smaller dachshunds were developed to pursue smaller quarry such as rabbits. Modern miniatures may live under blankets instead of underground, but many working traits remain.
That ancestry helps explain digging, burrowing, scent-following, barking at unfamiliar noises, chasing small animals, and surprising fearlessness.
NEW PUPPY SURVIVAL GUIDE
Bringing Your New Puppy Home
The first days can be overwhelming: puppy has left familiar people, smells, siblings, and routines. Keep them calm, predictable, and positive. Move cords, cleaners, medicines, small objects, and unsafe plants; secure gaps and stairs; and create a safe sleeping area.
Start with rhythm
Keep food and water in a consistent place, offer puppy-safe toys and appropriate chews, and begin a potty, meal, play, rest, and bedtime routine immediately. Allow plenty of naps and quiet decompression.
Introduce children seated and calmly with adult supervision. Introduce resident dogs in a controlled space, keep sessions short, and protect each dog’s food and rest. Every family member should use the same cues and rules.
A COZY DEN, NEVER PUNISHMENT
Crate Training Without Making the Crate Scary
Choose a crate where puppy can stand, turn, and lie comfortably, but not one so oversized an end becomes a bathroom. Toss treats inside, feed meals near or inside, and never push puppy in. Close the door for a few calm seconds, then build time and distance gradually.
First Week Crate Routine
- Days 1–2: Open-door exploring, treats, and meals.
- Days 2–4: Tiny daytime sessions after potty and play, with you nearby.
- Days 4–7: Slowly extend calm sessions and step briefly out of sight.
- Every night: Potty, calm wind-down, the same cue, then quiet.
A brief protest may settle; instantly releasing after every complaint can teach that noise opens the door. Frantic escape attempts, heavy panting, drooling, or inability to recover suggest genuine distress—shorten the step and seek qualified help if needed. Puppies need frequent outdoor trips. Age, activity, water intake, health, and the individual puppy all affect potty needs; no exact holding time is a guarantee.
Crates support potty training and routine but should never be punishment or a substitute for exercise and connection.
↑ Back to Quick GuidePATIENCE + TIMING + CONSISTENCY
Potty Training a Dachshund
Take puppy outside immediately after waking, meals, drinking, play, and naps, and before bed. Watch for sniffing, circling, wandering away, or suddenly stopping play.
Reward now
Praise and treat the instant puppy finishes; indoors is too late for a clear connection.
Supervise
Keep puppy close. Use a crate or puppy-safe area when active watching is impossible.
Stay calm
If you catch the start, interrupt gently and go outside. Clean later discoveries with enzymatic cleaner.
The Potty Training Golden Rule:If you cannot actively watch your puppy, they should be somewhere safe where you can control their environment.
Never rub a nose in an accident. After-the-fact punishment is ineffective and can teach hiding. Rain and cold may challenge short-legged dogs; use a covered spot or umbrella, keep the trip businesslike, and still reward outdoor success.
↑ Back to Quick GuideCATCH THEM GETTING IT RIGHT
Positive Reinforcement
Reward wanted behavior with tiny treats, praise, toys, play, or affection. Keep sessions short, teach one behavior at a time, and finish while puppy is engaged. Everyone should use the same cue and rule. Avoid yelling or frightening corrections. Dachshunds can train their humans too—kindness works best alongside consistency.
↑ Back to Quick GuideA SHARED FAMILY LANGUAGE
Basic Commands Every Dachshund Should Learn
Name recognition
Say the name once; mark and reward eye contact.
Come — the important one
Say “Name, come!” brightly, move backward, and reward generously at your feet. Never call to punish. Practice on a long line because scents can overpower good intentions.
Sit
Move a treat from nose up and back; mark the instant the bottom lands.
Stay
Ask for sit, show a flat palm, pause one second, reward in place, and release. Build time before distance.
Wait
At a door or bowl, reward a brief pause, then use a release word.
Leave it
Hide a treat in a fist and reward from the other hand when puppy backs away.
Drop it
Offer a worthwhile trade; say “drop” as the object falls and reward.
