I know that most of you don’t have dachshunds, but I’m astounded by how many e-mails I get about crate training them. Because it’s hard. Crate training any dog is hard–and I certainly remember my black Lab puppies crying their little eyes out in their new crates when I was growing up. But dachshunds are relentless in their barking, crying and howling… and two or three months of sleeplessness is bound to drive any new dog owner into utter sadness or flat-out insanity.
When Mitch and I first got Noodle, things were disastrous on the sleeping front. We’d been told that crate training a dachshund was imperative to both the dog’s happiness as well as ours, since the breed tends to be stubborn, difficult to housebreak, and anxious when separated from their peeps. And so Noodle went in the crate, and we went crazy. She barked, and cried, and howled.
All.
Night.
Long.
And it seemed like the situation would never improve. But if you’re the new owner of a dachshund–or any dog, really–and feeling hopeless, don’t throw in the towel. Today, Noodle is a big fan of her crate. Sometimes I catch her playing in there on her own, and every morning, I have to drag her out by her little paws. (Girlfriend loves sleeping in, and would snooze until 11 a.m. if I let her. Who knew?)
So what, you might be asking yourself, can I do?
1. PUT THE CRATE IN YOUR BEDROOM. It’s my number one bit of advice for people who are having a rough (ruff?) go of it. As I mentioned before, dachshunds have a tendency to suffer from extreme separation anxiety and loneliness–especially puppies. (They miss their moms!) Placing the crate in your room can make all the difference, though.
For a while, Mitch and I resisted the idea of moving the crate into our bedroom because we wanted the bedroom to be our space. But the moment we moved it in there, we saw a huge change in Noodle. I wouldn’t say that she stopped fussing completely, but there was a big improvement. Talking to her–or talking to each other–before we all went to bed also made her feel better.
2. Put a bed, blankets, toys, rawhide and something that smells like you in the crate. It goes without saying that the dog should still be able to fit in the crate, and that he should have some space to move around. But make sure the little guy is comfortable. An uncomfortable dog is an unhappy dog; a cold dog is an unhappy dog; a bored dog is an unhappy dog.
And it’s a good idea not to move the crate, as dachshunds like consistency. You might also want to spend some time helping the dog get acquainted with it. Put treats in there, and praise him when he goes in to get them. At one point, I even stuck my head in there while Noodle was inside just to show her it was safe.
3. Use a ticking clock or white noise. It’s comforting to the dog, as it reminds him of its mother. I simply downloaded a white noise app onto my cell phone, and placed it on top of the crate. It helped.
4. Drape a blanket over the crate. Make sure the front part isn’t covered, that way the pup can breathe. But dogs are den animals, and feel safe in confined, dark areas. (It’s why Noodle’s favorite spot is under the bed!) The extra darkness also signifies that it’s bedtime.
5. Take the dog out about an hour before bed, and don’t serve him additional food or water when you get back. Of course, make sure he’s eating and drinking throughout the day so as not to torture the poor thing. But it’s equally torturous to put him in a crate when he needs to relieve himself! Also, don’t take him out right before bed, as he might confuse this with playtime.
6. Have quiet time before bed. Mitch and I snuggle with Noodle on the couch, and watch a television show or a movie. It calms her down and gets her ready for bed. I should mention, however, that “Quiet Time” does not work if Noodle hasn’t had enough exercise beforehand. Dachshunds–especially puppies–have a lot of energy, and it’s very important that they burn it off during the day!
7. Limit the number of times you take him out throughout the night, and make ’em quick. If you make a fuss over him every time you take him out, he’ll associate barking, howling and crying with getting what he wants: you. Instead, take him out of the crate, quickly bring him outside, and then quickly put him back in the crate after he’s done his business. No love, as harsh as that sounds. In terms of how often you should be taking the little guy out throughout the night, a good rule of thumb is every couple of hours when they’re brand new, and then once or twice per night after three or four weeks.
8. If things get bad, sleep on the floor next to the crate (in the bedroom) for a couple of nights. It’ll teach the dog that he has nothing to be afraid of, and that you’re not going anywhere.
9. If things get really bad, shaking a can filled with pennies can help. This should only be used as a last resort, since you don’t want to make your dog a nervous wreck. But dachshunds aren’t big fans of loud noises, and the “penny can” can eradicate bad behavior. While Mitch and I rarely use it, Noodle gets the message when we do. We used it a couple of times while crate training as well as when we were having trouble with her barking, crying and jumping while we were eating dinner. It worked like magic! (Again, use sparingly.) Another tip is sternly and loudly saying, “Noodle, NO” when the barking gets out of control. (Insert your dog’s name, obviously.)
