Dachshunds love to play and to be the center of attention. Get to know your doxie’s personality type and incorporate it into games you can play with your pup. There are four characteristics of dachshunds that stand out: they are natural hunter and gatherers, they love to dig, they are athletic, and they love being the center of attention. With these characteristics in mind, here are different games you can play with your doxie:

The Hunter Gatherer

Doxies are natural hunter and gatherers. With their excellent sense of smell and tracking abilities, this makes both for great training and lots of fun for your dachshund. A toy that you can throw for your doxie outdoors such as a Frisbee or tennis ball is perfect for a game of fetch. Let your dachshund smell the toy, throw it, and have him bring it back. If you want to play indoors, a similar game you can play is hide and seek which is also a good training game. Pick an item around the house for your doxie to find, such as a shoe. Hold the shoe up to your doxie’s nose to have him smell it, and repeat “shoe.” Then “hide” the shoe so that it is partially hidden, but visible to your dog. Ask your doxie, “where’s my shoe?” and wait for him to find it.

The Digger

Doxies love to dig. Instead of having them tear up your yard, make them their own play place to dig in with mulch or sand. Similar to the two previous games, you can make a digging game to play with your doxie by picking a toy and letting your dog smell it. Next, bury the toy, cover it up, and let your doxie dig away! If you do not want to make a mess out of your yard, you can play a digging game in the house using a dog treat. Create a fort of pillows and blankets and hide a treat inside. Let your doxie rummage through and get his prize!

The Athlete

Despite their back troubles, dachshunds are very athletic dogs and love to run. A long game of Frisbee, fetch, or an agility game will be sure to make your doxie a happy pup. Set up an obstacle course with jumping, running, digging, and smelling. It is important to keep your doxie active and engaged. Another way to let your doxie burn energy is to take them on a hike where they climb and sniff will keep them satisfied. They will love seeing the small animals!

The Attention Seeker

Doxies have large personalities and love being the center of attention. Teach your dachshund a variety of tricks and have him perform them in front of you or an audience too! Sit, paw, lay down, roll over, and speak are basic ones you can start out with. Be sure to reward and applaud your doxie for his performance as they love to hear your praise. For training tips, see “Training your Dachshund”.

Feature Image Source: Wikipedia