Does your dachshund follow you around like a shadow? Or is your partner his favourite, or one of your kids? What do you do if he’s becoming overprotective of one person, or hates them leaving him? We’re going to answer all your questions about dachshunds and loyalty.
Are dachshunds loyal to one person? Yes. Dachshunds are a loyal breed and often attach intensely to one person (usually the one that feeds them or spends most time with them). If he’s constantly following you around don’t overindulge him, as this can lead to problems with separation anxiety.
If you’re wondering why your dachshund has attached to you but is unfriendly or distant to everyone else, read on to find out why dachshunds attach to one person, whether they can bond with new people and if clinginess can ever be a bad thing.
Table of Contents
Why do dachshunds attach to one person?
This is why dachshunds attach to one person:
- Your dachshund spends a lot of time with you
- You ‘rescued’ him
- You were his main companion as a puppy
- You’re the one who feeds him
- You give him lots of treats
- You play with him
- He sleeps close to you
- You give him lots of physical affection
- There’s just something about you he loves!
Dachshunds are very lovable dogs and incredibly loyal. They take their role as guardian and protector of the pack very seriously and are amazing watchdogs for the family. Sometimes, dachshunds become intensely attached to one person in particular, and will follow them around like a shadow and go to the ends of the earth to protect them.
This is why your dachshund is attached to you:
Your dachshund spends a lot of time with you
It’s only natural you and your dachshund will form a close bond if you spend most of your time together. If you work from home or are around the house a lot, he’ll get used to you being there and giving him attention, so he’ll stick with you more and more.
You ‘rescued’ your dachshund
Some of the closest dachshund-owner bonds are formed when a person adopts a rescue pup. If he’s come from a horrible environment and you’ve devoted your time to making him feel loved, safe and happy, you’ll become the most important person in his life and he’ll probably want to be with you all the time. Just make sure you set the boundaries from day one, as you may need to re-train him to your way of living.
You were your dachshund’s main companion as a puppy
Your dachshund is most likely to develop his strongest relationships in the first six months of his life. What he experiences during this time will shape his behaviours, and how he reacts to different members of the family, and new people and animals.
If you live on your own, your dachshund is bound to bond with you the most. So it’s more important than ever to socialise him as much as possible and get him used to friends and family.
You’re the one who feeds your dachshund
Never underestimate the power of food when it comes to dachshunds! These greedy little sausage dogs will accept food from anyone, but, if you’re the one who gives him his meals, he’ll stick with you like glue. So, if you want your dachshund to respond to your commands, you should be the one who trains and feeds him, as he’ll know you’re the one to please!
You give your dachshund lots of treats
Dachshunds are very greedy dogs, but they’re intelligent too. So if you constantly give them treats or sneak food under the dinner table, they’re smart enough to know where their loyalties should lie. Food will make you the firm favourite!
You play with your dachshund
Dachshunds are hilarious and playing with them is the best fun. Just remember to do it on your terms. If your dachshund is the one who always decides when playtime is and you’re constantly getting up, fetching toys or going outside, he could get too attached to you. Play is great, but too much play with just one person can sometimes be a bad thing. It’s best to get the whole family involved so he bonds with everyone.
Your dachshund sleeps close to you
In the wild, dogs sleep together in packs to make sure everyone’s safe. If you sleep close to your dachshund, he’ll probably feel secure around you and think you’re part of the same pack. It’s best for your dachshund to sleep in his own bed rather than snuggling into yours, just because of separation issues and in case he gets spooked in his sleep and tries to jump down.
You give your dachshund lots of physical affection
For a dachshund, cuddles, tummy rubs and ear tickles are all signs of love. If you fuss over him a lot, he’ll probably become very attached to you and may start to come to you for attention. It’s fine to give your dachshund lots of affection but you have to be really careful you’re only doing it on your terms – otherwise, his attention-seeking could become a problem and he may start to chew things or bark all the time.
There’s just something your dachshund loves about you!