10. NEVER cave and let the dog sleep with you. I did this way too often, and every time I did it, I erased all progress I’d made with Noodle. I know. Hearing your puppy cry is the worst! But he’ll power through… as will you. Remain strong, and remember that it will get better.
My one fear here is that this post scares off those who have been considering adopting a dachshund. Please don’t let this deter you! While my first couple of months with Noodle were a struggle, they were completely worth it. She’s beyond loyal, has the funniest disposition, is the best snuggler, and loves Mitch and me with a fiery passion. (She loses her mind when we come home, and grips our faces with her paws to lick us. It’s hysterical.) I can’t imagine life without her, and life is better because of her.
(Noodle, you are a great dog.)
Have additional tips or tricks for crate training a puppy? Leave them in the comment section below! :)
The pic of Noodle with Mitch is the cutest!!
Noodle.is.so.stinking.cute! I love and adore her!! Oh the days of puppy crate training – it took my golden quite awhile to adjust too. I recall one night where he cried the.whole.night! It was terrible. But I think he likes it now. And I would DEFINITELY do it all over again, because he is my baby and I love him to death!!! =)
Noodle is so beautiful! I have a Border Collie and a Greyhound. For the Border Collie, crate training was a piece of cake (she is really super smart!). For the Grayhound, crate training was a nightmare! Now everything is ok. They love and protect each other. We adore them and they adore us :)
Oh my gosh, all of these puppy pictures of Noodle are so freaking adorable!!
Kristina does the Internets
Loved reading about this! As a vet student I should really know about different dog breeds, so this was great as I knew nothing about Dachsunds, and have never had a dog (only cats) so didn´t know about the crate training. She looks so lovely, it´s always hard in the beginning training them, but so worth it after when everyone gets along and pets need some discipline and routine, they are happier for it :)
OMG! Kelly, these are the cutest pics of teensy Noodle! But I agree, power through, they get used to it eventually. After two years we finally decided Oliver was responsible enough to not eat shoes, so now he sleeps around the house at night (usually under the coffee table!)
Love this post!!! Dachshunds are SO SO stubborn and Payton has a horrible time with separation anxiety. We love her more than words but being firm is definitely key.
Katharine
http://www.paytington.com
my springer spaniel puppy did good for the first weeks in her crate but all of a sudden she hated it and would cry and bark the ENTIRE night! so we started feeding her all of her meals in her kennel with the door open and within two days she was loving her crate and kept quiet all night, unless she needed to go out
I will never get over Noodles cutestness. I remember when I first got Misa how exhausting it was, it felt like she would never be trained but it with time and persistence, even the boldest dog can get trained haha!
-Alex
http://www.monstermisa.blogspot.com
Thanks for that info! I’m about to get a mini long haired dachshund next week and I am thinking of possibly using a crate sometimes.
Great tips! I definitely wish I had this info years ago when I got my doxie Rudy. He’s a great pup and has stolen my heart (and my bed) but I wish I would have stuck it out with the crate training.
Lauren xo || Right To Remain Fabulous
Noodle is the absolute cutest! I have a Havanese and little Lila is crate trained. Havanese’s are super smart, so she got the crate training down pretty quickly but we learned that not only having her sleep in the crate no matter what, but also putting her in the crate when no one is home (even if it’s for five minutes) really helped! Her crate has become her “safe house”, she goes in it when she wants to get away from the craziness of our day or even to take a nap! It’s adorable! She’s now six years old and still sleeps in her crate every night and goes in it when she’s home alone!
Xo, Rach
Seashells + Sparkles
So cute and helpful! Bringing home my first dachshund in a few weeks – he will be 8 weeks old! I’m excited a nervous lol
Hi,
We have just picked up our Miniature Dach, Kobe, he is wonderful but is being so difficult on a night!! We have bought a crate today for him and he seems to have taken to it well. Already having a little afternoon nap in there.
Would you advise leaving the crate door open or closed when he is sleeping? I’m worried about toilet time.
Also, how do you cope with afternoon naps/quiet time in the crate if its in your bedroom? Do you move it downstairs during the day?
