Author Topic: Something New hopefully not for long...  (Read 7069 times)

Offline Apreston

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Something New hopefully not for long...
« on: March 02, 2009, 10:09:44 am »
Hi All!! Hoping for your guidance with this....
Titan has been having huge troubles with stairs lately. I took him to the Chiro and he was almost 2 inches out we got aligned and on our way. That evening he went up the stairs without a problem. Now it’s developed into stopping half way and he cant get any further than the half way mark! Poor pup sits down looks at the stairs and cry's. It’s REALLY sad. It quite the angle half way up and I think he has just freaked himself out. We have tried EVERYTHING to get him to come up. Treats, bullies, bones, running, going really slow happy happy voice, another dog!! Last night was the 1st night in a year that he didn’t sleep beside me..... He cried for most of the night but there was not much I could do to get him up the stairs.
Do you think we will just have to work everyday at it and eventually he will surpass and come up the stairs or should we leave it be; and if he wants up badly he will come on his own.
I am going to take him again tomorrow night to the Chiro and see if maybe he needs another alignment.... but other than that I am out of ideas. I don’t know how much more of the big mans crying I can take.... its heartbreaking!
Thanks in advance...  :)

Offline Apreston

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Re: Something New hopefully not for long...
« Reply #1 on: March 02, 2009, 02:18:54 pm »
Thanks Tina; I dont know what else to do.
I guess I will have to let him sleep downstairs;
it just feels so weird.  :(
I just tried again for 1/2 hour to get him past that point its like he just not ready to come all the way up yet. He hasent fell in that spot he has always been really good with the stairs it just all the sudden.... we will see tomorrow if he needs another chiro crack.  ;)

Offline Moni

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Re: Something New hopefully not for long...
« Reply #2 on: March 02, 2009, 02:31:36 pm »
I hope the Chiro helps!  Poor guy.  :(  Its so heartbreaking not having them sleep nearby.

Our old men can't go up the stairs at this house.  Its an old farm house and the stairs are very shallow and steep.  I was so sad when I realized that they couldn't make it up them.  The girls are younger and can go up no prob.  However, we don't allow Kedge up there yet due to potty training issues.
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Offline NewfFan

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Re: Something New hopefully not for long...
« Reply #3 on: March 02, 2009, 02:40:15 pm »
Just wanted to say that Titan is in my prayers! I've never chiroed a dog, but the chiro does wonders for our horses, and often we have to ease them back into doing things that were painful before the alingment, so maybe just let him ease himself into doing stairs again? He might just be scared of the pain.
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Kirsti

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Re: Something New hopefully not for long...
« Reply #4 on: March 02, 2009, 02:42:23 pm »
Poor guy! I hope the chiro helps, I don't have any ideas on help with the stairs sorry... Best of luck and let us know how it go's

~Kirsti

lookingfornewf

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Re: Something New hopefully not for long...
« Reply #5 on: March 02, 2009, 03:54:27 pm »
We'll take him, Our house is only one floor here and we're only about an hour away from you.  ::) ;D
He'll probably just have to figure it out for himself. One of these days he'll just appear at your bedside.

jesday

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Re: Something New hopefully not for long...
« Reply #6 on: March 02, 2009, 04:04:21 pm »
Are your stairs carpeted? Shortly after Sophie's surgery her front foot slipped a little on the wood floor and was petrified to move. I had to get a bunch of towels and various throw rugs to make paths for her to walk on. Even though she is feeling no pain now, she still won't walk on the wood floors, while Syrus has no trouble. Neither did she until she got scared.

If your stairs aren't carpeted try putting down some towels or something that makes him feel like he has traction. If they are carpeted, have you tried the sling around his back end?

An old towel or pillow case works well. Whatever will fit under his belly back towards his hips. Gently lift while he is going upstairs and see if he feels more secure. You don't have to pick up his hind end, just take some of the weight off. 

Poor baby, I'm sure he misses momma as much as you miss him. Good luck. :-*

Tonda

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Re: Something New hopefully not for long...
« Reply #7 on: March 02, 2009, 04:07:30 pm »
Fingers crossed that it's not a physical problem. Once you've made sure, you just have to work to get him past the mental hurtle. There was a St. on The Dog Whisper who had the same issue. They just worked though it. In less than 15 minutes Caesar had the dog going up the stairs and with some serious reinforcement by the owners he got over his issue.

Best of luck. I'd be heartbroken if Clancy stopped sleeping with me (and I NEVER thought I'd say that!).

Offline MagicM3

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Re: Something New hopefully not for long...
« Reply #8 on: March 02, 2009, 05:20:58 pm »
I agree with MastiffOverloa d if it is not physical..then it is the mental obstacle you have to get over..