Place
Lure onto a mat, reward all four paws there, then build relaxation.
Kennel / Crate
Toss a treat inside, say “kennel,” praise entry, and release.
Gentle
Reward soft licking or taking from your hand; close it if teeth are rough.
Off
Lure four paws to the floor, say “off,” reward there, and redirect to a bed.
PUT THAT NOSE TO WORK
Fun Tricks for Your Low Rider
Try hand target (“touch”), a slow ground-level spin, “find it,” pick a hand, ringing a potty bell, putting toys away, going to bed, or learning toys by name. Nose-work, family hide-and-seek, treat hunts, snuffle mats, and puzzle toys satisfy a working brain. Skip repeated jumping, prolonged upright standing, and movements that unnecessarily stress the back.
↑ Back to Quick GuideTHOUGHTFUL EVERYDAY HABITS
Protecting That Long Dachshund Back
Dachshunds’ structure requires thoughtful spine care. IVDD and other disc/back problems can affect the breed, though no product or habit guarantees prevention. Maintain healthy body condition, appropriate regular exercise, and good muscle conditioning. Avoid obesity.
- Use stable nonslip ramps where appropriate.
- Reduce repeated high-impact furniture jumps.
- Use care around stairs.
- Keep nails trimmed for better footing.
- Add rugs on slippery floors.
Prompt veterinary attention: sudden weakness, significant pain, difficulty walking, dragging limbs, loss of coordination, or loss of bladder/bowel control can be urgent.
↑ Back to Quick GuideWHO GETS THE PILLOW?
Puppy Co-Sleeping
Sleeping close can build comfort and bonding, but consider potty routines and safety. Tiny puppies can be rolled on, trapped, or fall or jump from a high bed. A bedside crate or puppy bed offers closeness with control; a stable ramp may suit an older dog. Decide the long-term arrangement you want before creating the habit. A dachshund invited into bed may eventually decide it was their bed all along.
↑ Back to Quick GuideLOVE THEM, THEN PRACTICE SPACE
Separation Anxiety & Teaching Independence
Start early with a safe area and suitable enrichment. Step away for seconds and return while calm, then increase gradually. Practice even while someone is home and keep departures and returns ordinary. Persistent howling, panic, escape attempts, destruction around exits, drooling, or inability to settle may indicate serious separation-related distress. Contact a veterinarian or qualified behavior professional for individualized help.
↑ Back to Quick GuideYES, YOUR DACHSHUND HAS OPINIONS
Barking
For alert/window barking, reduce rehearsals with curtains or distance and reward turning back to you. Practice doorbell sounds quietly, send puppy to “place,” and reward calm. For demand barking, wait for quiet before offering attention. Teach “quiet” by saying it once and rewarding the pause. Physical exercise, sniffing, sleep, and mental enrichment make calm easier.
↑ Back to Quick GuideUNDER THE BLANKET, OBVIOUSLY
Digging, Burrowing & Blanket Obsession
These instincts are deeply dachshund. Offer washable blankets, burrow beds, safe digging opportunities, snuffle mats, nose-work, and puzzle toys. Check blanket piles before sitting—your low rider may be conducting important underground business.
↑ Back to Quick GuideLITTLE ROUTINES, BIG PAYOFF
Teeth, Nails, Ears & Grooming
Introduce handling young in tiny rewarded steps: touch a paw, lift a lip, check an ear, brush once, reward, and stop. Build toward tooth brushing with dog-safe products, routine dental care, nail trims, ear checks, and baths as needed. Smooth coats usually need simple brushing. Ask your veterinarian about individualized preventive care.
↑ Back to Quick GuideLEAN IS KIND TO THE SPINE
Feeding & Healthy Weight
Feed an age-appropriate complete and balanced diet, measure meals, count treat calories, and limit table scraps. Monitor body condition, not only scale weight: ribs should be feelable without a thick covering and a waist visible from above. Needs vary, so discuss portions with your veterinarian. No one brand fits every dog.
↑ Back to Quick GuideSHORT LEGS. ENDLESS CHARACTER.
