I'm attempting to train my miniature dachshund (she's about six years
old) to lie down.  She learned almost all the other basic commands,
with the exception of heeling, when she was a puppy.  (Sit, stay,
come, off, etc.)  I can't get her to lie down.  She just won't do it. 
We took her to obedience classes as a puppy; she completely refused to
lie down, so she learned to sit and stay, and does that very well.

The most often-suggested way to train a dog to lie down is some
variation on holding a treat in front of their nose, and lowering it
to the floor.  This is utterly useless with a dachshund, as they can
reach it perfectly well either sitting or standing.  I've been
attempting clicker training; she seems to understand the idea that
when she lies down, she gets a treat--so now she crouches and waits to
see if I'll reward her for that.

So far, the best alternative suggestion I can find online is to push
down on her shoulder blades and force her to lie down.  Getting a dog
with legs that short to lie down by pushing on their shoulder blades
is a lot more difficult than it sounds.  Plus, she seems to be making
the connection that if she holds out and I make her do it, she gets
food--which is rather counter-productive.

Is there another way I can get her to do this, or should I just give up?

I used to own a mini- dachshund and he was the most stubborn,
untrainable dog I ever owned.....

Steph53

The fact that I'm the only one in our house who's trying to train her
really doesn't help--nor does the fact that no one else will correct
her when she does anything.  They just laugh and say it's cute.  I'm
sorry, I don't care how funny-looking the dog is, her barking for ten
straight minutes at a kid she sees out the window isn't cute.

I was going to say something about bitches that just won't shut up and
lie down, but I won't.  ;-)

Our neighbors now have their third dachshund.  The first two barked
like that, also at us.  With the third one, the neighbor brought it
over when it was young and introduced it to us, which seems to work.

I expect that you missed the boat years ago.  "You can't teach ..." (no I won't.)

Well, she can learn new things.  This clicker training thing is
miraculous.  I don't know exactly how I got her to do it, but she's
starting to get it.  Granted, she rolls over and shows me her stomach,
and she only does it about a third of the time, but that's still
progress of sorts...

A great way to train your mini doxie to lie down is to put them up on
a bed, table or any other flat and stable surface.  Now, start them in
a sit and use the treat to lure them down like you did before.  Now
you can pull the treat below where they are standing, forcing them to
lie down instead of crouching.

Also, whenever you see your doxie lying about, tell her good down and
reward her.  If she is not complying with your training, don't try to
force or fight with her, you'll only make her more determined.  Stop,
and try again later, sticking with the positive reinforcements.

To say doxie's are unable to be trained shows only inability and
ignorance on the trainers part.  People like steph53 should never have
a dog.  Doxies were trained over several decades to be determined
little pups.  You have to know how to work with them, but they are a
great breed.  Good luck!

People forget dachshunds were BRED to be stubborn.  Dachshunds were
originally bred to go after badgers.  The average badger is twice the
size of the average dachshund.  Tenacious little buggers. 
Mini-dachshunds were miniaturized to hunt rabbits--stubborn, fast, and
persistent.

I attempted that chair trick, she got way too exicted about the treat
and wouldn't  stop moving for even half a second.  Now I'm trying
shutting us both in a room with her bed, and rewarding her every time
she lies down....so she keeps crouching down and looking at me to see
if she can get a treat for that.  Can't say she's not a smart one...