Dachshunds may be small, but they’ve got a big heart and a lot of love to give. For those wondering whether Dachshunds are affectionate and like to cuddle, this article has the answer.
If you’re looking for an affectionate breed, then a Dachshund is certainly for you.
Table of Contents
Why Are Dachshunds So Affectionate?
Dachshunds are known for being very affectionate. They love to cuddle with their owners and showing affection comes naturally to them.
This may be surprising but the number of breeds that are affectionate is completely outnumbered by breeds that are not affectionate. So this lovey-dovey behavior is actually kinda special!
Dachsunds Bond With Their Packs Members
The main answer comes from how Dachshunds were bred. Dachshunds were primarily used for hunting purposes for hundreds of years, and they always lived in large packs with each other.
This kind of living makes Dachshunds highly sociable and bonding with their pack is fundamental to their life.
And this isn’t limited to only other dogs. Your Dachshund will consider his human family to be his “pack” too, and you will likely be his “leader”. This could mean your Dachshund will bond to an even greater depth with you.
Dachshunds Are Protective and Loyal
There have been numerous cases where Dachshunds have literally saved people’s lives. This is almost common with this breed and it can be attributed to their good nature, protectiveness, and incredible loyalty.
A Dachshund named Leo has an honorary statue in a park in Serbia after rescuing a 10-year-old girl from being attacked by a larger dog. He, unfortunately, died with his injuries, but due to his instinctive nature, risked his life to save a little girl.
Small vs Big? Another Dachshund recently saved two young boys from being attacked by a black bear in Russia. The Dachshund name Tosya lured the bear away from the boys, before safely escaping himself.
The point in noting these incredible feats is to explain that most other breeds are not like this! Dachshunds just have this good instinctive nature, love for other dogs, us, and show incredible loyalty in daily life.
For the times you aren’t being attacked by a bear, this will just show itself as plenty of cuddles and face-licking.
Psst. A quick update on Dachshund training! Brain Training For Dogs could be the best training approach we’ve seen for puppies. Results show improvement in obedience and behavior quicker than we thought possible! Check it out.
5 Ways Dachshunds Show Affection
1. Face licking
Love it or hate it, your Dachshund will engage in plenty of face-licking, or at least he will try to.
I know, most people (including myself) do not like this behavior, and if you don’t either, you’ll need to train him against doing so.
It has not been proven whether face-licking is a dog’s equivalent to a kiss. But at the very least it’s a form of play or grooming. Nevertheless, it’s always done with a big heart, glowing eyes, and a wagging tail.
2. Cuddles
Dachshunds love to cuddle. This is a surprising one as many breeds don’t tolerate cuddly behavior very well. Dachshunds, on the other hand, can’t seem to get enough of it.
One thing to remember though, cuddles are typically given and received on the couch. This is all well and good but remember Dachshunds should avoid jumping up and down to prevent spinal injuries.
If you are already engaging in regular cuddles or plan to, ensure you teach your Dachshund to use pet stairs to get on and off the couch. Very important!
3. Submitting For Belly Rubs
Belly rubs. Any dog’s favorite, right?
Dachshunds have a thing for submitting (rolling onto their back) to receive ungodly amounts of belly rubbing.
Most owners see submitting as a sign of respect, and it is, but this also means your bond is strong, he trusts you and has a lot of love for you.
4. Craves Your Attention
Dachshunds are known for being “clingy”, and this can be perceived in both positive and negative ways.
This can mean your Dachsund will follow you around and constantly be by your side. Not to mention when he hears you wake up in the mornings, he’ll be going bonkers!
This kind of “clingy” behavior can be a sign of affection from them, but it needs to be monitored carefully because it’s also a telltale sign of separation anxiety, and that’s a serious condition you really want to avoid.
5. Easy Eye Contact and Gazing
Eye contact is perhaps the most powerful form of non-verbal communication. The ability for your Dachshund to engage in casual gazes with you means a lot.
Dogs will often look at someone they love with wide eyes, eyebrows raised, and their ears back.
The moment you look at your Dachshund, he should be able to continue looking at you without looking away or squinting. If he can, this is a sign your relationship is well-established and strong.
Popular Dachshund Articles:
● Why Your Dachshund Is Limping
● How Much Exercise Is Appropriate For a Dachshund?
● Teaching Your Dachshund How-To Swim
Do Dachshunds Get Attached To One Person?
Yes, Dachshunds usually get attached to one person. Although dachshunds have love to give to the whole family, one particular person will always get more than the others.
This naturally leads to the next question: Why do dachshunds get attached to one person?
Most of the time, this happens easily depending on who feeds him the most, who regularly takes him on walks, and who gives him the most attention in general. More times than not, it will be his “leader” who gets the lion’s share of affection.
Why Isn’t My Dachshund Affectionate?
While the vast majority of Dachshunds are very affectionate, there is still a chance that your Dachshund may not live up to this common breed trait.
6 Reasons why your Dachshund may not be overly affectionate:
● He’s still a puppy. Puppies are all over the place, and they have not yet matured mentally. The ability to receive or even show affection is something that only happens once mature. Puppies are too hyper to tolerate cuddles just yet, so you’ll need to wait a little longer.
● You’ve only just got him. If you rescued your Dachshund, it can take some time before he gets to know you, trust you, and properly bond with you. And this is perfectly normal! The time he has with you is critical.
● You haven’t responded enough to when he wants attention. One of the ways that dogs develop a strong bond with their owners is when they receive a lot of attention. If your Dachshund comes to you for attention but you are too busy or you ignore it, he will eventually stop coming to you.
● You are not around enough. Dachshunds hate being left alone. You may think the world of your little sausage dog, but if you are at work all day every day it will be hard to develop a strong bond you may be looking for. Spending a lot of time with him will be very important.
● You are giving him cuddles when he doesn’t want them. If you make a habit of trying to cuddle him when he doesn’t want them, he’ll wriggle away. This isn’t a problem when it happens once, but if it happens often, you are actually reinforcing the negative feelings he has whenever you cuddle and get close. Be careful with this one!
● He may just be different! There’s also the chance that your Dachshund is just different… Despite the vast majority of this breed being clingy and affectionate, some just aren’t, with no explanation. And this can’t be seen as a bad thing, it’s just how it is sometimes.
Ways To Bond With Your Dachshund
Let’s leave on some simple advice that will slowly but surely improve and strengthen the bond you have with your Dachshund.
Give your dachshund your time
Perhaps the biggest way you can improve your relationship with your Dachshund is to give him more of you. I don’t mean smother him in cuddles. I mean play with him more, talk to him, be the one who pays him a lot of attention. It’s simple, but hard to actually do, especially if you have a busy schedule.
When he shows you affection, give him some too
When he comes to you for belly rubs or brings you his toys to play. Take that opportunity to stop what you are doing, and engage with him. This will reinforce to him that you enjoy his display of affection and this will without a doubt, strengthen your relationship over time.
Be a good leader, authoritative, calm, and certainly not scary
Your Dachshund will gravitate towards who he considers the authoritative leader. This is what happens naturally in packs in the wild. And the leader is responsible for knowing what to do, giving guidance, commands, and being trustworthy.
One way to ruin this trust is by punishing your Dachshund in the wrong way. Punishment should be a simple “No!” and only when you catch him in the act. That’s it. Anything other than this, in the wrong moment, will just lead to fearfulness and a lack of trust.
Show him plenty of love, time, attention, and engage with him as much as possible and your bond will be unbreakable.
Last Thoughts
Dachshunds are naturally very affectionate and will often come to you for cuddles and kisses. Sometimes this affection can come across as being too needy and clingy but try to remember it’s all done with a good heart!