Dachshund Anxiety: Why They Get So Anxious + Tips To Help

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When you see your dachshund so anxious it’s hard to watch. Not only does it make you upset knowing they’re so uneasy, but they’re also likely developing some bad habits.

Is it normal for dachshunds to be so anxious or is something wrong?

Why Is My Dachshund So Anxious:

Dachshunds become overly anxious when they go through big environmental changes. Most commonly this is if they move to a new home, their daily routine has been changed or when a loved one passes away. It can also be caused by trauma or if they don’t get an outlet for their energy.

In this post you’ll discover:

11 reasons why your dachshund is so anxious
When your dachshund’s anxiety it something to be concerned about
5 tips to help your dachshund not be so anxious (Tip #4 can get rid of their anxious feelings entirely!)
And much more

Let’s jump right in.

Do Dachshunds Get Separation Anxiety?

Many dog owners are all too familiar with the feeling of guilt that comes from leaving their furry friend at home alone.

But for some dogs, this separation can be more than just a little tough to handle. Dachshunds are one of the breeds that is particularly prone to separation anxiety.

This condition can cause a range of symptoms, from mild discomfort to full-blown panic.

Dachshunds may bark or howl excessively, destroy furniture, or have accidents indoors when left alone.

In severe cases, they may even try to escape from their homes in an attempt to find their owner.

If your dachshund is showing signs of separation anxiety, it’s important to seek professional help. With the right treatment plan, your dog can learn to enjoy being on his own again.

Let’s look at why dachshunds get anxiety in the first place and then how we can treat it at home.

Dachshund Anxiety: 11 Reasons Why They Get So Anxious

1) Changes To Their Routine

Dachshunds, and all dogs for that matter, are most comfortable when they have a predictable schedule/routine.

Anytime their routine changes it throws them off balance and can make them feel considerably anxious.

Things like your work schedule changing, going on vacation, or working late a few nights in a row, all indirectly affect your pups routine.

And whenever there’s a big change in the amount of your time your dachshund gets with you, there will be an adjustment period where they likely feel more anxious than usual.

They liked things the way they were and aren’t sure why they’ve changed.

Which makes them feel stressed out and anxious.

2) Changing Homes

Moving to a new home is a big environment change for your dachshund.

Whether they moved with your family to a new home or you recently adopted your pup, it’s a totally new environment for them.

They’re leaving behind everything they know and are being introduced to an entirely new living space.

They’ve left behind all the familiar smells and hang out spots they grew to love and it can be quite confusing for them as to why it’s happened.

This is especially true if you move to a smaller home.

If you’ve recently moved, give your dachshund time to adjust to their new environment.

They may be feeling a little anxious and stressed at first but eventually, they’ll get used to it.

Just make sure you give them plenty of love and attention during this time.

3) Someone They Love Passing Away

Losing a family member, whether it’s another pet or a person, can be extremely difficult for your dachshund.

Dogs are very intuitive and can sense when something’s wrong.

So, even if you’re trying to keep things under wraps after a death in the family, your pup will still sense the sadness and grief.

This can lead to them feeling anxious and stressed.

If your family recently lost someone, try to spend a little extra time with your dachshund.

Give them lots of love and attention.

And if possible, try to keep their routine as normal as possible.

This will help them feel more comfortable and less anxious.

4) New Full-Time Family Member

Whether it’s a new baby, roommate, or family member moving in, having someone new join the family can be stressful for your dachshund.

They may feel like they’re being pushed out of the pack or that they’re no longer the center of attention.

This can lead to them feeling very anxious.

To help your dachshund adjust to the new family member, try to include them in as many activities as possible.

Let them sniff the new baby or have a proper greeting with the new roommate.

Such as taking them out to play fetch together to start the bonding process.

And make sure you continue to give them plenty of love and attention.

With time, they will adjust and be back to their happy self in no time.

5) Separation

Separation anxiety is one of the most common reasons why dachshunds get anxious.

It happens when your pup becomes too emotionally attached to you.

They lack the confidence to be okay on their own.

This means that when you leave them alone, they become considerably stressed and anxious.

They may start excessively barking, howling, pacing, crying or have accidents inside the house.

All of which are their way of trying to relieve the anxiety they’re feeling.

6) Mirroring You

Dogs are extremely good at picking up on your emotions.

Not only are they good at reading your facial expressions, tone of voice, and overall body language to get a better understanding of your mood…

But they can actually smell your emotions too!

Which means if you’ve been feeling overly stressed or upset lately, your pup might be feeling these emotions as well which makes them more anxious than usual.

If there hasn’t been any big changes to your dachshunds’ environment to make them anxious, it might be caused by how you’re feeling lately.

So if you’re going through a stressful period at work or in your social life, your pup might be picking up on it.