Sometimes, dachshunds just have their favourites. You make him feel happy and safe, so he potters around behind you and chooses you for cuddles.
Is my dachshund too clingy?
If your dachshund has become overprotective, possessive and jealous, he may be too attached to you. This can lead to aggression towards strangers or other people in your home. He may also find it hard to cope when you’re not there and develop separation anxiety.
If your dachshund has become too clingy, it’s possible you’re giving in to his demands too much. If he comes to you for attention, just ignore him. There’s nothing wrong with giving him love and affection, but you should be the one that initiates it and only give it to him when he’s quiet and calm. This’ll help teach him he’s not in charge of you. Basically, if you baby him too much, he’ll keep coming back for more. And if you don’t give him what he wants every single time, it can spill over into separation anxiety or destructive behaviours like chewing and barking.
One idea to stop him following you around is to pop him in his crate for a short amount of time (make sure you crate-train him first though). This’ll help with his independence and get him used to being away from you. If you put the crate in a spot where your dachshund can still see you, it’ll help him settle without allowing him to get too needy.
If his clinginess is out of character, it’s possible there may be a medical reason, so speak to your vet it you’re at all worried or concerned.
Can dachshunds bond with more than one person?
Yes, dachshunds can bond with more than one person, but you need to work with him so he knows who’s boss and doesn’t think he’s in charge of anyone in particular. If he is socialised into the whole family, this should ease any possessive or jealous behaviour.
How do I handle an overprotective dachshund?
This is what to do if you’re having trouble with an overprotective dachshund:
- Let your dachshund know you’re boss
- Always introduce new people to your dachshund responsibly
- Socialise your dachshund from a young age
This is what you need to do:
Let your dachshund know you’re boss
Dachshunds can get possessive because they think they own you. Just like they get possessive of their toys or food, they see you as something that belongs to them. You need to nip that in the bud right away; otherwise anyone who comes near you could bear the wrath of your dachshund (he could even nip or snap).
You need him to understand you’re the leader and he’s following you. So do little things like making sure you go out the door first (rather than him always pushing in front). Get everyone in the family to do this too, so your feisty little sausage realises he’s bottom of the pecking order (even though secretly he’s the most important member of the family!).
Always introduce new people to your dachshund responsibly
Some dachshunds are fine with new people but some are extremely territorial and can get over-protective when someone new comes into the home. Don’t tell him off for this – it’s in his nature and, in his eyes, he’s just doing his job and trying to help you.
If he’s territorial, you need to take time to introduce new people to him properly. Pop him on his lead and let him come up to the new person in his own time (it might be an idea to get your guest to sit on the floor so they don’t look so big and threatening). If he shows signs of anxiety or aggression, calmly move him away. If he behaves well, give him a treat. Work up to letting the guest stroke him gently. And in fact, if you do this with everyone in the house when you first get a dachshund, it should help him accept everyone as part of the pack.
Socialise your dachshund from a young age
The more people and places your dachshund is around when he’s young, the easier it’ll be to get him used to new people as he grows older. Take him to puppy classes or join a local Facebook Group where they organise regular sausage dog walks. These can be really fun and you’ll meet so many amazing new people and sausage dogs.
And remember, don’t mollycoddle your dachshund, don’t let him sleep in your bed and don’t let him on the sofa (unless you’re giving him cuddles). It’s best he has his own bed on the floor by your feet to start with, so he knows his place and doesn’t get too attached to just one person. In fact, everybody in the home needs to work with him so he doesn’t think he’s in charge of anyone. At the end of the day, you want him to be part of the family and get on with everyone, so it’s in his best interests to do things right from the start.
So there you have it, dachshunds are very loyal and lovable dogs, but you have to be careful this doesn’t cross over into clinginess and reliance. This can create separation anxiety when you leave the home and overprotectiveness towards others when you’re at home. Take charge to make sure your dachshund doesn’t become possessive over you or anxious around others. All dachshunds need attention, just make sure it’s on your terms.
