Author Topic: Stairs  (Read 6240 times)

Offline Winslow 151

  • Paw-meister
  • **
  • Posts: 538
  • Winslow at 6 Months
    • View Profile
Stairs
« on: November 02, 2005, 04:11:13 pm »
Hi,

Winslow is now 17 weeks and petrified of the "Stairs" How do you work stairs into training. He is going to get way to big to be picked up every time stairs come in his path.

He does the 3 steps in and out of the house with no hesitation. Any others and you'd think the boogey man was waiting at the other end ;)

I just want him to be able to come up stairs or down to the basment on his own.

Happy Tails to All
Winslow's Dad

Kiahpyr

  • Guest
Re: Stairs
« Reply #1 on: November 02, 2005, 04:22:38 pm »
He's a cutie! Kiah was afraid of stairs too. I put treats on some of the steps. I also helped her down. She didn't like to go down the steps, but she would go up them. I would lure her to the top step with a treat while I was in front of her on the steps. Then I would gently grab her front feet and put then on the next step and help her down them that way. I also stood at the bottom end of the steps and called her name with treats in my hand. Kiah hated being away from me, so she eventually came down. Just be patient he'll get it.

Offline jabear

  • Moderator
  • Wizard of Wiggling & Waggling
  • *****
  • Posts: 4629
    • View Profile
Re: Stairs
« Reply #2 on: November 02, 2005, 04:48:07 pm »
He is so cute. Slow and steady is the best way to approach this. Give lots of treats and praise as reinforcements when he gets it. Good luck and keep us posted.
Hugs,
Jaime
  Mom to one handsome black Bear.

Offline sarnewfie

  • Leader of the Pack
  • **
  • Posts: 484
    • View Profile
    • HarborWinds Newfoundlands and Stain Glass
Re: Stairs
« Reply #3 on: November 02, 2005, 05:23:11 pm »
Any good breeder will tell you no more than three or four steps right now
carry him any more steps than that until you cant carry him anymore
the best way once he is big enough is to have a dog used to steps show him how it is done.
do not force him and Steps should only be done once a day GUIDED by the COLLAR
as newfs think they are superman and will fly down from halfway up wich can cause damage to the growth plates shutting them down.
be very careful.
right now four steps is enough.
when i teach mine, i carry them  up three quarters of the way, than we coax them up
than going down i sit on the steps with them in back of me and we go down that way
or jason will carry them three quarters of the way down and guide them down.
Photography by Christine
http://harborwinds.fototime.com/PHOTOS FOR ORDERS

HarborWinds Newfoundlands&Search and Rescue
http://www.geocities.com/Petsburgh/Haven/4505

lins_saving_grace

  • Guest
Re: Stairs
« Reply #4 on: November 03, 2005, 03:39:13 pm »
Slowly.  Grace decided when it was time for her to learn stairs.  I wasn't going to push it.  Lady learned with treats...again slowly.   I figured one thing at a time and we would tackle stairs when the girls wanted to.

Offline shangrila

  • Golden Paws
  • *****
  • Posts: 2819
    • View Profile
Re: Stairs
« Reply #5 on: November 03, 2005, 09:05:04 pm »
slow, steady, and lots of treats!

One thing to point out though is that it really makes a difference how steep the steps are. In our house, we have sets; Zoey is fine with our main set, but terrified of the other (steeper) set. It was the same at our old house; she was fine with one set, but afraid of the steeper set...
RIP former BPO

Offline Winslow 151

  • Paw-meister
  • **
  • Posts: 538
  • Winslow at 6 Months
    • View Profile
Re: Stairs
« Reply #6 on: November 06, 2005, 09:50:38 am »
Hi,

Well we started the Treat Method. He is curious but won't take the plundge yet. We'll keep at it as it seems to be the trick.
Happy Tails to All
Winslow's Dad

Offline WhiteShepherdDog

  • Ankle Biter
  • *
  • Posts: 39
    • View Profile
Re: Stairs
« Reply #7 on: November 06, 2005, 10:07:13 am »
>do not force him and Steps should only be done once a day GUIDED by the COLLAR

Here's a tip when getting a dog to 'follow' as you guide using collar
...turn your back to them or turn away to face the way you want to go...facing them head on is a confrontation in dog body language...
leaders turn away and the followers follow...

I spent hours with treats on each stair before I learned not to face him when I moved forward...but. ..
eventually, he climbed on his own to get upstairs where we were. We were just hanging out and there he was...he showed up on his own.

I never carried him upstairs, either...so it was a strong desire to see what we were doing up  there...

Our stairs are 'open' like outdoors stairs...he never had as much problems with stairs where you couldn't see the space or get the sense of elevation. Very scarey. I still had to reward him lots on stairs in different places after he did the ones in our home.
I also paired him walking up the 3 easy stairs with "up" so he got the idea and "step" when he stepped down...so I could verbally cue him too.

He loves the A frame now and is a great climber of everything!
It just takes time to build his confidence...
Patience, repeated exposures to 'good things happen' on stairs and time....smile at him on the stairs....
it's okay that he doesn't do it at 17 weeks...
what you don't want is conditioning to 'bad things' happen on stairs (pulling/struggling, frustration, shouting, etc)
Bottom line, when the desire is great enough, he will muster up the skills needed to do it on his own---if he has positive emotions associated with it. You know he has the skills from doing the 3 steps...
he just needs to chain them together by himself.
« Last Edit: November 06, 2005, 10:17:31 am by WhiteShepherdDog »
Regards,
Martha in Texas

Lyn

  • Guest
Re: Stairs
« Reply #8 on: November 06, 2005, 10:46:52 am »
I did what Sar mentioned. Although I don't have a Newf.. yet.  ;) I carried Bubba up and down the stairs until I could no longer carry him. He eventually would come up.. but was hesitant to go down. We just took it slow.

