When Walks Turn Stressful: Why Your Dachshund Barks and Lunges at Other Dogs

I lived with a Dachshund that barked and lunged at other dogs on walks for over a decade. I get how stressful and embarrassing it can be to have a dog that acts out like that. That Dachshund, Gretel, is the one who introduced me into the world of “bad” dog behavior – how to understand it and address the underlying cause. Now, I help other owners whose Dachshunds are wonderful at home, but turn into a barking, lunging maniac the second another dog appears on a walk. I’ve given several presentations on leash reactivity to Dachshund owners and am currently creating a training course on the topic. In the meantime, I wanted to share some of the most important concepts here because they’re things every owner can start applying today. A big key to solving this behavior is to stop asking, “How do I stop the barking and lunging?” and start asking, “Why does my Dachshund feel the need to lash out in the first place?” That shift in perspective makes all the difference. What You’re Seeing Is Called Leash Reactivity When a dog barks, lunges, growls, or snaps at another dog while restrained by a leash, the behavior is commonly called leash reactivity. Despite how dramatic it looks, leash reactiv...