The Dachshund Personality
AffectionateLoyalCuriousBraveStubbornSmartFood motivatedPlayfulNosyBurrowersWatchdogsProfessional blanket thievesExperts at “I have never been fed”
These are tendencies, not guarantees. Every dog has an individual personality and learning style.
↑ Back to Quick GuideSAVE THESE FOR LATER
Quick Tips for New Dachshund Parents
Start routines immediately.Reward good behavior.Keep training short and fun.Socialize thoughtfully.Protect their backs.Keep them lean and active.Handle paws, ears, and mouths young.Practice short independence.Give them chances to sniff.Expect personality—lots of it.Take pictures. Puppyhood goes ridiculously fast.
↑ Back to Quick GuideTOGETHER SOMETIMES · INDIVIDUALS ALWAYS
Raising Two Puppies From the Same Litter
Two puppies can mean twice the love—but also twice the training. Littermates have spent their entire lives together, so a close bond is natural. The goal is not to stop that closeness. It is to help each puppy become confident, trainable, and comfortable on their own.
What about “littermate syndrome”?
This common term describes behavioral concerns that can sometimes occur when two similarly aged puppies become overly dependent on one another. It does not mean every pair of littermates develops problems. Individual training, socialization, attention, and experiences away from a sibling help build confidence and independence.
Make room for one-on-one time
Give each puppy regular individual training, walks, car rides, cuddles, play, socialization, grooming, and handling. They can still spend plenty of time together. You are teaching each puppy, “I love being with my sibling, but I’m okay without them too.”
Train separately first
Teach each puppy their name, come, sit, stay, wait, leave it, drop it, place, kennel or crate, and leash walking individually. Once both understand a cue, practice it together.
Low Rider Rule: Teach it separately first. Practice it together second.Build positive crate independence
Whenever possible, give each puppy an appropriately sized crate or safe sleeping space. Crates can start near one another. Gradually introduce short, positive periods of independent rest rather than suddenly separating puppies who have never been apart.
Track two potty routines
Use a predictable schedule and learn each puppy’s signals. Go outside after waking, meals, drinking, naps, play, and before bed, rewarding each success immediately. If one puppy went, never assume the other did—keep track of both little low riders.
Feed in controlled spaces
Separate feeding makes it easier to know how much each puppy eats, notice appetite changes, and prevent food stealing or competition.
Socialize each puppy alone, too
Let each puppy independently meet people, take short car rides, practice on leash, explore new surfaces and environments, experience grooming and household sounds, visit the veterinarian, and have safe new experiences. Each should learn, “I can handle this.”
Let them be best friends
Raising littermates does not mean separating them all day. Let them play, cuddle, nap, and explore together. Supervise play and offer breaks when it becomes too wild. Healthy play has give-and-take; step in if one puppy repeatedly tries to escape, hide, or stop while the other will not let up.
Build two relationships
Use their names separately. Train, play, and share affection with each one individually. Take them on their own little adventures. Puppies born minutes apart can have different personalities, fears, motivations, and learning styles. Get to know the puppy—not just the pair.
When to ask for help: Contact your veterinarian or a qualified positive-reinforcement trainer or behavior professional for extreme separation distress, serious fighting, persistent resource guarding, significant fearfulness, aggression, repeated intimidation, or difficulty functioning independently.
↑ Back to Quick GuideWE’RE STILL YOUR PUPPY FAMILY
Questions About Your New Low Rider?
Becoming part of The McWhirt Dachshunds family does not end when a puppy goes home. Our puppy families are always welcome to reach out as their little one settles in.
Contact The McWhirts↑ Back to Quick Guide
Socialization
Socialization means safe, positive experiences—not maximum exposure. Gradually pair different people, safe dogs, household noises, vacuums, cars, grooming, paw/nail/ear handling, surfaces, rides, leashes, harnesses, and veterinary visits with treats and choice. Stop before puppy is overwhelmed. Ask your veterinarian how to balance safe public exposure with local disease risk during the vaccination series.
↑ Back to Quick Guide