Dachshunds are known to be terrible listeners. No matter how well you have trained your dachshund, they are very stubborn and may ‘forget’ about all the commands when they are not feeling like obeying. Not only can this be really annoying, it can also cause dangerous situations. For instance:

You have taught your dachshund to stop at every street corner before he crosses the street. But one day he sees a cat on the other end of the street, and does not stop. He starts pulling the leash to try to cross the street, and you have a hard time keeping him off the street. He refuses to listen, because he is obsessed with the cat.

In situations like this, it is dangerous that your dachshund is not listening to you. He might as well be able to break loose and cross the street without you checking if it was safe to go. There is nothing you can do to prevent a situation like this besides repeating the command every day and keeping your dachshund on leash.

When you try your hardest to teach your dachshund the basic commands such as stay, lie down and come here, there is no reason to be embarrassed when your dachshund is not listening to you. Dachshunds can be very dominant and stubborn, so staying calm and assertive is all you can do when they are ignoring.

In the example above, your dachshund was on leash. But when you are at a park, you might want to unleash him. Your dachshund is having a great time running around off leash, but then there is that moment where you want to go home. But your dachshund does not. You call his name, but he refuses to come. You try to chase him but that only makes him run away from you faster. Do not worry, this happens to all dachshund owners.

This simple example leads us to the title of this blog:

It is OK to keep your dachshund on leash when he is outside.

Keeping your dachshund on leash is a simple solution for so many problems. You will not have to get annoyed anymore when he refuses to listen when you call his name, he is less likely to get himself into trouble and it strengthens the bond between you and him, because he will be closer to you during walks.

But what if I do want my dachshund to be able to run without ME having to run with him?
The simple answer to this question is to buy a retractable leash. Some people are against those leashes for daily use, and we can see where they are coming from. A retractable leash will not teach your dachshund how to behave during walks, simply because it is harder for you to correct him without having to shout. It will also not strengthen the bond between you and your dog, because he does not feel like you are his leader when he is walking 20 feet in front of you.

So for your daily walks a retractable leash might not be the best solution, but for those days at the park or at the beach, a retractable leash is just perfect. When you buy the longest leash available, your dachshund will be able to run and play the safest way possible.

Important things to remember
A retractable leash is fun, but when used incorrectly it can cause serious damage to not only your dachshund but also to yourself. Here are some important things to remember when using a retractable leash:
– Are there any other dogs around? If yes, it is best to not use a retractable leash. When the dogs get in a fight, you sometimes need to run up to 25 ft (depends on how long your leash is) before you can intervene.
– Can I pay enough attention to what my dachshund is doing? If not, do NOT use a retractable leash, because using it requires full attention. Your dachshund could be getting into a lot of trouble without you hearing, smelling or felling it because he is 25 ft away.
– Am I comfortable with using this leash? You need to practice using this leash before actually using it in an open environment. Let your dachshund get used to the fact that he can run, but still not run AWAY.
– In some places there are rules about how long your retractable leash is allowed to be. Make sure you are familiar with the rules before visiting a park or beach.
– Don’t pull the leash all of a sudden; it can seriously harm your dachshunds neck and shoulders.

It is always OK to go for the safer option. Why get in trouble when it can also be safe AND fun? Off leash may seem like the most fun, but remember it is not anymore when something awful happens. Doxies are stubborn, we just have to accept that. But there are ways like these where both you and your doxie can have fun, without stress or limitations from a leash.