Straight answer
How long does it take to train a Dachshund?
The Dachshund was built to go down a hole after a badger and make its own decisions in the dark. That history shows up in your living room as a dog who hears a cue perfectly well and weighs whether it is worth it. Training a Dachshund is not slow. It is a negotiation, and the timeline depends on how quickly you learn to win it with food, brevity and a back-safe setup.
Last reviewed August 26, 2026
Three different clocks
Three separate timelines run at the same time.
Sit, down, place and a snappy response to their name come fast, often within the first week, because a Dachshund will do nearly anything for a piece of cheese held at nose height. Keep sessions to a few minutes and end while the dog still wants more. Sitting is worth teaching from a stand on flat ground rather than luring the head up and back, which curls that long spine. Lure low and forward instead.
House training is the slow clock. A small bladder, a low body that hates wet grass, and a breed-wide talent for sneaking behind the couch mean months of crate use, a strict schedule and a leash for every trip outside. Alert barking never fully retires. A Dachshund was bred to announce what it found underground, so the realistic goal is a dog who barks twice, checks in with you and settles, and that is a management habit you keep for life.
- Sessions under five minutes
- Pay with food, not praise alone
- Lure low to protect the back
- Ramps instead of stairs and jumps
Calgary winter
Why the potty timeline stretches when the snow arrives.
A Dachshund stands about as tall as the snow after a decent Calgary snowfall, and the belly is the first thing to touch it. Many refuse to step off the deck, hold it for hours, then relieve themselves on the mat the moment they are back inside. That is not stubbornness. It is a short dog making a sensible choice about cold and wet. Puppies that arrive in autumn often hit this wall right when house training should be clicking.
The fix is to shrink the job. Shovel a small patch of bare ground near the door before the dog needs it, and walk out there on a leash every time so the trip has a purpose and an end. A coat that covers the chest and a quick towel-off afterward take the misery out of it. Keep the schedule tight through winter and expect the spring to feel like a leap forward, because the dog was learning all along and hated the floor.
The programs
Where this breed fits our programs.
The formats below map to what this breed typically needs; the consultation confirms it for your dog.
W · One-hour session
Private Training
One-on-one coaching with you on the other end of the leash.
Includes a written weekly plan to work from
N · 3-week board & train
Puppy Fundamentals
Your puppy's first months decide the habits of a lifetime.
Includes handover lesson, follow-up session, slip lead + collar
Asked and answered
The questions people ask us.
Are Dachshunds hard to train?
Not hard, but they are choosy. A Dachshund learns quickly when the reward is worth it and the session is short, and stalls the moment training turns into nagging. Food, timing and ending early do most of the work.
How long does Dachshund potty training take?
Plan on months rather than weeks, with a crate, a fixed schedule and a leash for every trip outside. Calgary winters add time because a low dog would rather hold it than wade through snow. A shovelled patch by the door helps more than any product.
What does a Dachshund training timeline look like?
Name, sit, down and place in the first week or two. Loose-leash walking and a recall you can trust in the yard over the next month or so. House training runs alongside for a few months, and alert barking becomes a habit you manage rather than a box you tick.
How long does it take to train a Dachshund in a board and train?
Puppy Fundamentals is three weeks and covers crate comfort, leash manners and the basic cues, then a handover lesson teaches you the mechanics. The repetitions happen daily with a trainer instead of whenever you find time. It costs $2,775 plus GST.
Keep reading
Win the Dachshund negotiation
Tell us your Dachshund's age, what already works and where it stalls. We will map a realistic timeline for your dog. Book a consultation.
From real owners
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