Custom Dachshund Enrichment Plans (available Anywhere in the US)

Because Enrichment is More Than a Toy – It’s a Life Lived Well!

You probably think you give your Dachshund the best life possible, and you’re not wrong. But even a well-loved dog can still be under-fulfilled. It’s not because you aren’t trying, but because modern life doesn’t naturally meet the needs your Dachshund was bred to have.

Your Dachshund needs your help. Our pet’s lives are constrained by our 4 walls and expectations. They rely on us to meet all of their needs – not just food, shelter, and affection, but also mental, physical, and sensory stimulation; safe opportunities to make choices; and the life skills necessary to navigate our human world.

A Dachshund isn’t just a small companion dog – they’re a purpose-bred scent hound with terrier grit. Digging, sniffing, barking, burrowing, and problem-solving aren’t “naughty” behaviors. Instead, they’re instinctive drives with nowhere to go in a modern home. When those drives don’t have healthy outlets, many Dachshunds express them in less-than-ideal ways such as:

• Nonstop barking at every sound
• Reactivity on walks
• Hypervigilance and difficulty settling
• Destructive behaviors like digging or chewing
• Anxiety-related gut and skin issues

This is where animal-care science and decades of enrichment research come in. The same principles used to help zoo animals stay mentally and emotionally healthy can be adapted to help our pets, including your Dachshund, thrive.

I combine my canine enrichment training with my extensive personal and professional Dachshund experience to help you identify what enrichment is missing, what to start with, and how to implement it consistently.

Book your session(s) below or join my Facebook membership community, Enriched, Well-Mannered Dachshunds, to start giving your dog the fulfilled life they deserve.

Behavior Issues Are Frequently the Result of an Unmet Need

Enrichment isn’t a luxury for your Dachshund, it’s a necessity. It’s a key component animal welfare and one potential way to help address behavior issues without training.

If you don’t provide a healthy outlet for their instincts, your Dachshund may try to meet those needs on their own – often in ways that conflict with your lifestyle.

Common behavior problems linked to missing or insufficient enrichment include:

• Excessive barking from boredom or hypervigilance
• Reactivity on leash from anxiety, excess energy, lack of confidence, or the inability to cope in the face of challenges.
• Chewing to satisfy the need to explore with their mouth and senses
• Digging in the garden when they lack appropriate opportunities to dig in appropriate places

A custom enrichment plan channels your Dachshund’s instincts into appropriate, satisfying activities that fit both their temperament and your real life. Instead of fighting their natural behaviors, give them structured outlets that reduce frustration, boredom, and the problem behaviors that come with unmet needs.

Almost magically, once a Dachshund’s instinctual needs are met, many behavior issues vanish or improve dramatically. Those that remain can often be addressed with thoughtful environment management and training, but enrichment is the foundation at the top of the behavior funnel.

Sign up for one of the plans below to start changing the way your Dachshund interacts with you and the world.

Why You Shouldn’t Go It Alone

Enrichment is so much more than buying a treat toy or slow feeder bowl. True enrichment produces a measurable, positive outcome for your Dachshund like calmer behavior, improved confidence, better sleep, less reactivity, or reduced frustration. Without an understanding of dog behavior and body language, it can be difficult to know whether you’re meeting your dog’s needs… or accidentally overwhelming them.

And Dachshunds are unique. Their combination of independence, sensitivity, determination, and instinctual drive means they benefit most from a plan tailored to their breed, health, energy, and personality. Personalized enrichment is essential because your dog decides what is enriching not the toy aisle or Pinterest.

An effective enrichment plan:

• Honors your dog as the unique individual they are
• Provides healthy outlets for instinctual drives
• Prevents boredom and anxiety, promoting calm and confidence
• Fits easily into your schedule, budget, and lifestyle
• Reduces problem behaviors and strengthens your relationship

When a Dachshund is fulfilled, you don’t get a “perfect” dog, you get a calmer, more confident one. They settle more easily, bark less, explore with curiosity instead of hypervigilance, and display healthier expressions of their natural instincts. They sleep better, engage more willingly in training, and simply feel more relaxed because their needs are finally being met in ways that make sense for the breed.

