Are Dachshunds Smart? Dachshund Intelligence Explained
Updated: 23 hours ago
By Nick, co-founder of Doggy Styles Inc and owner of Bruno, a rescued French Bulldog. Last updated 15 October 2026.
Quick Answer
Yes, Dachshunds are smart, but in a hound's way rather than a sheepdog's. In the best-known ranking of breed obedience they sit in the middle, at 49th. That ranking measures how quickly a dog obeys, not how clever it is. Dachshunds were bred to solve problems on their own underground, and they excel at scent work, remembering where good things are and working out exactly how to get what they want.
Key takeaways
Dachshunds rank 49th for working and obedience intelligence: average for obeying, not for brains.
Their real strengths are independent problem-solving, memory and an exceptional nose.
A bored Dachshund puts that brain to work on your bins, cupboards and patience. Give it a job.
If you're still getting to know the breed, start here:
👉 DACHSHUND GUIDE — Full Behaviour, Personality & Ownership Breakdown
Are Dachshunds smart? What people get wrong
The usual mistake is to judge a Dachshund's intelligence by whether he comes when called. By that measure, plenty of Dachshunds look like slow learners. Watch what he does when you're not giving orders, though, and a different picture appears: a dog who learns your routine in days, works out how to open things and never forgets where food has been. Slow learners don't usually manage all three.
Jillian, who owns a Dachshund called Peet, puts it perfectly in an interview with Witzig: "That dog remembers everywhere he has ever had cheese." That isn't a dog with a poor memory. That's a dog with very clear priorities.
A note on the stories in this post: the dated moments (week one, month two and so on) are illustrative scenes based on common Dachshund owner experiences, not the story of one real dog. The owner quotes are real, and link to where they were published.
The treat cupboard
Week one. He's eleven weeks old. On day two he watches you take a treat out of the bottom cupboard. On day three he's sitting in front of it. By day five he's worked out that if he scratches the door and then looks at you with enormous eyes, the door opens. You haven't taught him a single command yet. He's already taught you one.
Dachshund intelligence at a glance
Type of intelligence | How Dachshunds do | What it looks like at home |
Obedience (doing what you ask) | Average | Knows 'sit' perfectly, uses it when it suits him |
Problem-solving | Strong | Opens cupboards, finds the gap in the fence |
Memory | Strong, especially for food | Remembers which pocket had the treat last week |
Scent work | Excellent | Finds a hidden toy anywhere in the house |
Reading people | Strong | Knows which family member gives in first |
Owners recognise all of it. The dog who 'can't hear you' calling but hears a cheese wrapper from the garden. The one who learns the word 'walk', so it has to be spelled, and then learns the spelling. The one who knows to the second how long you'll hold out before sharing your toast.
That sharp, sideways kind of cleverness is what Doggy Styles Inc designs around: clean, minimal Dachshund pieces for people who've been outwitted by a sausage dog and quite enjoyed it.
👉 Shop Dachshund women's t-shirts, unisex t-shirts and sweatshirts and hoodies
👉 or explore the full DACHSHUND COLLECTION
Why are Dachshunds smart in their own way?
Bred to decide for themselves
A Dachshund's job was to go underground, alone, after a badger or rabbit. Down there, there was no handler giving instructions. The dog had to read the tunnel, judge the quarry and decide for himself what to do next. Breed for that over generations and you get a dog who thinks for himself. That is not the same as a dog who waits to be told, as most owners discover in the first week.
A nose built for trailing
The Dachshund Club of America breed standard notes that the Dachshund's "keen nose gives him an advantage over most other breeds for trailing." A lot of Dachshund cleverness runs through that nose. They gather information by scent that we simply can't, and they're very good at using it to solve problems, such as which bag the sandwiches are in.
What the research says
The most quoted measure comes from psychologist Stanley Coren, who surveyed obedience judges to rank breeds. The Dachshund came 49th, in the 'average working and obedience intelligence' group, where dogs typically understand a new command after 25 to 40 repetitions and obey the first command at least half the time (Coren, The Intelligence of Dogs). The key word is obedience. Coren's ranking measures how readily a dog does what it's asked, which favours breeds bred to take direction. It doesn't measure the independent problem-solving a Dachshund was actually bred for.
Coren himself divided dog intelligence into different types: instinctive intelligence, meaning what a dog was bred to do; adaptive intelligence, meaning how well it learns and solves problems on its own; and working and obedience intelligence, which is what the ranking measured. A Dachshund's instinctive intelligence for scent and tracking, and its adaptive intelligence for working out the world around it, simply don't show up in an obedience trial. That's why owners so often feel the ranking doesn't match the dog they live with.
A dog that can do what you ask, but weighs up whether it wants to, is the definition of Dachshund stubbornness.
