Dog and stairs issue - HELP!

[Rich P]

I decided to post this in spite of the fact that, as I told my wife, I will probably get a ton of wise acre remarks in response. In spite of that, I think this is enough of a serious challenge that it warrants a plea for HELP!

The LOML has never had a dog (in my defense, my last one was a totally dear Rottie). Of course she wanted a fluff ball.

Bottom line, we got this totally goofy, fluff-ball, rescue dog last Friday and are slowly integrating him into our household.

Got him home and (among other issues) he seems to have never encountered stairs. The good news is I got him to go up on Monday...however going down is a MAJOR issue (as in major stress behavior). Since he is a rescue we have no idea what possible trauma he had regarding stairs in his past life.

If I start at the top of the stairs and try to get him to go down, it's impossible...the pooch is totally freaked. If I carry him down and then go up for something, he is right behind me. When I go back down he just stands at the top and cries.

If I start 3 steps up from the bottom, he will hop down. If we start on step 4, he turns around and goes up to the top at which point I am ready to shoot him or me (not sure which LOML would prefer).

I've googled this and found the usual wisdom. My hope is that one of the wise folks that hang out here have some further guidance to offer. Is there a Dr Phill for dogs?

[crokett]

Find some food or a toyhe really likes and get him to come down after it. You may have to do it in stages. Randomize the reward though - don't always give it to him, else the first time he doesn't get it he will quit.

[jonmulzer]

With our rescue pup, we just had to nudge him until he would go down eventually. He was to the point that if you set him on the steps facing down, he would go. He just could not get to the point of starting on his own. Yours may be too timid for that though. Do you know of anyone with a dog that has stairs mastered? Our second dog picked up on everything from the first. She was running up and down stairs after a couple of hours. Maybe that will help if yours can see another dog do it and realize it is no big deal? Monkey see, monkey do.

[LCHIEN]

my daughter got a rescue a couple of months ago. at first she would not go up or down the stairs. It took a few days, now its just a thing they look back and laugh at.

[sparkeyjames]

Just walk away or stand at the bottom and encourage the dog to come down. One method is to get a dog treat that the dog absolutely loves then go to top of stairs tempt the dog with it then go down to the bottom and leave it at the bottom. If you continue to carry the dog down the stairs you just re-enforce that behavior. Sooner or later the dogs desire to be near you will over come the fear of going down the stairs. I had a collie pup years ago who had no problem going up stairs (you know that halting puppy stair climb) it took him a couple of weeks of confidence building but after that he was going up and down the stairs at full speed.

[cabinetman]

Dogs can learn by example. With you and the dog at the top of the stairs, get on all fours (like a dog), and bark a few times just to let him know you are now a dog. Then you crawl down the stairs, looking back at him while smiling to let him know how much fun it is.

He might feel more secure if you have a leash on him while tempting him to go down. You could also use a treat while at the top of the stairs and place it one step down and let him retrieve it. Then use two steps, then three, etc.

Years ago, I took one of my German Shepherds to a dog friendly beach. He was dual personality trained, quite large...115 lbs. He had never seen the ocean, but loved getting a bath with a hose. So I figured he might like the challenge. WRONG. He would not go near the waters edge. So, I put him on the leash, and gave him a "heel" command, and walked him into the ocean.

I can't say he loved it, but he was very good at doing the "dog paddle".
.

[bruce hylton]

Dogs can learn by example. With you and the dog at the top of the stairs, get on all fours (like a dog), and bark a few times just to let him know you are now a dog. Then you crawl down the stairs, looking back at him while smiling to let him know how much fun it is.

He might feel more secure if you have a leash on him while tempting him to go down. You could also use a treat while at the top of the stairs and place it one step down and let him retrieve it. Then use two steps, then three, etc.

Years ago, I took one of my German Shepherds to a dog friendly beach. He was dual personality trained, quite large...115 lbs. He had never seen the ocean, but loved getting a bath with a hose. So I figured he might like the challenge. WRONG. He would not go near the waters edge. So, I put him on the leash, and gave him a "heel" command, and walked him into the ocean.