Because every Dachshund is different, a one-size-fits-all program won’t cut it. Through a lens of non-judgement, I take the time to understand your lifestyle, your dog’s personality and health history, their environment, and any behavior challenges.

I will then:

• Assess what kind of enrichment you are already doing (believe me – you are. You just may not know it)
• Determine what kind of enrichment activities will benefit your dog most
• Help you integrate these activities into your existing routine without adding a lot of extra time
• Implement enrichment activities in a safe and effective manner
• Adapt and tweak the suggestion activities as you go to optimize the effectiveness

In short, I support you to help your Dachshund become a happier, more balanced version of themselves.

Ongoing support is available as you implement the plan so you never feel lost or alone.

Sign up for a custom enrichment plan now and start transforming your Dachshund’s life — and your daily life together.

FAQs

What Is Your Dog Care Philosophy?

Just like with the humans in my life, I believe in seeking to truly “see” and understand each dog for the individual they are. I believe in allowing a dog to express themselves as naturally as possible while showing them the boundaries of, and teaching them the skills needed to navigate, our human world.

I believe focusing on a cooperative relationship with our dogs rooted in trust. My first step when my dog does something I don’t like is to ask what they are trying to tell me…. because dogs are simple – they do what works and what they need to do in order to meet their own needs (if they are not being met in appropriate ways). I then look at the way their environment is set up, if my expectations in that situation are reasonable, whether I need to adjust my expectations or how I am doing something, and whether I can help them get those needs met in more appropriate ways.

While my dogs life with rules, I am fair and don’t expect them to know a command or understand how they are supposed to behave in a given situation if I haven’t taught them. I know they are not mind readers! In regard to my training philosophy, I’m a believer in the LIFE (Least Inhibitive, Functionally Effective) and LIMA (Least Invasive Minimally Aversive) principles. In simple terms, these principles are guides for humane, fair, and effective training and behavior modification practices.

What Are Your Qualifications?

I’m a passionate Dachshund lover, Licensed Family Dog Mediator (LFMD), Certified Canine Enrichment Technician, and passionate about learning why our Dachshunds do the things that they do.

I’ve been Dachshund sitter since 2014 and have hands-on experience with over 50 Dachshunds in my care. Though my in-person Dachshund club, past clients, and people who message me online, I have experience with over 1,000 Dachshunds.

In addition to my experience with animals, I’m also a Certified Life Coach (CLC) and a self-proclaimed planning nerd. I am passionate about listening to dog owners with empathy and judgement, focusing on moving forward so I truly understand the human side of the equation too. I use compassion, empathy, and problem solving skills to find the canine enrichment techniques and activities that fit in with your lifestyle as naturally as possible.

My continuing education includes:

• 13-week Canine Behavior Mentorship with Mattison Simpson (Freed By Training), IAABC-CDBC, CPDT-KA (Certified Professional Dog Trainer)
• Puppy Culture socialization and training program
• Understanding Dog Communication with Nikki Ivey (DogSpeak 101) FMD, trainer and canine behavioral specialist
• Growly Greeters Foundation Skills with Jacqui Tourle, dog trainer certified in Companion Animal Services
• The Power of Play with Drew Webster, CPDT-KA through Behavior Vets

What Issues Can You Help With?

My love problem solving, helping you and your dog communicate with each other better, and helping dogs achieve a higher level of training and enrichment so they have access to a fuller life. I have experience with all of the common Dachshund behavior issues and how to work through them, as well as a thorough understanding of a Dachshund’s breed-specific needs. Also, as stated above, I aim to understand each dog as an individual, and appreciate how to meet the different needs.

Are You Insured?

Yes. I am insured through Pet Care (and Training) Insurance. My policy number is JN1225-PCI105809.