Dachshunds are harder to potty train than average dogs, mainly because of their size and stubborn temperament
Dachshunds have a reputation for being difficult to housetrain, and that reputation is earned. They are small enough that accidents go unnoticed longer, they have small bladders that fill quickly, and they have an independent streak that makes them less motivated by your approval than larger breeds are. A dachshund may understand what you want and straightforward decide not to do it. Most dachshunds take 4 to 6 months to housetrain reliably, compared to 8 to 12 weeks for breeds like Labs or Golden Retrievers.
The core problem is not intelligence—dachshunds are smart—but motivation. They were bred to hunt badgers alone, which means they were selected for independence and stubbornness, not for eagerness to please. That same trait that made them good at their original job works against you when you are trying to teach them where the bathroom is.
Key Takeaways
- Dachshunds have small bladders and independent personalities, which means they need more frequent outdoor breaks and less motivation to follow your rules than other breeds.
- Crate training works better for dachshunds than for many breeds because they naturally avoid soiling their sleeping space, but only if the crate is the right size.
- Consistency matters more with dachshunds than with other dogs—missing even a few days of routine can set training back weeks.
- Punishment for accidents makes dachshunds worse at housetraining, not better, because they become sneaky about where they go rather than learning to hold it.
- Most dachshunds housetrain by 6 months with a strict schedule, but some take a year or longer, and occasional accidents may continue into adulthood.
Why their small size works against housetraining
A dachshund's bladder is proportional to its body. An adult dachshund typically weighs 11 to 32 pounds depending on whether it is a standard or miniature, and that small frame means a small bladder. A puppy dachshund may need to go outside every 2 to 3 hours, even through the night. If you miss one of those windows, an accident happens fast and often in a corner you do not see for hours.
The invisibility of accidents is the real problem. When a large-breed puppy has an accident on your kitchen tile, you see it when ready and can interrupt the behavior. When a dachshund pees behind the couch or in a closet, you may not find it until the smell gives it away days later. By then, the dog has no idea why you are upset, and the spot has become a bathroom in the dog's mind.
Adult dachshunds also have less bladder capacity than larger dogs, which means they genuinely cannot hold it as long. A healthy adult dog can usually hold urine for 8 to 10 hours, but many dachshunds struggle past 6 to 8 hours, especially as they age. This is not laziness or stubbornness—it is anatomy.
Crate training is more effective for dachshunds than other methods
Crate training works better for dachshunds than free-roaming housetraining because dachshunds have a strong instinct not to soil their sleeping space. If the crate is the right size—large enough to stand and turn around, but not so large that the dog can pee in one corner and sleep in another—the dog will hold it rather than have an accident in the crate.
The crate becomes a tool that works with the dog's nature instead of against it. When you take the dachshund out of the crate, you take it directly outside on a leash. You stay outside until it goes, then you praise and reward when ready. You bring it back inside only to supervise closely or return to the crate. This cycle repeats every 2 to 3 hours for a puppy, every 4 to 6 hours for an adult.
The mistake most people make is using a crate that is too large or leaving the dog in the crate too long. A dachshund left in a crate for 8 hours will have an accident and then sit in it, which teaches the dog that the crate is not a safe space and breaks the whole system. Crate time should match bladder capacity: puppies 1 to 2 hours, young adults 3 to 4 hours, older adults 4 to 6 hours.
Consistency matters more with dachshunds than with other breeds
Dachshunds are creatures of habit, but they are also opportunistic. If you take them outside on a schedule 6 days a week and skip it on day 7, they will test whether the rule still applies. If you let them sleep on the couch one day and crate them the next, they will be confused about what is expected. This inconsistency does not just slow training—it can reset progress entirely.
Every person in the household needs to follow the same schedule and the same rules. If one person takes the dachshund out every 3 hours and another person lets it roam freely for 5 hours, the dog learns that the rule depends on who is watching, not on what is right. Dachshunds are smart enough to figure this out quickly.
The schedule should be written down and posted where everyone can see it. Outdoor breaks should happen at the same times each day: first thing in the morning, after meals, after play, before bed, and at least once in the middle of the day. Feeding times should also be consistent, because a dachshund fed at the same time each day will need to go out at predictable times.