I can't say he loved it, but he was very good at doing the "dog paddle".
.

Please have someone film this for future reference.

[cgallery]

I have some personal experience in this area. A friend's dog, when I was about ten or twelve, exhibited the same behavior.

The idea we came up with was to carry the dog to the middle of the stairs and set her down. We sat next to the dog and played with the dog while praising her for a minute or two.

Next, my friend went up a few stairs, and I went down a few stairs, and we alternated calling the dog back and forth just a stair or two at first. We'd hold our arms out so the dog didn't have far to get to one of us. And movement up or down (the dog didn't want to climb OR descend) was call for praise and a little piece of hot dog.

We basically got the dog ping-ponging up and down the stairs using this technique. We had figured it would take days of this but within thirty minutes the dog was cruising up and down the stairs.

[herb fellows]

I love small fluffy dogs! They're especially good sauteed, with a nice honey mustard sauce on the side.
Well, you said you expectd it, I didn't want to dissapoint!

I've got nothing else for you, sorry. I must say, cgallery's idea seems like a winner to me though.

[Ed62]

The idea we came up with was to carry the dog to the middle of the stairs and set her down. We sat next to the dog and played with the dog while praising her for a minute or two.

That's a good idea. She'll have to go one way or another. If she goes up, you could block her way with something so she can't go up. I'd also say to try leaving a treat for her, a step or two down from where she is. It won't be very long, and she'll be navigating the stairs very well.

Ed

[parnelli]

FWIW- We've had a rescue dog for many years now- he's about 8 or so. Anyhow- occasionally he refuses to go down the stairs.

The vet said that going down places stress on the neck area that going up does not. She thinks he had an injury that flares up from time to time and that when it does it causes too much pain to go down the stairs.

[Mr__Bill]

The other issue could be that the stairs are slippery. If that is the case you may need to temporally carpet them.

bill.

[jziegler]

As someone who is owned by three greyhounds, I can sympathize. In their racing lives, greyhounds never see stairs of any kind, so they don't know how to deal with them once adopted. Because the part of our house that is used regularly is all on the first floor (second floor has two spare bedrooms only right now), we haven't worried about it too much. One of the three is following us up occasionally, but needs help going down. The others have never seen those rooms. But, my suggestion would be do a search on greyhounds and stairs, and there will be many suggestions on training dogs for stairs. I know, much bigger dogs so things are different, but certainly a possibility for some advice.

Jim

[Rich P]

Thanks to all for the inputs.

I don't think it is anything physical. We have some short runs of stair steps outside in the garden and he has no problems with them. FWIW, I have read that going down is more intimidating to them than going up. (Hm, might be why we're always advised to "don't look down".)

The stairs are carpeted and there is a landing and turn midway so it's not like he has to look all the way down to the bottom.

I've tried his favorite treat, placed it on the stairs and he just looks at me and does not move.

To get him to go up, we coaxed him up a few steps and then carried him the rest of the way, adding a few more steps each time. All of a sudden he went all the way on his own. I figured it would work on the down too.

I'll try the two person approach next. At least that way I won't wear myself out running up and down!

If that fails I'll try the "doggie coach". Some friends have King Charles spaniels and when the get a new one the older guy shows the newbie the ropes. Unfortunately, they are about 2 hours away. The King Charles is about the same size as our rescue dude so that would be great.

We do have a friend close by who has a Bearded Collie who is about 4 times the size of our guy so he might get intimidated, but if all else fails I'll give that a shot.

Any more hints or suggestions are very welcome.

[Rich P]

Wow, three greyhounds...now there's a real handful. At least our guy is only 17 lbs so picking him up is no problem.

I remember once seeing an episode of the "dog whisperer" where he got this Irish setter to go up and down stairs on the first attempt (to the absolute amazement of his owners). I don't recall what the trick was but I sure wish I did!