Trouble going down stairs
Hey everybody!
My 7 month old puppy has trouble going down our hardwood stairs to the upper floor of our house. He has no problem sprinting up them, just going down. The stairs are pretty big - maybe like 20 steps? He has no problem with smaller stairs (4 or 5 steps).
Is there any way I can teach him to come down properly? I've tried the treats method but he tries to stretch for the treat and then backs away and barks as if he's frustrated. I was thinking of maybe getting a carpet rider/cover that covers our hard stairs. Anyone know the best place to get these? Anyone else have a problem like this?
My 7 month old puppy has trouble going down our hardwood stairs to the upper floor of our house. He has no problem sprinting up them, just going down. The stairs are pretty big - maybe like 20 steps? He has no problem with smaller stairs (4 or 5 steps).
Is there any way I can teach him to come down properly? I've tried the treats method but he tries to stretch for the treat and then backs away and barks as if he's frustrated. I was thinking of maybe getting a carpet rider/cover that covers our hard stairs. Anyone know the best place to get these? Anyone else have a problem like this?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Kelly on
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Gibson does the same exact thing (he's almost 5 months) and our stairs are carpeted, so I'm not sure that will help. I've heard pulling them down one stair at a time while going down with them might work. I'm waiting til Gibson is a little bigger to really make him start going down on his own. I don't want him to hurt anything to cause future back/hip problems.
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Permalink Reply by Akshay Anikhindi on
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Yeah... I'm wondering if maybe it's a "small dog" problem in general or if it's just a "puppy problem." Anyone have any grown Corgis that still refuse to come down stairs? It actually probably scares me more than it does him because those hardwood stairs DO tend to get slippery and I'm scared the poor guy will take a tumble (or worse!). Plus, he, nor I, have any idea HOW he's supposed to come down in the first place. Teaching him to go up was easy.
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Permalink Reply by Ju Lo on
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I can tell you how I taught Theo to go down stairs. It was just trial and error, unfortunately I didn't really research it. But basically I sat down about 3-4 steps down and while Theo was standing at the top of the stairs I very gently pulled his front legs down the first stair (then lots of praise!), then I pulled his back legs down the first stair, so he was kind of sideways level on the first stair. Then I pulled his front legs down the second stair, and then his back legs down the second stair. I did this for about 4-5 stairs and he ended up just going down the rest on his own. I had to do this for a week or so: I would get him started and he would finish. Then eventually he just did it all on his down. With their long bodies it's definitely awkward for them. Theo basically times it so that is front legs are going down one stair as his back legs are doing down the one before it. Hehe. Just make sure to stay close so if there are any problems you can catch your little guy.
I also have carpet stairs. Your'll probably have a harder time with hardwood because it's more slippery.
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Permalink Reply by Aj on
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Ein never had trouble going up and down the stairs... I think he was just a natural?
But here's a site where it provides a few pointers..
http://www.paw-rescue.org/PAW/PETTIPS/DogTip_FearOfSteps.php
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