Help! My Dachshund Won’t Come When Called!
Dachshunds are natural-born hunters. They are more inclined to chase something they believe to be prey rather than listen when you attempt to call them back.
However, believe it or not, it is possible to improve a Dachshund’s reliability with recall.
Teaching your doxie to come back when you call them will help ensure their safety, allow you to walk with them off-leash in certain situations, and most certainly cut down on your frustration.
UPDATED: June 17, 2024
A Dachshund’s hunting instincts are strong, and it can be challenging to break through that barrier when teaching them a solid recall.
But this article will assist you in the training process.
Why Doesn’t My Dog Come When I Call?
The simple answer may not be what you want to hear. But this is the truth.
Your Dachshund doesn’t come when called because they believe whatever they are chasing after is much more valuable than you or the treats that you have.
If your Dachshund runs off, it means the “prey” they spotted is more valuable than you at the moment.
This is the harsh reality. Your Dachshund will come when called despite immense distractions only when they feel coming back to you will be more rewarding than chasing or eating what they are after.
For this reason, your dog will never learn a good recall if they run away then get scolded by you when they return.
Why would your dog want to come back to you if you’re going to yell, get a scary look on your face, or punish them?
Your doxie will be significantly more likely to come back if you’re happy and excited. This is especially true if your positive behavior and emotion is accompanied by their favorite game – fetch – a lot of praise, and/or a super-tasty morsel of food.
This is why positive reinforcement training is crucial when teaching your Dachshund a recall.
Why It’s Important to Teach Your Dachshund to Come When Called
Many Dachshund owners shrug, chalk it up to their dog being stubborn, and resign themselves to owning a dog breed that “ignores me” or “doesn’t listen”.
However, this apathy toward their dog’s behavior means that disaster could strike at any moment.
Imagine you’re sitting in the front yard with your doxie when all of a sudden they see a rabbit across the street.
Accidents can happen when your doxie runs off without responding to you.
Before you can even look up, your Dachshund is sprinting across the street when a car comes barreling down the road and hits your dog.
It’s a nightmare, and an accident waiting to happen if your off-leash Doxie doesn’t come when called.
Accidents happen, but tragedy can occur in an instant.
These situations are more likely to be avoided if you’re taught your Dachshund an emergency recall command like “come”, and you keep up with the training to solidify their skills.
Dealing with tangled leashes, especially when walking more than one dog, can be annoying.
You should only allow off-leash adventures if your Dachshund reliably comes when called.
A solid recall can make beach days, hikes, and camping much more enjoyable when you trust your dog to listen to your requests.
How to Teach Your Dachshund to Come Back Every Time You Call Them
When beginning the recall training, don’t forget that Dachshunds were bred to hunt!
Their instincts to run off are completely natural, and it may be near impossible to turn off the desire to chase prey.
While Dachshunds have a natural instinct to hunt, they can be trained to stop the chase.
Here are some tips for training your Dachshund to come back to you every time you call them
Use high value treats
If you’re interested in having your Dachshund off-leash for hikes and outdoor adventures, they absolutely need to have a trustworthy recall.
It only takes one critter, dog, or interesting stranger to pique your dog’s interest, causing them to run off.
Regular dog treats can be boring, especially if you use the same ones over and over again, and become “low value” to your dog.
Use “high value” treats – something like cheese or chicken – a food that your Dachshund loves but doesn’t get to eat often – when training high-importance commands like “come”.
Try giving them a treat they don’t often have when they respond positively to you.
Training using mouth-watering foods like these makes learning so much more exciting for your dog and increases the chance that they will want to come see what you have instead of wandering further from you.
Other high value treats can be liverwurst, hotdog, these training treats, or my new favorite – a paste of cream cheese and sardines!
Begin with zero distractions
The worst thing you could do in the initial stages of recall training is to head out to your backyard with some treats and your Dachshund, let them run after something, then attempt to train them in the process.
That’s like mentally going from zero to 60 in 5 seconds and expecting your dog to keep up.
Start your recall training sessions in your home, in a distraction-free environment like your house.
Starting in an “easy” environment will set you and your dog up for success.
Inside the house, slowly start increasing the distance you are from your dog when you call.
Once your dog is reliably coming back to you in the house, you can move the training sessions outdoors.