Now he will fly up and down the stairs. I have to stand in front of him when he's going down. Otherwise he jumps from the 3rd step. I hold his collar and he puts his forehead in my lower back.. lol Then I can make him take one step at a time. If I hold his collar and walk beside him he still jumps and pulls me with him.

Offline waffles717

  • Big Paws-a-holic
  • **
  • Posts: 373
    • View Profile
Re: Very Imporant Tip's For STAIR'S!! RULE'S!!!!!!
« Reply #9 on: November 06, 2005, 03:46:24 pm »
Rule,No,1, Alway's have your pup on a lead!@,2, Keep,them on the lead,even for a mo,after they might seem good,misheps also treat's are a good way too them  ::)try to teach going up first!then say good girl it is a lot easyer  :-*then bringing them up they get heavey! Know you to go Down :-* you put your hand under there feet sit with them on the step,to go down this is the only way and a treat and tell them it is ok you will get them,this is one step  :-*at a time when know ::) one in around!after u do this :D then they will be going up 8) and down on the lead with u i :-* promise!!o,k,hope i help,love mary lee!!! :-*
This Beethoven, he went to vet yesterday, he is 36 pound and only 9 weeks old!

Offline waffles717

  • Big Paws-a-holic
  • **
  • Posts: 373
    • View Profile
Re: Stairs
« Reply #10 on: November 06, 2005, 03:58:19 pm »
and do you know how many dog's fall from this everyday?? alot so please Please, read lisen to what i say,it will work,enjoy your puppy he is soooooooooooo cute!!!!! just want to keep him safe! we into safe stuf!!!!! I  might Be making a safe new'sletter'for Large Breed Dog's !!would love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This Beethoven, he went to vet yesterday, he is 36 pound and only 9 weeks old!

Offline NoDogNow

  • Grand Master
  • ***
  • Posts: 601
    • View Profile
Re: Stairs
« Reply #11 on: November 06, 2005, 05:32:09 pm »
Big or small, it's a 30-year old rule in my whole family that no dog is allowed to go up or down stairs unaccompanied.

Of course, that rule was put in place when one of my grandmothers chihuahua decided that the sewing room/closet (which in our family sees a lot of seasonal use for school clothes and Christmas gifts, but can go ignored for months at a time) was a perfect choice for his personal bathroom.  He must have been going in there 3 times a day for weeks before my grandmother went in there to fix something and stepped on 2 piles of petrified poo simultaneously .  I'm told the whole county heard the scream of outraged dignity.

I think it's a good rule, no matter what prompted it.  I've known several puppies--not even big paw ones--who have been encouraged down stairs with treats, etc., and who have been hurt as a result when they did it alone.  My friend Pat's Brittany pup Chippy separated his shoulder when he fell down a set of stairs a couple of years ago. Another friend's terrier actually broke a bone on the concrete floor because of the way he landed.  And girl I went to school with almost had a DEAD puppy--their basement was partially finished, and part of it was just an old, old, dirt-packed root cellar--the stairs went right over the slope of this dirt without any backing at all.  Their puppy fell between the steps and got wedged in the dirt and very nearly died of hypothermia from being held against that cold, damp dirt for several hours before someone came home from school!

I think teaching stairs alone should be something reserved for service or other special job dogs, just like ladders. 

« Last Edit: November 06, 2005, 05:32:45 pm by NoDogNow »
Sheryl, Dogless and sad

Offline Winslow 151

  • Paw-meister
  • **
  • Posts: 538
  • Winslow at 6 Months
    • View Profile
Re: Stairs
« Reply #12 on: December 04, 2005, 12:49:53 pm »
Hi,

Well a visit to His cousin Angels Split ranch for thanksgiving and next thing you know Winslow was up in the bedroom.

So Stairs are mastered!! Patients and no forcing!! He just wants to be where the action is  ;D

« Last Edit: December 04, 2005, 12:50:21 pm by Winslow 151 »
Happy Tails to All
Winslow's Dad

Offline luvmenewfs

  • Full Fledged Chewer
  • *
  • Posts: 95
    • View Profile
Re: Stairs
« Reply #13 on: December 04, 2005, 06:47:57 pm »
Hi Winslow!  Wow don't you have a sweetie pie there!!!

We were fortunate because our breeder did not limit us on the amount of steps our Newfie pup should do rather she encouraged us to get him used to the steps and to support him while he was doing so!!  But I notice some have mentioned about breeders not allowing too many, so you should ask your breeder.  We did and were delighted with the answer and the advice in how to support him, what was dangerous and not.

Slamming down steps are hard on the front shoulders and elbows.  So we were very watchful as he went down.  We kept a harness (a good solid inch wide tracking harness) and when he went down, we had our hand on the harness and in front of him to ensure he didn't "Barrel" down the steps!!  Nor crash at the bottom.

First we used the treats like others have mentioned, and only encouraged going up.  Up is easier and less frightening. 

Hope this helps.

Luvmenewfs