| I use Dachshund and Chihuahua as a foundation | | | | going outside to damp grown or wet grass deter |
| for starters because my little dog, Hollie, I believe | | | | the Chihuahua from going outside to potty. |
| is part Dachshund and part Chihuahua. When I | | | | In either dog breed there are two recommended |
| found her at a rescue, the information I received | | | | training methods to house training your dog. The |
| was that she was a four month old miniature | | | | first is to crate train or confinement train your |
| Dachshund. But as she grew her legs got very | | | | dog. The second is to paper or puppy pad train |
| long and her belly area became more concaved | | | | your dog. In either case, consistency is the |
| like a Chihuahua. I also found her mannerisms to | | | | essential key. Once a bad habit starts, it is much |
| be mixed between the two breeds as well. This | | | | harder to break and retrain your dog. |
| included the dilemma of housebreaking. | | | | Hollie, my Dachshund-Chihuahua has a little of both |
| Because the Dachshund is a strong working dog, | | | | temperaments which has made house training her |
| they have a very willful personality. This tends to | | | | quite the challenge. She was originally paper |
| make them stubborn and/or independent. | | | | trained when I got her. As she got a little older I |
| Although the Dachshund is trainable they may not | | | | put her in a pen during the day with a doggie door |
| be easy to train. As a matter of fact the | | | | access to the outside. Hollie would use the carpet |
| Dachshund may attempt to train its trainer. The | | | | piece just inside the door as her potty. She did |
| owner of this breed needs to be comfortable | | | | not like the grass because she was so small that |
| letting the dog know just who the "leader of the | | | | the grass rubbed her belly. When the grass was |
| pack" really is. The stubborn temperament of this | | | | watered she did not like getting her feet wet. So, |
| dog makes them resistant and not the easiest to | | | | when she did go outside she would use the patio |
| house train. With positive and continual scheduling | | | | instead of the grass and the carpet piece right |
| the Dachshund does learn and with a determined | | | | outside the door as her potty. When she visited |
| owner the Dachshund will develop the training | | | | other homes she would go to another room and |
| quickly. | | | | leave the owner a little surprise in the corners |
| The fact that Chihuahuas are so small makes | | | | even though they had a doggie door she was able |
| house training them a little challenging. Chihuahuas | | | | to use. As last winter set in the pen was too cold |
| can hide under furniture or sneak into corners | | | | to keep her in and she was given a little more |
| unnoticed and leave little surprise piles to be found | | | | room to roam so to speak. Now she thinks the |
| at a later date. Patience will be needed in the | | | | throw rugs are her bathroom area. |
| house training process of this dog. The Chihuahua | | | | With this frustration at hand, I set out to find |
| will learn quickly with positive reinforcement | | | | some answers. I never had a dog previously that |
| training. Some owners never get their Chihuahuas | | | | had these issues. Once introduced to the doggie |
| fully house trained especially in bad weather. The | | | | door the rest was a done deal. Not with Hollie! I |
| Chihuahua does not like the cold and tends to | | | | found a training for dogs that has helped me to |
| shiver. They do not like to get their feet wet so | | | | overcome Hollie's behavior issues. |