Training dogs not to jump

Question
Hi!  I am the proud owner of three dachshunds(7,5,and 2). Recently my oldest dachshund is exhibiting some back issues (common with this breed). We have always allowed our girls to have run of the house and have also allowed them on and off of the furniture. I was wondering if you had any suggestions for training them not to jump up and down, but to let us pick them up and down off of the furniture. They have a ramp to the bed but I would prefer at this point that they wait for us to help them. Any sugguestion would help. Our house is currently a jungle gym of baby gates due to us trying to keep our girls from jumping and causing further injury. I have tried telling them no when they start to jump but they don't seem to understand what it is that they are doing wrong. Afterall, they've always been allowed to jump before.

Answer
Hi Mary,

The dog ramps you currently have are actually a very good way of preventing your dogs from jumping up, or down from furniture, especially if you aren't around to monitor your dogs 24/7.   It sounds like you need more ramps, or dog steps throughout out your house, and train your dogs to use them.  It's would be very difficult to train your dogs to wait to be picked up, instead of jumping. Here are directions for training a dog to use a ramp or dog stairs:

http://www.bestpetramp.com/dog-training.htm

Keeping your dogs at a healthy weight is the biggest thing you can do that will help avoid Dachshund back problems. Being heavy it puts extra strain on their backs. Being only 1lb overweight in a dog is like being 7lbs overweight in people so its a big deal to keep them fit.

If your dogs don't yet have back problems, giving them a daily glucosamine with chondrotin supplement to keep their joints in good condition can help delay to onset of future back problems, or lessen them when they develop. One brand that's often recommended is Cosequin.

Best of luck,
Patti