👉 WHY ARE DACHSHUNDS SO STUBBORN? — Independence, Selective Hearing & What Helps
How a Dachshund thinks with its nose
For a Dachshund, smell isn't just a sense. It's the main way of understanding the world. On a walk, every lamppost and gatepost holds information: which dogs have passed, how recently, and what they were up to. That's why a Dachshund can spend five minutes on one patch of grass. He isn't being slow. He's reading.
It also explains why scent work is so tiring for them. Following a trail or searching a room uses concentration, memory and decision-making all at once. Ten minutes of searching for hidden treats can leave a Dachshund more settled than a brisk half-hour walk, because the brain has had a proper workout.
And it's why food so often features in Dachshund cleverness. A nose this good, attached to an appetite this big, makes for a dog that will find the sandwich in the bag, the biscuit in the coat pocket and the crumbs under the sofa long before you know they're there.
A job they still do: Dachshunds as tracking dogs
If you ever doubt that nose, consider this: some Dachshunds still do it for a living. In parts of Europe and the northern United States, Wirehaired Dachshunds, often called teckels, are used to track wounded deer, following a cold scent trail on a long lead so the animal can be found quickly. John Jeanneney, described by Mossy Oak as "the Godfather of training deer-tracking dogs", favoured the breed and co-founded United Blood Trackers of America with his wife, Jolanta, in the early 1980s. Part of the appeal is practical: short legs mean the handler can keep up.
That's the same brain currently lying on your sofa. Following one specific scent for a long time, ignoring fresher and more exciting trails, and deciding for itself where the line goes next is seriously hard mental work. It's also, if you think about it, a pretty accurate description of a Dachshund refusing to leave a lamppost.
How a clever Dachshund learns the wrong lessons
Smart dogs learn from everything, not just training sessions. If whining at the table gets a bit of chicken, the Dachshund files that away. If barking at the back door gets it opened, that goes in the file too. Because they're so food-motivated and so observant, they build up a detailed picture of how to work every person in the house. Less a file, really, than a dossier.
None of that is naughtiness. It's intelligence with nothing better to do. The fix is to make sure the right behaviours pay off and the wrong ones don't.
The lead trick
Month two. You notice that whenever you put your shoes on, he runs and hides under the bed. It takes a while to work out why: shoes mean the vet, twice now. So you start putting your shoes on, then giving him a treat and sitting back down. A week later, shoes mean nothing. A week after that, he brings you a shoe.
Reading people that well can look a lot like manipulation, and the science behind it is fascinating.
👉 ARE DACHSHUNDS MANIPULATIVE? — The Science Behind the Stare
Living with a smart Dachshund
Day to day, a clever Dachshund is good company as long as his brain is busy. Archie's owner on Purina's owner stories describes a Wire-Haired Dachshund who "loves cuddles, walks, playing and sniffing out his toys", and that last bit is the key. Give a Dachshund puzzles, scent games and new things to learn and he's content. Leave him bored and he'll find his own entertainment. You won't always approve of his choices.
A Dachshund probably isn't the right fit if:
you want a dog that obeys instantly, every time
you don't have time for daily brain games as well as walks
you'd find a dog that outwits you more irritating than funny
you'd rather not childproof your cupboards and bins
The puzzle in four minutes
Month four. You buy a puzzle feeder rated 'advanced'. It has sliding lids, lifting cones and a drawer. He sniffs it, nudges two lids, flips the cones, ignores the drawer, tips the whole thing on its side and eats everything in four minutes. Technically he's cheated. Practically, he's solved it.
A brain like that needs a body that's been properly exercised too, and getting the balance right matters with a Dachshund's back.
👉 HOW MUCH EXERCISE DOES A DACHSHUND NEED? — A Back-Safe Daily Guide
Signs your Dachshund is smarter than you think
He knows your routine better than you do. He's at the door before you've reached for the lead and in the kitchen before you've even thought about dinner. When the clocks change, he'll let you know, loudly, that you're an hour late.
He can tell your shoes apart. Trainers mean a walk. Work shoes mean you're leaving. Slippers mean nothing is happening for hours. He reads your feet like a weather forecast.
He's worked out who to ask. Every household has a soft touch, and he found them in the first week. He'll walk past three people to stare at the one most likely to share their toast.
He finds things you've hidden. A treat in a coat pocket, a toy behind a cushion, a sandwich zipped inside a bag. His nose doesn't care how clever your hiding place was.
He chooses when to listen. Perfect recall in the kitchen, total deafness near a rabbit hole. That's not confusion. It's a cost-benefit analysis, and he's already run the numbers.
Five fun brain tests to try with your Dachshund
None of these are scientific. All of them are entertaining, and they'll tell you a lot about how your Dachshund solves problems. Keep each one short, finish with a jackpot reward, and stop if he gets frustrated.
