Crate training your dachshund is never a fun thing to do. Putting your beloved dog in a small cage seems very unnatural and can make even the toughest dog owner feel bad. Your dachshund might cry, bark or refuse to sleep in the crate during the first weeks of crate training. So why do so many people still decide to go for crate training?
My reason for crate training my dachshund Tilda was her safety. Tilda was a very naughty pup who loves to get in trouble. Our breeder recommended to start crate training Tilda as soon as possible. And we are very happy we did. It took about 4-5 weeks for her to accept and understand her crate time. The first few weeks whenever she was in her crate she would throw tantrums a 3-year-old toddler would be jealous of. It made us feel like horrible owners. But after around a month she started to see the crate as ‘her safe space’ and ‘treat machine’. She would fall asleep seconds after we put her in the crate with some treats and she could sleep in it for hours. Whenever we left for a few hours we made sure we took a long walk before putting her in her crate so she would be tired enough to go to sleep. It was a long run but ultimately the best decision we could have made for a little troublemaker like Tilda.
Tilda was – and still is – able to get herself into interesting situations, with or without people around to watch her. As a puppy she would chew – and consequenty choke – on literally everything, from carpets to kitty litter. We had to take her to the vet several times because she got her paws on chocolate, pebbles or cushion stuffing. Thankfully we were always able to get her to the vet in time because we could see it happen. But what if she were alone and we did not know she munched on chocolate?
This is my number one reason for crate training. It is ultimately so much safer for your dachshund to not let him or her roam freely around the house when you are not there. Other risks besides eating something dangerous are:
- falling from furniture, stairs, etc. and injuring themselves;
- getting stuck and injuring themselves;
- laying in a sunny spot for too long which can cause overheating;
- destroying your personal items out of boredom;
- getting into serious fights with your other pets.
Obviously all dachshunds are different. But every risk listed above is real. I therefore encourage all dachshund owners to seriously consider to crate train their dachshunds. And remember: you CAN teach an old dog new tricks 😉
What are your thoughts on this? Is your dachshund used to a crate?