A crate can become your dachshund’s cosy bedroom, a calm place to settle after a big day and a useful part of toilet training. But learning how to crate train a dachshund is not about shutting them away until they stop complaining. It is about helping a clever, people-focused little dog feel safe when they are resting on their own.
Dachshunds can be wonderfully determined. If a crate is introduced too quickly, many will make their opinion very clear with barking, scratching or dramatic sausage-dog sadness. Go slowly, make the crate genuinely pleasant and keep their long back in mind at every stage. You will build a skill that helps at bedtime, during travel, after surgery or when visitors make the house a little too busy.
Start with a dachshund-friendly crate setup
Choose a crate your dachshund can stand up in, turn around in and lie flat in comfortably. It should not be so large that a puppy can sleep at one end and toilet at the other, though a divider can make a larger crate suitable as your puppy grows.
The entrance matters more for dachshunds than it does for many breeds. Look for a low threshold, or use a stable ramp where appropriate, so your dog is not repeatedly jumping in and out. Keep the crate on the floor, never on furniture or another raised surface. A fall, awkward landing or repeated high jumping is an unnecessary risk for a long-backed dog.
Add a supportive, non-slip bed that lies flat and does not bunch up under their feet. A light cover over part of the crate can make some dachshunds feel sheltered, but leave plenty of airflow and never cover the crate completely in warm Australian weather. Place it somewhere close to normal family life at first, such as the lounge room, rather than in an isolated laundry or spare room.
How to crate train a dachshund step by step
Let curiosity do the work
Begin with the crate door secured open. Toss a few small, high-value treats just inside the doorway, then further back once your dachshund is happily stepping in. You can also serve meals near the crate, then just inside it, then at the back.
Do not push, place or lure your dog in so far that they feel trapped. The goal is for them to choose the crate because good things happen there. For some dachshunds this takes one cheerful session; for others, especially rescue dogs or pups who have had a frightening experience, it may take several days.
Keep sessions short and relaxed. A few minutes, several times across the day, is far more effective than one long training session. If your dachshund walks in, eats a treat and walks straight back out, that is progress.
Add the door in tiny increments
Once your dog is comfortably entering the crate and settling to eat, close the door for one or two seconds while they are occupied. Open it before they become worried. Repeat this a few times, gradually extending the time with the door closed.
Offer a safe long-lasting chew or a food-stuffed toy only when your dachshund is in the crate, provided they can enjoy it safely without supervision. This creates a strong association: crate time means something worthwhile is happening.
Watch your dog, not the clock. A dachshund who is calmly chewing, lying down or blinking slowly is coping well. A dog who freezes, pants when it is not hot, paws urgently at the door, refuses food or escalates into distressed barking needs an easier step. Open the door calmly, then reduce the duration at the next session.
Practise being nearby, then briefly absent
When your dachshund can relax with the door closed for a few minutes, sit beside the crate and read, fold washing or watch television. Gradually move about the room. Then step out of sight for a few seconds and return before they become unsettled.
Build alone time in small, successful layers. Five calm minutes is more valuable than twenty stressful ones. This is particularly important for dachshunds, who often want to be wherever their people are and can be prone to separation-related distress if independence is rushed.
Avoid making every crate session part of you leaving the house. Pop your dog in with a chew while you make dinner, help the kids with homework or take a shower. They learn that the crate is a normal resting place, not a signal that their favourite human is disappearing.
Use the crate for bedtime and toilet training
For a new puppy, having the crate beside your bed for the first few nights can make a huge difference. Your puppy can hear and smell you, and you can respond promptly if they wake needing the toilet. This does not spoil them. It prevents panic and helps you learn their overnight rhythm.
Young dachshunds have small bladders and cannot reasonably be expected to last all night straight away. Take your puppy out quietly on lead, give them a chance to toilet, offer calm praise, then return them to bed without turning it into playtime. As their bladder control develops, they will need fewer overnight trips.
A crate supports toilet training because most dogs prefer not to soil their sleeping space. It is not a shortcut, and it must never be used to make a puppy ‘hold it’ beyond what they can manage. Schedule regular outdoor toilet breaks after waking, eating, drinking, playing and napping. Reward toileting in the right spot promptly, ideally while you are still outside.
If there is an accident in the crate, do not scold your dachshund. Clean it thoroughly with an enzymatic cleaner, review the timing of toilet breaks and consider whether the crate is too large. Punishment can make toileting more secretive and the crate less safe in your dog’s mind.
Keep crate time kind and realistic
A crate is a rest space, not a solution for a long workday. Adult dogs need regular toilet breaks, movement, companionship and enrichment. Puppies need even more frequent interaction and supervision. The suitable amount of crate time depends on age, health, temperament and what happens during the rest of the day.
For a dachshund with IVDD, arthritis, post-operative restrictions or another health concern, your vet may recommend specific confinement arrangements. Medical crate rest is different from ordinary crate training. Follow your veterinary team’s advice closely, especially around crate size, bedding, toileting support and preventing jumping.
Never use the crate as punishment after chewing, barking or a toilet accident. Your dachshund should not think, ‘I have done something wrong, so I am sent to the crate.’ Instead, save it for rest, calm enrichment and quiet downtime. If you need a management break, make it neutral and ensure your dog has had a toilet opportunity, water and appropriate stimulation first.
Common crate-training setbacks
A little protest can happen when a puppy adjusts to a new routine, but sustained distress is not something to ignore. Waiting out frantic barking can make a worried dog feel more trapped. Return to an easier stage, keep departures shorter and work on calm crate games when you are home.
If your dachshund only settles when you are beside the crate, that is a starting point, not a failure. Move your chair a small distance away every session or two. Progress may feel slow, but gentle repetition is what creates confidence.
Some dachshunds may never choose to sleep in a closed crate every night, and that is okay. A puppy pen, gated room or open crate can be a better fit for some households, provided the area is safe and back-friendly. The most useful setup is the one that protects your dog’s wellbeing and works consistently for your family.
With patience, your dachshund will learn that their crate is not a place where the fun ends. It is their own soft, familiar spot to switch off, recharge and feel secure while the household carries on around them.