Do you have a dachshund that’ll do anything and everything to avoid going out in the rain? What can you do to keep him entertained when it’s wet and miserable outside? Dachshunds need exercise, mental stimulation and fun so we’re going to give you some ideas for keeping your little sausage dog happy at home.
How do you entertain your dachshund when it’s raining? This is how you entertain your dachshund when it’s raining:
- Play interactive games
- Teach new tricks
- Play ball
- Doggy massage
- Doggy play date
- Change the view
- Hide and seek
- Chew toys
- Get down on the floor
- Name games
- Ball pit
- New sensations
This is what you need to do:
Play interactive games
Doggy games are fun for you and your dachshund. Interactive dog toys, brain training games and puzzles can easily be bought on Amazon. Dachshunds are hunting dogs by nature and love using their noses to sniff out hidden treats. These types of games challenge your dachshund and help them with learning and training.
If you don’t want to buy games, just use three or four egg cups (or similar) from the kitchen cupboard. Hide the treat underneath one of the cups and encourage your dachshund to sniff it out! Dachshunds love eating raw, crunchy veggies like carrot and cucumber, so swap out shop bought treats for healthier alternatives.
Teach new tricks
With just a small packet of treats or some carrot chunks, you can teach your dachshund a new trick. Dachshunds are smart and pick things up fast.
Teach him to:
- Shake a paw
- Sit
- Lay down
- Stay
- Spin round
- Ring a bell
- Wag his tail
- Walk backwards
- Speak on command
- He’ll even sing if you work with him for long enough!
This’ll burn mental energy and stop him getting bored or frustrated at home. Just don’t encourage any jumping tricks or ask him to roll over too often, as dachshunds are prone to serious back issues.
Play ball
Kicking or throwing a small ball around the floor is a great way to tire your dachshund out. Just make sure you use a soft ball to prevent any breakages in your home! Dachshunds love chasing and fetching balls or nudging them back to you with their noses. You can also get dual-purpose balls that can be stuffed with yummy treats!
Doggy massage
Dachshunds spend just as much time rolling on their backs with their feet in the air as they do standing on the ground. They LOVE a tummy rub! Start massaging his neck and move downwards in circular motions, working over the shoulders and slowly down his back and paws. Apply gentle, soothing pressure (don’t push too hard or deep, he’s only little!).
As with humans, doggy massage can reduce stress and anxiety, lower blood pressure and help with circulation. It can also help with bonding so it’s a great way to show your dachshund how much you love him.
Doggy play date
If any of your friends or family have a dachshund, invite them over for a doggy play date. Nothing will entertain your dachshund more than having another dachshund around to play with. This is great for socialisation and interaction and will wear him out for the rest of the day.
Most dachshunds get along with other dachshunds but can be more wary of bigger dog breeds. If you don’t know anyone with a dachshund or small dog, join a local dachshund Facebook group where you’ll make lots of new fur-ends in no time at all.
Change the view
Most dachshunds refuse to go out when it’s raining, but they still want to know what’s going on outside. If you have a window where your dachshund can see out into the street or garden, or you can safely setup a viewing ramp, it’ll keep him occupied for hours. Just be prepared for the territorial barking as soon as someone walks past or Mr Squirrel makes an appearance!
Hide and Seek
Dachshunds are hunting dogs and like to search things out, so this game appeals to their natural instincts. Hide some of his favourite treats around your home and encourage him to sniff them out. Walk around with him so he can see which areas to search and, when he finds a treat, give him a big fuss. Make the treats more visible in the room until he’s go the hang of it, and then make the game more difficult and challenging as you go along!
Chew toys
Dachshunds love to chew things, especially when they’re bored. So stuff a rubber Kong toy with treats like banana, carrot, dog meat or peanut butter to keep your dachshund entertained (just make sure the peanut butter is xylitol-free as xylitol is toxic to dogs). You could fill a Kong and freeze it to make him work harder for his treat and help it last longer.
Giving him a job to do that challenges him will keep him mentally stimulated and satisfy his instinctual needs. Kongs are top shelf dishwasher safe, non-toxic for dogs and come in various sizes. Even though it’s not easy to destroy a Kong, it is possible, so keep a close eye on your dachshund.
Get down on the floor
Getting down on the floor will make your short-legged sausage very happy indeed! Being on his level and seeing things from his point of view is like visiting his own little world. He’ll bring you toys, climb all over you, lick your face and lap up all the attention you give him. Dachshunds are comedians who love putting on a show, and they’ll play and entertain for as long as you’re sat down there with them.
Name games
Dachshunds are intelligent and love playing games where they have to think and react. So why not teach him the names of his toys? Start by naming one of his toys, let’s say ‘Squeaky’, throw it and ask him to ‘fetch Squeaky’. When he brings ‘Squeaky’ back, give him a treat. Like all dogs, dachshunds learn by repetition so keep doing this over and over again.
Once he’s associated that toy with the name ‘Squeaky’, use a different toy and give it a new name like ‘Baxter. When he understands the difference between ‘Squeaky’ and ‘Baxter’, place both toys on the ground and ask for them by name.
If you ask for ‘Squeaky’ and he picks up ‘Baxter say ‘Ah-ah, fetch Squeaky’ or ‘No, fetch Squeaky’ and don’t give him the treat till he’s brought the right one. He’ll soon understand what he needs to do, and you can name more toys over the coming weeks to see how many he can remember!
Ball pit
Setting up a ball pit for your dachshund is a great bit of fun. Fill it with colourful plastic balls and help him inside to play. Just don’t let him run off with any of the balls or chew the plastic. Ball pits are for toddlers, not dogs, so your dachshund will need to be supervised at all times. You can easily buy ball pits on Amazon and get them out as a treat on rainy days!
New sensations
Dachshunds love getting new things. New toys bring a level of excitement that old toys simply cant. When choosing something new, look for toys with different textures that appeal to their senses. Things like soft, rubber, spiky balls that look a bit like hedgehogs, are brilliant fun. It can take a dachshund some time to figure out the new sensation on their mouths and that’s all part of the fun. They’ll nudge, chew and roll all over them until they’re bouncing them all over the house!
So, there you have it. There are lots of things you can do to keep your dachshund entertained on a rainy day. Dachshunds need daily exercise and mental stimulation or they’ll get bored and frustrated. This can lead to destructive behaviours like chewing things that don’t belong to them or barking all the time. Spending some time playing with your dachshund will brighten up his day and yours – that’s guaranteed!