Punishment backfires with dachshunds more than with other dogs
Rubbing a dachshund's nose in an accident, yelling, or any form of punishment teaches the dog to hide accidents, not to hold it. A dachshund that has been punished for peeing in the house will pee behind the couch or in the bedroom where you cannot see it. The dog is not learning bladder control—it is learning that you are unpredictable and scary.
Dachshunds are sensitive to tone and mood. A raised voice or angry face can make a dachshund anxious, and anxiety actually makes housetraining harder because the dog becomes afraid to go in front of you, even outside. Some dachshunds will hold it so long that they have accidents from desperation rather than lack of control.
The only effective response to an accident is to clean it thoroughly with an enzymatic cleaner (one that breaks down urine, not just masks the smell) and move on. If you catch the dog in the act, you can interrupt calmly and take it outside, then reward if it finishes outside. But punishment after the fact teaches nothing except fear.
Medical issues can make housetraining take much longer
Some dachshunds have medical reasons for slow housetraining. Urinary tract infections, bladder stones, and incontinence are all more common in dachshunds than in many other breeds. A dog with a UTI may need to go out 10 times a day and still have accidents because the urge is constant and urgent.
If a dachshund is not making progress after 4 to 6 months of consistent training, or if it was housetrained and suddenly starts having accidents, a veterinary exam is worth the cost. A vet can rule out infection, bladder issues, or other medical problems that would explain the difficulty. Once a medical issue is treated, housetraining often improves rapidly.
Spaying and neutering can also affect housetraining. Some female dachshunds develop incontinence after spaying, especially as they age. This is not a housetraining problem—it is a medical one—and it requires different management, such as more frequent outdoor breaks or medication.
Realistic timeline for a dachshund to be housetrained
A dachshund puppy started on a crate-training schedule at 8 weeks old will usually have reliable daytime control by 4 to 5 months and nighttime control by 5 to 6 months. "Reliable" means 90 percent of the time—occasional accidents still happen, especially if the routine is disrupted or the dog is stressed.
An adult dachshund adopted from a shelter or rescue may take 2 to 4 weeks to housetrain if it was already trained, or 2 to 3 months if it was not. Some adult dachshunds never fully housetrain and may have one or two accidents per month for life, especially if they have medical issues or anxiety.
Nighttime training takes longer than daytime training because it requires bladder maturity that does not happen until the dog is older. Many dachshunds are not reliably dry at night until 6 months or older. Limiting water after 6 p.m. and taking the dog out right before bed helps, but some dachshunds straightforward cannot hold it through the night until they are physically mature.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you housetrain a dachshund in 8 weeks like you can with a Lab?
No. Dachshunds are slower to housetrain than most breeds because of their small bladder and independent temperament. Eight weeks is the minimum age to start training, not the time it takes to finish. Most dachshunds need 4 to 6 months of consistent training before they are reliably housetrained.
Is it true that male dachshunds are harder to housetrain than females?
Male dachshunds do tend to mark territory more than females, which can make housetraining take longer. Neutering usually reduces marking behavior, but it does not always stop it completely. Females can be just as stubborn about housetraining as males, so sex is not the main factor.
What should I do if my dachshund keeps having accidents in the same spot?
That spot smells like a bathroom to your dog. Clean it with an enzymatic cleaner that breaks down urine completely—regular cleaners do not remove the scent. After cleaning, block access to that spot if possible, or place the food bowl there (dogs avoid soiling where they eat). If the spot is in a crate, the crate is too large.
Do dachshunds ever fully housetrain, or do they always have occasional accidents?
Most dachshunds housetrain fully by 6 to 12 months and stay housetrained. Some have occasional accidents throughout life, especially if they have medical issues, anxiety, or a disrupted routine. Older dachshunds may develop incontinence that is not a training issue but a medical one.
Is pad training a good alternative to outdoor housetraining for dachshunds?
Pad training can work for dachshunds, especially if you live in an apartment or have mobility issues. The downside is that it teaches the dog that indoor elimination is acceptable, which can make outdoor-only training harder later. If you use pads, place them in a consistent spot and treat them like outdoor training—reward when the dog uses the pad, clean accidents with enzymatic cleaner.