Once things calm down again and you’re back to your joyful self your dachshund should perk back up as well.

7) Something Is Scaring Them

Dachshunds are small dogs which means they can be more prone to being scared of things than larger canines.

And this fear can turn into anxiety if what’s causing them to be afraid stays in their environment for too long.

There are many things that could be scaring your dachshund such as thunderstorms, loud noises, unfamiliar people or animals, and even certain types of weather.

If you think your dachshund is anxious because something is scaring them, the best thing you can do is help them feel safe and comfortable.

Give them a safe space to go to such as their crate or bed and let them stay there until the thing that’s frightening them has passed.

8) Feelings Of Neglect

Dachshunds are social creatures that thrive on companionship.

So if they feel like they’re being neglected, it can lead to them feeling anxious and stressed.

This is often the case when their owners work long hours or are gone for extended periods of time without taking them along.

Since dogs are pack animals, if they stop getting as much attention as they once were it can make them feel like their days in your pack are limited.

Of course this would never happen, but if your dachshund is feeling neglected it would likely also cause them to feel anxious.

9) Learned Behavior

Unfortunately, some dachshunds develop anxiety as a result of learned behavior.

This usually happens when they’ve been through a traumatic experience or have had a negative association with something in their environment.

For example, if your dachshund was once attacked by another dog while on a walk, they may become anxious every time they see another dog afterwards.

Or if they were once left alone for a long period of time and felt scared, they may start to feel anxious every time you leave them alone now.

Your dachshund may have also learned that behaving anxiously gets them love and attention.

Which makes them want to act this way more often than not.

If when your pup has been anxious in the past, you showered them with love and affection, they might be continuing to behave this way for more attention.

10) Puppyhood Troubles

Sometimes the root of a dachshund’s anxiety can be traced back to their puppyhood.

If they didn’t have good experiences or were never properly socialized, it could lead to them being anxious as an adult.

This is why it’s so important to make sure your dachshund puppy has positive experiences with people, other animals, and different types of environments.

If your dachshund is still a puppy, the fact that they’re experiencing so many new things so often can also make them feel anxious.

So many changes and new experiences are happening in their daily lives that it can be overwhelming for some pups.

11) Unknown Mistreatment

Another reason your dachshund may be anxious is if they were mistreated in the past by a previous owner.

This could be anything from being verbally abused to being hit or kicked.

Such mistreatment can leave lasting emotional scars that make it difficult for your dachshund to trust people.

And this lack of trust can manifest itself as anxiety.

If you think your dachshund may have been mistreated in the past, it’s important to be patient and understanding with them.

It will take time for them to learn to trust you and feel comfortable around you.

But with patience and love, they will eventually come around.

5 Tips To Help Your Dachshund Not Get So Anxious

1) Increase Physical Activity

If your dachshund has too much energy, it can lead to them feeling anxious and stressed.

Simply because they’re not sure what to do with all their pent up energy.

It’ll only amplify how they’re feeling when they have too much energy.

Which is why increasing how much exercise they get on a daily basis can help with their anxious feelings.

A tired doggo is a calm doggo.

So make sure they’re getting plenty of walks, runs, and playtime every day.

Related Reading: Top 12 Best Harnesses For Dachshunds

2) More Mental Stimulation

In addition to physical activity, your dachshund needs mental stimulation as well.

This can come in the form of puzzle toys, training sessions, and even just playing simple games with them.

Anything that gets their brain working will help to tire them out and relieve some of their anxiety.

The more you can do to help tire them out mentally, the better.

Dachshunds are smart dogs and they need to be challenged both physically and mentally to stay happy and healthy.

So make sure you’re providing them with plenty of opportunities to use their brains throughout the day.

3) More Quality Time With You

When you have physical contact with your pup it creates an incredibly positive experience for them.

Not only has physical contact between an owner and their dog been proven to reduce cortisol (stress hormone) but it also releases more oxytocin and serotonin (happy hormones).

This means spending more time cuddling, petting, and playing with your dachshund can help to reduce their anxiety.

Plus, it’s just really enjoyable for both of you.

4) Find Their Trigger

One way to help your dachshund not feel so anxious is to find out what’s triggering their anxiety in the first place.

Once you know what’s causing them to feel anxious, you can start to work on slowly desensitizing them to it.

This process will take time and patience but it will be worth it in the end.

If you can help your dachshund feel less anxious about the things that trigger their anxiety, it’ll make a world of difference in their overall happiness.

Triggers can be anything from other animals to loud noises to being left alone.

So pay attention to when your dachshund seems especially anxious and try to figure out what the trigger is.

Then you can start working on slowly desensitizing them to it.

(Desensitization is a process where you expose your dachshund to their trigger in a controlled and safe environment.)