Little Noodle is so cute by the way!
Hi Kate,
It’s so nice to hear from you! Apologies for the delay.
I would leave the crate door open when he’s napping during the day, but closed at night. I think that he’d just leave his crate at night if you left it open.
I move the crate to our living room during the day for naps, which is very helpful! Noodle is now three years old, and she happily goes into her crate all the time to nap. (NEVER thought that would happen, haha!)
The one thing that I’ll say is that it gets better:I promise. The first few months were murder. Dachshunds are stubborn and get super attached, but he will adjust! They all do. Even Noodle, who has extreme attachment issues!!
Hope this helps!
Thank you so much Kelly. Just knowing it’s not just us helps!
Hi Kelly! I’m looking to adopt my own Dauchshund soon! I have a question though.. do you ever let noodle sleep in bed with you at night. I’m not opposed to it but I’m more worried about potty training her and potential messes. I’ve read that it’s easier to crate train any dog early on so they know it’s a safe space, than trying to do it after you let them run wild so to speak. Noodle is the cutest by the way! And your advice was super helpful!
Hello ..I just rescued a mini dashund this pass Saturday ..here it is day 3 and he’s peeing all over my house as well as pooping..he was a stray yet someone had him before that because he knows sit..sleeps in the bed and loves people food. I read up on the bred before adopting him from the pound ..he’s 3 years old and not house trained ..HELP ! I take him out an hour or two after he eats breakfast ..we go for long walks and he does nothing..I take him out again another hour still nothing ..bring him back in the. house and he pees . How do I stop this behavior ? I want to keep him..
This is the first nite with Bentley. I love him enough to do this for the both of us.
Marilyn
hi< we had a dachshund for 16 years, after she left us we waited about 3 years and just got a new puppy. This time we are going to do it right & crate train & have been doing so for 2 & 1/2 weeks. Problem; he's peeing in the crate. I had water & food in it while we were at work and he'd just jump in it and make a worse mess adhering to having to pee more as well, so took it out & hate that it has no water or food all day, & it's still peeing in the crate. I have a bed in it & a puppy pad because we had too with 2 small toys and a little chewy bone. Taking it out first thing in the morning & sometimes can come home at lunch but not often. what do I do?
Hi, congrats on your new puppy! It’s likely he’s peeing in the crate simply because he can’t hold it. Young puppies typically can’t hold it for more than a couple hours, so if you’re gone for more than that the bladder control simply doesn’t exist yet. When potty training a puppy you should be taking them outside every hour until they get it. (And better bladder control) Good luck!
Hey! Great tips. I’ve really been struggling with my sausage dog, he’s very needy and cries as soon as I leave him in his crate in the room. He’s been much better with the crate in my bedroom. Did you stop using a crate once she was toilet trained? As I don’t want him in my room forever!
What crate do you prefer for her to sleep in?
Please help. We just got a dachshund. She’s three months old on January 2. We got her two days before Christmas. If I put her in the crate when we leave or during the day she screams barks uncontrollably and won’t stop. The neighbors can hear her. Her crate is in the bedroom. The problem is when she wakes up she barks constant till we get her, So she knows that if she screams and we put her in the crate that will be there for her and take her out. She is sleeping at night because were laying next to her till she falls asleep but when she wakes up she starts barking so loud and won’t stop. How do we put her in the crate during the day to where she’s not going to bark the entire time we’re gone. This dachshund also eats her Pooo faster than you can grab her from it. Please help if I’m supposed to take her out of the crate if she’s asleep before she wakes up and cries. I don’t know what to do. I can’t put her in the crate leave the house. Thank you
Hey Kelly! Love this post. We just brought our Roxy home a few days ago and are having a tough go of it at night. We’re doing some things right, but your post gives me some ideas to tweak what we’re doing. As an FYI in all my searching this morning for advice on crate training dachshunds, I found this video. As I watched it I realized that the tips were exactly the same as yours. (https://youtu.be/44QlKAipJis) As a fellow blogger, I wanted to give you a heads up. You might want to contact them. They should at least reference your blog post. Though I think they should take it down.
Anyway, thanks so much for the advice! Praying it works.
What if your dog starts to hate the kennel and doesn’t want to go in?
Fantastic post. My husbad and I have had 3 restless nights. our little doxie can howl for 1.5 hours multiple times a night… it’s quite awful. I did give in last night … but want to get back to crate.