The cup game. Put a treat under one of three upturned cups while he watches, then let him choose. Most Dachshunds ignore the watching part entirely and sniff their way to the answer. That tells you which sense he trusts most. It won't be his eyes.
The towel puzzle. Wrap a treat loosely in an old tea towel. Does he paw it, nudge it, shake it, or bring it to you to sort out? The last one isn't failing. It's delegating.
The name game. Put two toys down, say the name of one and see which he picks. Practise with one named toy for a week, then test again. Some Dachshunds build a surprisingly long list of toys they know by name.
The pointing test. Hold out two closed hands, only one with a treat in it, and point at the right one. Does he follow your point or his nose? Dogs are unusually good at reading human gestures, and a Dachshund who watches you closely is often quick at this one.
The detour test. Put a treat behind a low, see-through barrier, like a laundry basket on its side, with a gap at one end. Does he push straight at it, or work out the way round? Finding the detour is exactly the kind of problem-solving his ancestors needed underground. Keep it low, so there's no temptation to jump.
Whatever his scores, celebrate them. A Dachshund who 'fails' the cup game by sniffing out the right cup anyway is still, technically, right.
How a Dachshund's intelligence develops in the first year
Puppies learn astonishingly fast. The early months are the best time to teach basics, house rules and handling, because everything is new and rewards go a long way. Adolescence, from around six months, is when the independent streak arrives and a Dachshund starts testing which rules really matter.
By the end of the first year, most have a good vocabulary of words and routines, and a very precise understanding of what works on whom. The second list is usually longer.
Learning the rules
Month seven. You've been consistent for months: no feeding from the table, ever. Then a visitor slips him a crisp. That evening he does the full routine at every person's chair. It takes a fortnight of everyone holding firm before he gives up. He isn't slow. He's checking whether the rule has changed. In his experience, rules are open to review.
Staying a step ahead of a clever dog is one of the biggest adjustments for first-time owners.
👉 ARE DACHSHUNDS GOOD FOR FIRST-TIME OWNERS? — An Honest Guide Before You Commit
How to keep a Dachshund's brain busy
The aim is to give that clever, nose-led brain a proper job, so it doesn't invent its own.
In the moment
If he's pestering, give him a quick task: a sit, a 'find it' or a short sniff hunt.
When he solves something you didn't want solved, like the bin, fix the bin rather than telling him off.
Reward the behaviour you want the moment it happens, so he knows exactly what earned it.
Long term
Play scent games every day. Start easy: let him watch you put a treat under a cup, then say 'find it'. Once he's got the idea, hide treats around one room while he waits in the hall, then across the house, then in the garden. Scent work tires a Dachshund out faster than almost anything else, because it uses the part of the brain he was built around. Ten minutes of sniffing can settle him better than a long walk.
Try a scentwork class. Many areas now run them, teaching dogs to search for specific smells. They suit Dachshunds perfectly, they're low-impact on the back, and you'll come home with a whole new respect for the dog you thought was ignoring you.
Teach tricks in short bursts. Five minutes a day is plenty. Spin, touch, paw, find a named toy, tidy toys into a box. Short, successful sessions keep him keen, and every new trick is one more thing the two of you can do together. Showing off to visitors is optional, but encouraged.
Rotate toys and puzzles. A puzzle he's solved ten times isn't a puzzle any more. It's a bowl. Keep a few out and swap them weekly so each one feels new.
Choose back-friendly tricks. Skip anything that involves jumping, begging on his back legs or sharp twists. Clever tricks with all four feet on the ground are just as impressive, and far kinder to that long spine.
The search party
Month ten. Saturday morning. You hide six bits of cheese around the living room while he waits in the hall. 'Find it!' He's off, nose down, working the room in neat lines, under the chair, behind the plant, inside a slipper. Six for six in under a minute. Then he checks every spot again, just in case you hid a seventh.
When to get help: if an older Dachshund starts getting lost in the house, forgetting routines or staring at walls, mention it to your vet. Cognitive changes in senior dogs can often be helped, and other medical causes need ruling out.
Keeping an older Dachshund's brain sharp
Dachshunds often live well into their teens, so it's worth looking after the brain as carefully as the back. Canine cognitive dysfunction, the dog version of dementia, is far more common than most owners realise. In a study of older dogs in Australia, Hannah Salvin and colleagues estimated that 14.2% were affected, but only 1.9% had been diagnosed by a vet. It became more common with age and didn't differ by breed (summarised in Today's Veterinary Practice).
The encouraging part is that a busy brain seems to help. In research by Norton Milgram and colleagues, older dogs did best on cognitive tests when a fortified diet was combined with enrichment: extra training, a more interesting environment and exercise. So the scent games and tricks in this post aren't just for puppies. They're a habit worth keeping for life.