Have you tried using a leash and just heeling up the stairs..even if when you reach that spot use a really good treat and continue to heel up the stairs..I remember that show with cesar..but not sure what he did to resolve it..I'll have to look that one up..

Good luck hope he's feeling better and sleeping with his mom like he wants to soon..

TATFK

Offline Apreston

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Re: Something New hopefully not for long...
« Reply #9 on: March 03, 2009, 02:18:41 am »


Thanks you guys! Well after much persuasion he arrived at the top of the stairs!! It took Andrew and I about an hour to get him there. We just kept praising and treating and finally he leaped up the last 3 stairs! It was nice to have my buddy back beside me!
We have tried a leash but he gets freaked out and keeps running to the door like its walk time.  ::)
I personally think there is a bit of pain that is distracting him from getting up the stairs but the rest I have to conclude it's mental. I talked to the Chiropractor last night...we did some tests over the phone. Pressure points that she has shown us before and some hip tests. Everything seamed normal. She said because he was soooo out of alignment last week he could possibly be very tender.

We had a run in with a dog last week that is very ill-mannered and his owner lets him jump all over everyone.  It's a border collie - lab cross. He was jumping on Titan and I asked her to hold the leash while around my dog and don't let him jump all over him. She was okay with that at the time... now I have been (8 months prego) knocked into the snow bank with a bloody nose by this dog and Titan HATES him! So every time we see him Titan flares up we just keep walking we don’t even stop anymore due to last week's incident; and we probably won't stop again! After these events Titan started to feel discomfort and that’s when we brought him into the Chiropractor.

The chiropractor also recommend some type of pain killer for about a week to see if that will help his issue...if it does and he flies up those stairs.... we will have to visit the Chiropractor and the acupuncturist a little more often this month!!  :P  :)

Thanks again everyone and sorry for being so long winded!
I am also going to check out that Caesar Milan episode.... my husband goes "how long to you think it would take for Caesar to respond to an email!!"  ;)



Offline Apreston

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Re: Something New hopefully not for long...
« Reply #10 on: March 03, 2009, 02:22:28 am »
Are your stairs carpeted?

The stairs are carpeted....it kind of hard to describe but.... here goes
There are 3 stairs going straight to a 4x4 landing; you turn on the landing go straight up 5 more stairs where there are 3 pie shaped stairs making up the corner... then another 3 stairs straight to the top. He has a problem with the 3 pie shaped stairs he goes up them and then stopped at the last 3 and tries to stretch himself up them.... and then that’s when he leaps!
Hope that helps....  ???  ::)

Offline Apreston

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Re: Something New hopefully not for long...
« Reply #11 on: March 03, 2009, 02:23:29 am »
We'll take him, Our house is only one floor here and we're only about an hour away from you.  ::) ;D
He'll probably just have to figure it out for himself. One of these days he'll just appear at your bedside.
How about we move in..... I will have another little baby in about a month you can also help me take care of!!!  ;)

lookingfornewf

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Re: Something New hopefully not for long...
« Reply #12 on: March 03, 2009, 02:49:42 am »
We'll take him, Our house is only one floor here and we're only about an hour away from you.  ::) ;D
He'll probably just have to figure it out for himself. One of these days he'll just appear at your bedside.
How about we move in..... I will have another little baby in about a month you can also help me take care of!!!  ;)
Actually it is a great house for babies and children and we don't have any. It's a big open floor plan. I do babysit a lot and always prefer to bring them here than at their own 2 story house.
I am happy to hear Titan made it up the stairs and hope he is feeling better soon.
« Last Edit: March 03, 2009, 02:50:48 am by Clifford the big dog »

jesday

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Re: Something New hopefully not for long...
« Reply #13 on: March 03, 2009, 04:09:17 am »
...now I have been (8 months prego) knocked into the snow bank with a bloody nose by this dog and Titan HATES him! So every time we see him Titan flares up we just keep walking we don’t even stop anymore due to last week's incident; and we probably won't stop again! After these events Titan started to feel discomfort and that’s when we brought him into the Chiropractor.

Well of course, now it is clear. He's having sympathetic pregnancy and just can't make it up those last three stairs! :D

Offline Apreston

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Re: Something New hopefully not for long...
« Reply #14 on: March 03, 2009, 10:12:40 am »
...now I have been (8 months prego) knocked into the snow bank with a bloody nose by this dog and Titan HATES him! So every time we see him Titan flares up we just keep walking we don’t even stop anymore due to last week's incident; and we probably won't stop again! After these events Titan started to feel discomfort and that’s when we brought him into the Chiropractor.

Well of course, now it is clear. He's having sympathetic pregnancy and just can't make it up those last three stairs! :D
SOOOOO true!! Except if he was having these symptoms he would lay at the bottom of the stairs and cry like I do!!!