[betty]

You guys are so incredibly helpful, I hope you don't mind if I pick your brains on another topic.

Buffy will not go up or down stairs, at all. There are two small steps off our deck, which she has no problem with (and actually took in one leap this morning while doing laps around the back yard). But the inside steps she won't go near and we have to catch her and carry her up. She's not that little, if you know what I mean. I don't know if she had trouble with steps at one point (ie falling down) or if it's fear of the unknown. Any tips on how I can break her in on the steps?

We are off to the vet this morning!

 

[kim26]

You could try luring her up and down the stairs with her favorite treats. You could put the treat down on a step that is out of reach and she might go up after it, or you could hold it just out of reach and coax her.

 

[Chesterpal]

Betty before you know it she'll be zooming up and down the stairs and they will be just another part of the race course.

 

[blueteal]

Betty, Chesterpal is so right.
Denver used to be terrified of stairs and would avoid any stair anywhere. Now I have to call him off the stairs(I do not want an injury) as he goes up and down them in record speed. Do not worry, Buffy will master stairs in no time. :lol: :lol:

 

[MaxandMe]

Betty...peanut from age 9wks to 11wks old was scared to death of stairs. NOW at 13 wks old ...she loves to jump off the stair landing sailing through the air, only to run to climb back up the few stairs to do this all over again. She is going to be a pilot when she grows up :shock:

 

[Doodlesville]

Hmmm

Betty...peanut from age 9wks to 11wks old was scared to death of stairs. NOW at 13 wks old ...she loves to jump off the stair landing sailing through the air, only to run to climb back up the few stairs to do this all over again. She is going to be a pilot when she grows up :shock:

I have to say this, do you realize your allowing her to do this is putting stress on the bones and joints as she is growing? hence you may have hip joint issues later
My champion bred lab did that as a pup ,.I told my husband "Dont you dare blame the breeder if he comes up with Joint problems ,its YOUR fault"
we had to use a leash every time he went down stairs until he would walk up and down them normal,,

 

[Kathryn Aberle]

Hi Betty ... our Mia was afraid of steps when she first arrived, but after some coaxing with treats and toys she got used to the stairs to the top floor quite easily. I think the fact that my study is on the top floor helped because she really wants to spend time sitting under my feet when I'm on my computer.

She's such a fan of stairs now that she created a new game. From my study I can toss one of her soft squeaky balls over the railing and down the stairs and, being the fanatic retriever she is, she gallops down and up again to bring it back. Great exercise on a rainy day!

That said, she still will not go down the stairs into the basement even if her ball goes down she just sits at the top of the stairs willing it to come back up. I don't know what she thinks is down there but no amount of coaxing will get her down those stairs.

 

[Doodlesville]

You guys are so incredibly helpful, I hope you don't mind if I pick your brains on another topic.

Buffy will not go up or down stairs, at all. There are two small steps off our deck, which she has no problem with (and actually took in one leap this morning while doing laps around the back yard). But the inside steps she won't go near and we have to catch her and carry her up. She's not that little, if you know what I mean. I don't know if she had trouble with steps at one point (ie falling down) or if it's fear of the unknown. Any tips on how I can break her in on the steps?

We are off to the vet this morning!

She will master the stairs at her own pace dont force her she is not ready but will be soon,be very careful with stairs as she is growing

 

[betty]

Thanks for all the tips.
I won't try to force her. She is a bit on the shy/scared side anyone, so I don't want her to feel intimidated. She's officially 29 lbs. I guess I can handle her for a few more weeks.

Hey - does anyone else have oozing tear glands? The vet called it something else, but said it was more common in smaller breed dogs.

Our appointment went well. She is all checked out and loaded up on vaccinations, etc. Ready to start her new life!

 

[MaxandMe]

Nancy... do you realize Peanut is tethered to me and/or DAVE all the time except at nighttime? And she did this a few times BEFORE we could catch her. And I do appreciate your concern, thank you so much a main reason i like this forum---we all help each other out

remember Max is 8mo old now and we did the same thing ---kept him away from stairs and had him in our sight 24/7. NOW, when they play we also make sure it doesn't go too long or too rough we make them settle, sometimes even give them nap times.