Start with the quietest location, with the least amount of distractions that you can.
Start training them when there are no other distractions and then slowly add add to the challenge.
Begin by starting closer to your dog than you were in the house – it’s going to be harder to listen with more distractions – and slowly increase the distance again.
Once your dog has mastered the command in the quiet area, you can start training in more and more distracting locations.
Keep training sessions short
Training lessons, especially if teaching a new skill to a puppy, can be exhausting for your dog.
You know how you start your work day productive but lose steam as the day goes on because your brain is getting tired and you’re bored of sitting in one place?
That’s what it’s like for your dog – on a much shorter timeframe of course – so their ability to learn can decrease if training sessions are too long.
I like to keep my training sessions under 10 minutes long, and this includes a few minutes to gather my training supplies, wrangle my Dachshund, and set up the training position (theirs and mine).
Ten minutes only allows me to practice the command 3-5 times in one “sitting” with my dog.
It’s better to end the session feeling like your dog could have reliably responded to the command another time or two than to end the session after your dog has already given up.
If your dog is unable to obey your command even though they know it, end the training session on a positive note by asking them to do a few repetitions of a simple command they know well like sit.
Don’t take the “training wheels” off right away
When your dog seems to have the command down inside the house, you can move outdoors, but remember that this is a new environment for your dog so they may not respond as well as they did inside the house.
Initially, keep a leash or long-line (really long leash) attached and hold onto one end so you can “reel” your dog back in if they are too distracted to listen.
Avoid using a retractable leash because the idea is that you want the dog to not feel tension on the end of the leash and choose to come back on their own.
By their very nature, a retractable leash constantly gives your dog a sensation of slight pressure, which can “artificially” encourage them to come back.
Once your dog is reliably coming back when you call outdoors at a short distance, you can drop the end of the leash.
However, I suggest keeping it attached just in case you need to run after your doxie and stomp on the end to keep them from running away.
Be patient
Even though it may feel like the recall training process will take a while, it’s better to make slow steady progress.
As with all Dachshund training, patience and repetition is key.
If you push the training faster than your Dachshund is able to confidently learn it, you will only set yourself back.
Ideally, you don’t want to put your Dachshund in a situation where you are not sure that they will come back to you.
This is called “setting them up for success”.
It’s best to start with small steps. Otherwise both you and your dog will get frustrated.
Try recall games
Asking your dog to do the same thing over and over can get boring… for both of you.
You can spice things up and make training more fun and interesting, by playing some recall games.
Recall games are a great way to make training fun for both you and your dog.
One of these games is hide-and-seek.
Grab some high value treats and have someone in your home hold your Dachshund while you go hide (Or have your Weenie “stay” while you hide if they are trained to do so).
Once you’re ready, call your Dachshund to come to you! When they find your hiding spot, justly reward them.
Hide-and-seek associates coming to you with fun and a delicious reward.
Another fun game you can try is the chase game.
Have your Dachshund sit and stay. Begin running away from them and call them to come.
Allow your dog to chase you for a bit as you call their name, then let them catch you and offer a reward.
Another fun one I’ve heard of but not tried, is the counting game.
Crouch down and start loudly counting 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. as you place treats on the ground.
Eventually, your dog may be interested in “what you’re doing over there”, come over to see, and be rewarded with all of the treats on the ground.
Eventually, your dog should start to get it and come sooner. Ultimately, your doxie may come back to you before you even count to three!
While you’re not actually using the recall word “come”, the result is the same – a dog that thinks you are very interesting and comes back to you.
Crouching and counting can become a different way to try and get our Dachshund to come back if they’re ignoring your recall command.
Games like this positively reinforce the value of you as an owner.
Keep your Dachshund engaged with you
When you are out on a nightly walk with your Dachshund, randomly say their name.
If they instantly look up at you, treat and praise them.
By keeping your Dachshund engaged during routine activities, it’s adding value to you as an owner, and your bond.
The more your dog trusts you, the more likely they are to come to you when called.
What to Do If Your Dachshund is Running From You
It’s every dog parent’s nightmare – your pup running away from you without any signs of slowing down.
All the while you’re screaming their name in an attempt to regain control of the situation.
