House training a Dachshund puppy is less about force and more about rhythm. This calm, clock-work routine teaches bladder control, builds confidence, and protects those famously long backs by keeping stress low. Below is a practical system you can start today, with simple steps you can repeat all month.
1) Define a tiny success. Choose one potty spot and one exit route. Every success is the same path, same surface, same cue. Predictability shortens learning time because your puppy knows what game you’re playing.
2) Use a 60–90 minute cycle. After sleep, meals, play, or training, walk your doxie on a short leash to the potty spot. Stand still. Softly say your cue once. When the puppy goes, mark calmly, reward, and carry on. If nothing in two minutes, go back inside and try again in fifteen.
3) Manage water and meals. Offer water often, not endlessly. Serve meals on a schedule and remove the bowl after ten minutes. Timed input creates timed output, which creates reliable wins.
4) Crate is a nap station, not a jail. The crate entrance is low and the bed supportive. Feed part of each meal in the crate with the door open, then closed for a few minutes. A relaxed puppy rests instead of wandering off to make mistakes.
5) Track the body language. Sniffing in circles, sudden pauses, or bee-line to a quiet corner mean “take me out now.” Scoop the pup up and reset the cycle rather than scolding. You’re a coach, not a cop.
6) Ten tiny training reps. Three one-minute sessions of “name”, “come”, and “sit” beat a marathon. Reward calm offers, especially four paws on the floor. Avoid stairs and jumping while growth plates are soft.
7) End each day with a check-in. Note successes, misses, last water, last potty, and bedtime. Most puppies reach clean nights first, then clean mornings, then full days. With steady reps, your Dachshund learns the routine, trusts the crate, and trots to the potty spot like clockwork.
Consistency creates clarity. Keep the route the same, praise soft, and celebrate the boring wins. That’s how tiny legs build giant habits.