I think a few times on 3 stairs is okay....just as long as it is not daily. I also have her crate trained since she is NOT like Max who sleeps on the bed staying put.
And i also do not want to hurt thier developing bodies, and there is NO roughhouse play allowed either with my boys or dave. HOWEVER when they're outside it's fair game with their doodle runs and jumps.
If you could see how she runs and jumps in midair playing with her toy or Max...well let's say she has alot of energy, is quick , agile---main reason she is tethered along with housebreaking.

remember the climbing picture out of her pen? which is why we took it down

 

[Cinsmom]

I think that's how Cinnamon sprained her knee - playing on the stairs. I don't think we'll do the ball up/down the stairs game again, even though it was a great way for her to expend her energy. I'll have to think of something else.
Of course it could have been taking the 4 steps on the back deck in one big leap, I'm not ruling anything out.

We had a cocker that was afraid of stairs. He finally came around when all his family went up and down them. We didn't coax him, just talked to him while he was at the bottom/top and once he learned the how's, he was fine. Come to think of it, he went down the basement stairs, but someone had to go first. What a protector he was!

 

[Doodlesville]

Sounds good

Just wanted to give you a heads up
also pups grow up until they are 2yrs old :wink:

 

[MaxandMe]

thanks again Nancy

we play fetch by throwing the ball lower to the ground or sometimes i roll it on the ground. Also a kong works great for fetch as it bounces crazily on the floor making them naturally exercise themselves. Then again i have a 30ft long room to do this in.

 

[Cinsmom]

30 feet! That's a bowling alley!

Cinnamon will throw her own kong - it's so cute! Then she looks at it until it stops and runs to get it. I guess she'll play by herself if no one else will.

 

[Doodlesville]

Sounds like one heck of a playtime!!!

I have to tell ya,,
Steve(DH) got me a Maltese pup for christmas
his name is gizmo , cute as a button

I just bought him a puppy mobile from petedge, it came in today,,omg he is in heaven he loves it!!
doupt it would work with larger pups may last about 5minutes
but it is working great with him im laughing so hard my jaw hurts :lol:

 

[MaxandMe]

Re: Sounds like one heck of a playtime!!!

I have to tell ya,,
Steve(DH) got me a Maltese pup for christmas
his name is gizmo , cute as a button

I just bought him a puppy mobile from petedge, it came in today,,omg he is in heaven he loves it!!
doupt it would work with larger pups may last about 5minutes
but it is working great with him im laughing so hard my jaw hurts :lol:

Nancy hahahhah i can't resist hahhahaa as the devil in me MADE me do it!
Make sure Gizmo doesn't jump up hahhahahhaaa :wink:

sorry, having a bit of fun now :wink:

 

[Doodlesville]

meany head

Heck this had rotten this one is
I bought him stairs so he can get on the couch,,omg,,,
do as i say not as i do,,LMAO

 

[MaxandMe]

Re: meany head

Heck this had rotten this one is
I bought him stairs so he can get on the couch,,omg,,,
do as i say not as i do,,LMAO

hahahhahahhaaaaaaaaaaaaaa ohhhhhhhhh you are a devil and a half!!!
hahhahahaaaaaaaa nancy!!!!! you're a bad girl!!! SETTLE down now!!! :twisted:

LMAO here too!!! omg you are toooooooo much!!! and I LOV IT!!
OK folks the jury is in deliberation on this one.
IS Nancy GUILTY as charged? :wink:

 

[Doodlesville]

Ohhh theres more!!!

he even got barretts,,omg what am i becoming,,LOL

 

[Kathryn Aberle]

Mia has a great little hard rubber ball that has a variety of siren noises and a flashing light inside when it hits the floor. We bought it a few years ago for our old Rose who is no longer interested now that she's deaf, loosing her sight and has mobility problems. I've looked for them recently and haven't been able to find one

At any rate it a great ball for self entertainment. If Mia's having trouble getting one of us to play with her she will get that ball and throw it for herself. It's pretty hilarious.