The problem is, if you are running after your dog and “barking” their name, they may think you are joining them in the fun and run with even more vigor.
Despite the best training, there may be a time that your Dachshund’s instincts are stronger than their desire to please you.
You’ll need an emergency plan in case this ever happens (and it’s almost inevitable).
Here are a few tricks you can try
Run the other way
I know… your instinct is to run after your Dachshund when they run away.
However, if you do the opposite, you may be able to use their prey drive to your advantage.
Shriek or call their name so your doxie turns to look at you, and then start running in the opposite direction (slowly enough that your dog can catch up to you of course).
Running away from a dog actually encourages them to chase you and come back.
Scatter in front
If you happen to have treats on you. and your Dachshund sees you running behind them, try to throw the treats in front of your dog.
The treats landing on the ground can be a helpful distraction, and your Dachshund may stop to chow down, giving you a few seconds to catch up to them.
Crouch down
Sometimes dogs who are running away from their owners randomly stop at a distance.
If this occurs, don’t run after your dog. Stop and crouch down, then try calling them with your cutest baby voice.
You look less intimidating if you get on their level.
Also, if your dog is used to you playing the counting recall game mentioned above, crouching and counting can make your dog think you have something really good for them (even if you don’t) they may run back to.
Avoid running after your dog if they won’t listen to you. They may think you are joining in the fun and run from you even faster.
Turning the scary (for you – remember, this is fun for them) moment into a fun game could help reunite you with your fearless furry friend.
Final Thoughts
Repetition, patience, and irresistible treats are the keys to successfully training your Dachshund to come when called.
Teaching your Dachshund to come when called isn’t just about training a new skill – it comes down to safety.
Having a good recall could actually save your Dachshund’s life.
Remember to continuously brush up on your Dachshund’s recall skills throughout their lifetime so it’s always fresh in their mind.
About the Author
Hi, I’m Jessica. I’m a Dachshund sitter, President of the largest social Dachshund club in Washington State, a dog trainer in training, and I’ve been a Dachshund owner for 20 years. I have over 150,000 hours of experience with the breed. When I’m not working, you can find me hiking, camping, and traveling with my adventurous wiener dogs.
Very helpful advice thanks. I have Italian Greyhounds who are brilliant at recall. Doris is my first dachshund. I adore her but she is hopeless at recall. Or rather I am hopeless trying to train her ?
Dachshunds can take longer to train than other breeds but don’t give up. It can be done 🙂
Hi I have just fou d you! I need advice. We have 2 mini dacphshunds. Wife is in hospital recovering from covid-19. I come mome home from from work a d pee and poo is eeverywhsre. They have always gone out but now it is inside. What can I do?
Hello. I can’t say exactly why they are doing that. I would suggest you talk to your vet about it if you haven’t already. It could be caused by a medical condition. My guess though is that it’s related to anxiety because things have changed significantly with your wife totally out of the house and you gone a lot more. Unfortunately, there is no quick fix. If they are comfortable in a dog crate, I would crate them while you’re gone. The chance they will soil in their “den” is slim and, if they do, it’s easier to clean up. You can also talk to your vet about temporarily using anti-anxiety medication or try CBD or VetriScience composure to help calm their nerves. For a longer-term solution, you’ll find some tips in this article: https://youdidwhatwithyourweiner.com/stop-dog-separation-anxiety/
Your dachshunds are so very fortunate to have the wonderful life they do!
They are! But they don’t know it. Ha, ha.
My rescue “Doxle” has a fair amount of anxiety as well as being protective of me. He doesn’t do well in groups of other dogs either, but this is ok. Do you have anything to share about the protectiveness and anxiety as it can lead to him nipping or biting.
Hi Joan. What you describe is a complicated issue with many different potential causes and solutions. So, while I touch of various aspects of this behavior, unfortunately, I don’t have one article focused on it. Things to look into for help are socialization, desensitization, and impulse control training. If you are worried about him biting, you can also consider muzzle training. Believe it or not, some dogs find the muzzle comforting, or as a signal they can relax, so it can help curb their reactivity. You may also want to check out this article I wrote for another blog about reactivity and aggressive behavior on a leash. https://formydachshund.com/why-does-my-dachshund-bark-and-lunge-at-other-dogs-on-walks/