My nemesis: the stairs

[RaenaMonster]

So any helpful tips on getting your dog to go up and down stairs?  Started carrying Raena up and down the stairs when we first brought her home (worried about her growing joints, hurting herself etc.). . .but that was 5 months and 65 lbs ago LOL.

Thanks in advance

PS we've tried treats, praise and patience but that's only got us up to first stair

[Morweena]

Can't tell you how to fix it but I understand. Ruby isn't as big as a lot of dogs on this board (only 80 lbs) but she has a long back, so she is very ungraceful on stairs.

[waffles717]

we used to tell peaple all the time what to do will stair's,we have two saint,we just lost molly to Bloat and are a Getting a male Saint pup,in july,but we know have a Ranch Home,with very little stair's,but what I did in my other home when they where,Ready to walk Down and up,I put them on a leash and walked behind then and showed how to,this would help there museles in there legs,get Stong and in a mo,they would be on there own like training wheels mary lee!!!!! I will be having a new's letter coming out of funny Dog Story's! Look for it!!!

[waffles717]

we used to tell peaple all the time what to do will stair's,we have two saint,we just lost molly to Bloat and are a Getting a male Saint pup,in july,but we know have a Ranch Home,with very little stair's,but what I did in my other home when they where,Ready to walk Down and up,I put them on a leash and walked behind then and showed how to,this would help there museles in there legs,get Stong and in a mo,they would be on there own like training wheels mary lee!!!!! I will be having a new's letter coming out of funny Dog Story's! Look for it!!!

[vmimom2006]

Athena was 9 months when I got her and she would have nothing to do with the stairs. She got used to walking on the leash so I started using the leash to get her started. She seemed to go with the leash on in the begining. Now she is fine. I also put carpet treads on the stairs so she would not slip as easily.

[waffles717]

that is a very good idea,the wood is so slipery,that all it takes its also a good idea to put a gate up to keep them in one area at a time,they are so much fun,some peaple think they are are Big? I Don't know why,I guess it's how you look at it Ha,we are looking foward to picking out our new male puppie for maggie,after losing molly,it was so sad,but she is coming around i have heard of dogs dieing from heart ack,We think she thinks she is coming back,so sad!!!!!!!love from all our saints!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[RaenaMonster]

Luckily our stairs are carpeted, so we don't have to worry about the slipage as much.  And if we could go back in time and not buy this 2 story money pit (thanks alot economy) we would! But for now we're stuck with stairs.  We just can't bear to leave her to sleep downstairs when she's been sleeping upstairs with us.  We'll keep working on it, sounds like it does just take time. I think I will try to use the leash, sounds like it may give them some sense of safety. 

Thanks for all the input!

[RaenaMonster]

Well we did have a breakthrough of some sort last night. We've been putting her on the landing of the stair case where theres only 5 or 6 more steps to the top.  She sat down and looked at us like "Why are you making me do this?" Then she just decided screw it, I'm going for it! and just launched herself up the few stairs to the top.  Not the most graceful climbing I've ever seen, but then again being a gawky mastiff puppy she doesn't do much of anything gracefully!  I think we'll just keep coaxing her up with tastier and tastier treats, thank god she's food motivated!

[AudgePadge]

You mean stairs aren't the thing we race up/down?   

I can't help you here...In Monty's younger days, he was the stair-master...now he's an old man that watches tv on the couch.

[PyrPack]

I found some low, wide concrete stairs at a local park.  I trained Xena there a few times while she was young.  We're in a single story home, so she doesn't get much exposure, but I know she can handle them if she has to.

[RaenaMonster]

Yes, I have considered trying some stairs outside at a park or something, since she just super stoked and uber-excited when we're out and about somewhere, thinking I could perhaps trick her into going up the stairs with out even really thinking about it. Unfortunately she was spayed a week and a half ago so she's kinda been on excitement lockdown, but her incision has looked way better the past few days so I can prolly stop being overprotective mom and let her go to the park again.

[NewfieMama]

Cooper won't do the stairs in my house (steep but carpeted). I am more afraid of how he will get down than how he will get up. 

Outside, he is quite willing to follow his doggie pals up and down steps in a park or on and off of a friend's deck in their backyard. He also does our garden steps easily, though at first (we brought him home at age 2) he followed along the side of the steps in the garden beds. He soon learned that these steps were not slippery.

At my work, we have slick wood steps and he will have nothing to do with them, so I second the suggestion of treads or carpeting or something else that makes them less slippery and also less visually intimidating.

Good luck!

Mary