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What are Dachshunds Afraid of? (Quick Answers)

Dachshund, a lovely loyal friend for humans. The dachshund has been a part of our life for quite a few centuries. This breed was used for hunting purposes. A strong sense of smell and determination towards catching the prey was a huge assist in the hunting field.

As we modernize this breed find it quite hard to adjust to the constantly changing atmospheres. Dachshund started developing fears and anxiety over a lot of things. 

What are dachshunds afraid of?

Dachshunds are quite sensitive and tend to suffer from severe anxiety pretty easily. Due to this reason, a dachshund might be afraid of new places, new dogs, or humans. It might feel uncomfortable to fit in new environments. A strong scent, even a little bit of noise can make a dachshund scared.

As a dachshund owner, you may have to tackle a lot of things. Dachshunds are quite prone to physical injury and if untreated those injuries can affect their mental health. Might have to deal with physical and mental trauma. A dachshund is quite attached to its owner.

If the dog is left alone or caged for a long time it will face separation anxiety which eventually hampers mental health.

As a dachshund owner, you will have to take some measures like providing positive reinforcement, behavioral modification treatment & be patient around your dog.

Common things that dachshunds are scared of?

As dachshunds get anxious quite easily, it’s quite a hustle for new dog owners to handle it. An anxious dachshund can be afraid of a large number of things. Here is a list of them for your reference :

  • In the presence of strangers 
  • Visiting new places
  • Interacting with unknown dogs
  • Sounds of lightning
  • Shouting by its owner 
  • Locked up alone for a long period 
  • In the presence of strong & unpleasant scents
  • Being in a cage for too long
  • Not being able to socialize
  • owners anger or sadness will impact on dog’s mind
  • Receiving too complicated command from its owner 
  • Seeing needles & sharp object 
  • Seeing Unknown/ new shaped object 
  • Long eye contact by outsiders

Why is my dachshund scared of everything?

As a dog owner, it’s quite painful and devastating If your dog is afraid of everything. The dachshund dog breed is quite sensitive, but there could be several other reasons that it is scared of everything. The reasons might be 

Abusive behavior:

If you or your family members or your neighbors have been showing abusive behavior towards your dachshund. It will surely stay afraid more often.

Ignorance:

Dachshunds like to get attention and affection from their owners. If you aren’t spending enough time with your dog, it will surely feel lonely & anxious. This will eventually lead to your dog being afraid of everything

Pain:

Your dachshund might be suffering from pain. Physical pain or a history of physical and mental trauma always end up in awful situations. 

Rough puppyhood:

Rough puppyhood will always leave a deep mark on the dog’s mind for the rest of its life. Dogs adopted for shelters or rescued stray dogs will have this problem quite often.

Absence of socialization:

If your dachshund doesn’t get the chance to socialize with humans or dogs or any other animals, without a doubt they will be afraid of lots of things. 

What to do if my dachshund is scared of everything? 

If your dog is scared of everything then you would need to apply the behavioral modification technique. You will need to give treats and show verbal appreciation (say a good job) if your dog is getting over his fear.

It’s gonna take a little bit of time and effort to make your dog feel comfortable around the things it fears. 

Afraid of noise:

Try to find out what kind of noise your dog is afraid of. If it’s afraid of lightning or firecrackers then you can try enforcing the behavioral modification routine.

Record the sounds and try to make your dog comfortable around that sound. You can gradually increase the sound intensity with time.

Afraid of other dogs:

If your dog is afraid of other dogs then the first thing you need to do is make them comfortable around each other. Take them on a walk and keep them at a distance, slowly get them close to each other and see how they react.

Let them have playtime. If you see too much tension build-up, separate them. Eventually, your dog will feel comfortable around other dogs.

Afraid of strangers:

If your dog is afraid of strangers then you can do the following training. First, find the tolerance zone of your dog. At which distance your dog is feeling alarmed by the presence of a stranger.

Keep the stranger at the edge of that zone and you (dog owner) should feed your dog. Gradually let the stranger come near and see how your dog reacts. It will surely get over the fear of strangers in no time. 

How to tell if your dachshund is scared of other dogs?  

The body language of your dog will reflect its feelings. If you see these signs you can say your dog is afraid 

  • It will look down with crouched body postures.
  • Your dog will start twitching or shiver in fear
  • Change in the ear position, it may go backward.
  • The tail will go down, you will find it tucked between its legs.
  • The body hair around the neck and the back might be straight up. Almost like when you have goosebumps.
  • It will show its teeth and start growling.
  • Its movement will be slower than usual or may completely freeze in place.
  • It will also start to yawn continuously along with frequently licking Its lips.

How to socialize a scared dachshund with other dogs? 

To socialize your dachshund with other dogs you can take them out on a walk. Keep 2 dogs at similar distances and let them walk at a similar pace to each other. Get them closer with time. If you saw any signs of distress then keep the scared dog away.

You can also let it play around with other dogs, giving it treats and showing appreciation. You will have to be patient. It will take time for improvement & it’s worth it.

Do dachshunds suffer from anxiety? 

Yes, dachshunds are quite vulnerable to suffering from anxiety. There are several reasons such as loneliness, abusive puppyhood, physical and mental trauma, not getting proper attention from its owner, and a lot more.

The anxiety will eventually make the dog afraid of everything also affecting its mental health. 

How do you calm down a dachshund?

You can follow these procedures to keep your dachshund calm.

  • Make a workout routine for your dog, it will surely help to control the excess energy and will help resolve the anxiety issue.
  • Make sure your dachshund is getting its daily required sleep. It will help the dog in a happy & calm state throughout the day.
  • Don’t keep it in a cage or locked in a room alone for too long. It will surely suffer from separation anxiety.
  • The owner’s mood will surely reflect on the dog’s behavior. Try to stay calm and treat your dog with care.

Every dog owner wants their dog to be happy and healthy. Dachshund is a sensitive dog breed. It loves and develops a strong bond with its owner & may feel depressed if separated from the owner.

In the article, the common reason behind the dachshund fears and how to deal with them were included & briefly discussed. Hope you have got the proper gist. Wishing you the best of luck.

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