Teaching Pup To Go Downstairs...

[Niques]

James is 6 months old now and I want (need - he's a heavy lump!) him to start going downstairs. He's been going upstairs for a while now but will occasionally freeze on the staircase. Most of the time the appeal of food and giving him a few minutes is enough incentive to continue the journey up, so we're good with that direction.

The problem is going down! The poor little sod can (slooowly) get his hind legs down onto the first step, with his front paws on the third, but then he panics and starts whining shrilly and tries to turn around.

Any suggestions to make it easier for him?

[GoldenGirl85]

What sort of surface is it? he simply might not feel stable if its a slippery surface

[persephone]

How are his hips ?

[matilda1]

Katie just learned how to go up and down stairs. It's quite a big staircase I must admit (goes from the ground floor of a barn to the loft) and you can see through the stairs so visually a bit scary too.

She was fine UP but struggled DOWN for a while.

I just went with her and held her collar so she felt secure and gave treats.

I did one step, then two...then 3....you get the drift. With lots of praise.

then she actually went off to 'practice' on her own. probably the working dog in her...needing to get things done.

She's fine now.

She likes to go half way up the stairs and sit with her bum one step higher than her feet (like on a chair) and watch what goes on 'downstairs' from her prime position up high.

But YES, I agree...make sure there is no physical reason first.

[GoldenGirl85]

How are his hips ?

Good point

[Niques]

Hips are all well and good, according the vet. He doesn't seem physically troubled, just not confident. He'll keep tentatively picking his feet up, as though contemplating taking the next step (literally and figuratively), but won't take the leap of faith.

They're wooden stairs. Slipperiness is a worry and am on the search for some non-slip socks for him anyway as he keeps losing his paws on the tile floor, but there doesn't seem to be any give under his feet when we're practicising. Do you think it would be best to wait until we get socks so his feet are more firmly planted?

Katie sounds adorable, practicing by herself James has made a few attempts in the past, just to take a peek down, but hasn't gotten further than putting his front paws on the first step. So making it to the third is progress!

[Dogsfevr]

The socks i don,t think will work long term & you will need to teach the dog to walk in those.

I would be getting non slip matting for each step & whilst yes a pain it will be less of a fuss than adding the socksinto the equation

[frankfurts]

Had the same thing with koda he is 4 months now he could go up stairs about 4 weeks before he learned to come down. I just put him on the steps like 3 steps up or so and put a treat at the bottom and gradually increased the amount of steps.

[matilda1]

Hips are all well and good, according the vet. He doesn't seem physically troubled, just not confident. He'll keep tentatively picking his feet up, as though contemplating taking the next step (literally and figuratively), but won't take the leap of faith.

They're wooden stairs. Slipperiness is a worry and am on the search for some non-slip socks for him anyway as he keeps losing his paws on the tile floor, but there doesn't seem to be any give under his feet when we're practicising. Do you think it would be best to wait until we get socks so his feet are more firmly planted?

Katie sounds adorable, practicing by herself James has made a few attempts in the past, just to take a peek down, but hasn't gotten further than putting his front paws on the first step. So making it to the third is progress!

Yes...that IS progress. Just reward it and it should continue. Every dog will learn scary things at their own pace. I did spend some time carrying Katie when I needed to. I just didn't make a big deal out of it, and eventually she WANTED to do it.

He'll get there...he sounds like a really sweet dog :D

[aussielover]

How many steps are there? He may be a little overwhelmed. Can you practice on just a few- maybe 4-5 steps?

[whiskedaway]

OH's old roommate had a poodle x and Cooper could go up the stairs fine, but coming down he refused. So all of the doors upstairs were closed so he could only be on the landing area, and everyone went downstairs. He whined for half an hour and he was ignored, but after that he came downstairs by himself because he got too lonely.

Re slipperiness, can you maybe put a stair runner or something like that on the stairs so they're not so slippery? My aunty used to have one made out of carpet on her stairs so it was easier for the dog to go up and down.

We were lucky with Akira, we went up and down the stairs and she followed.