How High Can a Dachshund Jump?

It’s natural for a dog to want to jump on beds, furniture, and it’s no different for Dachshunds. 

However, unlike other breeds, jumping can be dangerous for Dachshunds.

It’s natural for Dachshunds to want to jump. They are an energetic breed who often like to draw attention to themselves.

In this article we’ll talk about how high a Dachshund can jump, as well as why it can be potentially detrimental to their health. 

Plus we offer tips for keeping all four of your Dachshunds paws on the ground more often than not.

Is It Bad for Dachshunds to Jump?

Dachshunds stand an average of 5 to 9” at the shoulder, depending on if they are standard or Miniature. 

Their small stature means that Dachshunds typically can’t jump very high off of the ground.

However, they love to lay on furniture and jump off of that to get down. 

The problem is, jumping can lead to expensive health issues with this expressive breed.

Consistent jumping really high can be dangerous for Dachshunds because they have a propensity for back issues.

One in four Dachshunds suffer from Intervertebral Disk Disease (IVDD), the primary underlying cause of Dachshund back issues, and allowing your Dachshund to jump can cause one of the affected disks to rupture.

Too much jumping can cause health issues in Dachshunds.

In addition, when your furry friend regularly jumps, they risk injury to their small joints.

Small dogs can develop things like CCL tears just like big dogs can from jumping.

Is it Always Dangerous for a Dachshund to Jump?

The short answer is no and it depends.

If a Dachshund has IVDD, you won’t know it until they experience a spine injury and are diagnosed with the disease. There is no genetic test.

For that reason, many Dachshund owners say that a Dachshund should never jump because they are risking a back injury.

However, limited jumping during exercise – done at low heights and when there is not a danger of falling and twisting the spine – can be helpful for strengthening your Dachshund’s core muscles. 

Good core muscle strength is actually helpful for supporting your Dachshund’s spine and preventing back injury (and healing more quickly if it does happen).

Jumping occasionally at low heights can help to strengthen a Dachshund’s core muscles, which is beneficial.

Also, if your Dachshund does not have IVDD (again, which you can’t know unless your Dachshund hurts their back), then small jumps would be ok for them.

If they don’t have the disease, they would likely only hurt their back from old-age degeneration or an acute injury (like falling or getting hit by a car).

But just because your Dachshund might not have IVDD, it’s best to ensure that your Dachshund is not constantly jumping on and off furniture or excessively jumping on people.

Ideally, it’s best to keep your Dachshund’s paws no more than a couple feet (24”) off the ground. 

Keep in mind that overweight Dachshunds, and those with shorter legs and longer bodies, are much more likely to be affected by IVDD-related disc ruptures from jumping.

Tips for Keeping Your Dachshund from Jumping

If you have decided that you don’t want your Dachshund to jump, or want to significantly limit it, see the tips below to discourage your Doxie’s bouncy tendencies:

There are 4 main ways to discourage your Dachshund from jumping.

Train your Dachshund not to jump on people

It’s easier said than done, but it’s definitely possible to teach your pup not to jump on people, including guests at your home. 

If your Dachshund isn’t jumping up on people when they get excited, they are less likely to jump elsewhere. 

Positive reinforcement methods are best for this type of training.

Crate train your Dachshund 

If your Dachshund is relentless when it comes to jumping on house guests, use a crate or playpen when you have visitors. 

This way they can remain safe and protected when friends or family visit your home, or at least while the excitement wears off. 

Crate training is important anyways, and can be beneficial for limiting jumping.

Crate training is an efficient way to curb jumping.

Gate off furniture

Dachshunds love to burrow and snuggle with their humans, especially on the bed or furniture. 

You can deter your Doxie from jumping up on furniture by placing a high free-standing dog gate.

If that is not possible, consider gating off the room the furniture is in unless you are closely supervising your dog.

Dachshunds can be stubborn, but if your Dachshund doesn’t have access to high furniture, they can’t jump up on it!

Use a pet ramp or stairs

In addition to using a baby gate to limit access, place a pet ramp or stairs at the base of your bed or couch. 

This way your Dachshund can climb up without placing stress on their backs or joints.

Training your Dachshund to use a ramp, or gating off furniture so that is the only way off or on, will reduce or eliminate jumping off high places around the the house.

It’s unrealistic and almost impossible to completely prevent your Dachshund from jumping around your home, yet pet ramps or stairs can be beneficial in severely limiting the opportunity. 

What About Going Up or Down Stairs?

Pet stairs were presented as a solution to prevent jumping above. Most pet stairs are just a few in a row.

But what if you have a house with several stairs to the second floor or stairs leading out the back door to the yard? Are those safe for your Dachshund?

There are a lot of varying opinions on stairs. Below is what I’ve learned from research and from our rehab veterinarian. 

It’s just information I’ve gathered though. I’m not a veterinarian.

• Going down stairs is harder on a dog than up. Going down can put pressure on the shoulders, which can in turn put pressure on the neck and spine.
• Going up and down stairs regularly can be ok if a Dachshund doesn’t look to be struggling and there is no danger of a dog falling and twisting their spine.
• Done safely, stairs can help increase your Dachshund’s core muscle strength.
• A dog that is healed from an IVDD-related injury may be able to use stairs again but a dog with an active IVDD injury, or lasting mobility issues because of it, probably shouldn’t.

Whether you let your dog go up and down the stairs depends on your Dachshund’s health.

The bottom line is, based on your Dachshund’s circumstances, regularly going up and down stairs can be ok. It’s a personal judgment call though.

If you don’t want your Dachshund going up and downstairs, block them off with a gate and/or always carry them up or down.

Final Thoughts

If you don’t want your Dachshund to jump, and you have just brought home a puppy, be sure to start teaching good habits right away.

Dachshund puppies should be taught to not jump on people or furniture so they don’t create the habit. 

An older Dachshund can also be trained not to jump but it could take some extra work to break them of ingrained habits. 

Physical barriers (like fences) may be more effective at keeping an adult Dachshund who is already in the habit of jumping.

No matter what age, it’s important to be patient with your Dachshund while training them to not jump. 

Try your best to be patient during the training process.

Becoming frustrated can halt any progress that you’ve previously made, especially if you lose your patience and raise your voice, so it’s best to keep training sessions short and productive.

If you can teach your Dachshund to stop jumping on a daily basis, by way of training and/or assistance tools like a ramp, your pup may be less likely to have back issues or IVDD flare ups. 

So, How high can a Dachshund jump? Ultimately it’s whatever you’re comfortable with, but ideally it shouldn’t be over a height of 2ft (24”) at any given time.

About the Author: Through her 17 years of owning and caring for Dachshunds, and almost 10 years researching and writing about them, JW has become a respected expert in the Dachshund community. Read more about her here.