Signs to mention to your vet. Getting stuck behind furniture or in corners, forgetting house training, pacing or restlessness at night, staring at walls, or seeming not to recognise familiar people. Earlier is better, because diets, medicines and changes to routine can all help.
Scale it down, don't stop. Easier puzzles, shorter scent hunts on the flat, old tricks rehearsed rather than new ones forced, and a predictable daily routine. A ten-minute 'find it' on the living-room rug still counts. He might be greyer round the muzzle, but that nose hasn't retired.
Are Dachshunds smarter than other breeds?
Compared with a Border Collie, no, if you mean doing what they're told. Collies were bred to take instructions at a distance. Dachshunds were bred to make their own decisions underground, which explains a great deal. Compared with a Beagle, another scent hound, they're very similar: brilliant noses and selective hearing. Compared with toy breeds kept mainly as companions, a Dachshund is usually more of a problem-solver, because he was bred to work.
Their intelligence is just one side of a much bigger character.
👉 DACHSHUND PERSONALITY — What They're Really Like
What Dachshund owners realise over time
Most owners stop asking whether their Dachshund is smart and start asking how to keep up with him. The trick is working with that independent, nose-first brain rather than against it. Against it makes for a long afternoon.
The treat cupboard, a year on
A year after he first scratched at the cupboard door. He walks into the kitchen, sits in front of the cupboard and looks at you. He doesn't scratch. He doesn't whine. He waits, perfectly still, because that's what gets the treat now. You taught him that. Or he taught you. You're honestly not sure any more.
The verdict
Are Dachshunds smart? Yes, very, just not in the way obedience rankings measure. They sit 49th for doing what they're told, but they're excellent problem-solvers with a remarkable nose and an even better memory for food.
Give that brain daily work, keep training short and rewarding, and you'll have a dog who's a pleasure to live with, and frequently a step ahead of you. The aim is to keep it to one step.
If you're still getting to know the breed, the guide covers the full picture.
Living with a Dachshund means being outwitted by a sausage dog at least once a week. The Dachshund range is for people who've made their peace with that.
👉 Explore Dachshund women's t-shirts, unisex t-shirts and sweatshirts and hoodies
👉 or explore the full DACHSHUND COLLECTION
Got a Dachshund who's cleverer than they let on? Show us. Tag @doggystylesinc on Instagram or find us on Facebook at Doggy Styles Inc, and your Dachshund could feature in a future post.
Continue Understanding the Dachshund Breed
FAQs
Are Dachshunds smart?
Yes. They're clever, independent problem-solvers with an excellent nose. They score in the middle for obedience, but that measures willingness to follow commands rather than intelligence.
How smart are Dachshunds?
In Stanley Coren's ranking of working and obedience intelligence, Dachshunds came 49th, in the average group. In everyday problem-solving and scent work, many owners would put them much higher.
What is a Dachshund's IQ?
There's no IQ test for dogs. The nearest thing is Coren's obedience ranking, where Dachshunds placed 49th, typically learning a new command in 25 to 40 repetitions.
How smart are Dachshunds compared to humans?
Researchers often compare adult dogs' understanding to that of a young toddler. Dachshunds learn plenty of words and routines, and they're very good at reading people.
Are Miniature Dachshunds as smart as Standard Dachshunds?
Yes. Size doesn't change intelligence. Both share the same independent, scent-driven brain.
Are wiener dogs smart?
Yes. 'Wiener dog' is just another name for a Dachshund, and they're clever, independent and food-motivated.
Why does my Dachshund ignore me if he's so smart?
Usually because he's weighing up whether it's worth it. Make the reward better, train in short bursts and practise in quiet places before busy ones.
Do Dachshunds understand words?
Many learn dozens of words, especially for food, walks, toys and people. Plenty of owners end up spelling out words like 'walk' and 'dinner'.
What are the best brain games for Dachshunds?
Scent games, hide-and-seek with treats or toys, puzzle feeders, snuffle mats and short trick sessions all suit them well.
Can Dachshunds learn tricks?
Yes, easily, if the reward is good. Choose tricks that keep all four feet on the ground, such as spin, touch or find it, to protect their backs.
Are Dachshunds used as tracking dogs?
Yes. Wirehaired Dachshunds, often called teckels, are still used in parts of Europe and North America to track wounded deer on a long lead. Their nose, persistence and short legs make them ideal.
How can I test my Dachshund's intelligence at home?
Try simple games like the cup game, a treat wrapped in a towel, naming toys or following a point. They're for fun rather than science, but they show how he likes to solve problems.
Do brain games help older Dachshunds?
Research suggests mental enrichment, combined with a good diet and exercise, helps older dogs do better on cognitive tests. Keep games easy, short and on the flat, and mention any confusion to your vet.
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