Speculating and Suggestingfalln_caryatidMarch 11 2008, 13:48:30 UTC
So it's both up and down, but only stairs? Not hills? (If it's all inclines, there may be an inner ear thing; your vet could check.) Is it just narrow stairs? (As a big dog, he may be afraid of getting stuck, which would be harder to solve, save only with slowly exposing him to it, and building up his confidence/tolerance. And try him first on big, open stairs, outdoors; make a game of running up and down the town hall/public library/etc. front steps.) Or just wooden ones? (It may be the sound or sensation upsetting him, so practice on carpeted stairs; check his paws to make sure there's no damage, blisters, etc. and that his nails aren't overgrowing. It may be that the footwork on the stairs is hurting his feet....)
I think overall the best thing is to build him on it slowly. Set aside time when you're not holding up the entire dungeon crawling party, and split up each at one end of the stairs, with toys and cookies and treats -- it's going to take a lot of encouragement, and patience. You could even just bring a book, sit at the top of the stairs with his supper, and wait to see if he'll sneak up the stairs with that inducement. If you have a flexilead, try incrementally shortening the leash, not dragging him, but by degrees lessening his latitude till he has no choice but to take just this one step, then another....
Re: Speculating and Suggestingfalln_caryatidMarch 11 2008, 14:58:01 UTC
Also, on the treats leading up the steps, if you can stand having to mop afterwards, maybe a treat that isn't so snatch-and-run-off-able -- like instead of a hunk of cheese that he can streeeetch his neck out, slurp like a hummingbird with his tongue, and bolt, maybe spray a puddle of cheeze-whiz or something similar that will require focused effort for him to lick up, to slow the process down.
Re: Speculating and SuggestinggossamerspiderMarch 11 2008, 17:12:52 UTC
Stairs he goes up and down with no problem:
~Wooden Steps from the street to the house ~Wooden Steps from the alley to the vet ~Concrete Steps from the driveway to the local Armory (where he has class)
Stairs he won't associate with unless under extreme duress: ~Carpeted Steps from our main floor to the basement ~Concrete Steps in the parking garage ~Wooden Steps going up to our D&D game ~Concrete Steps from the back "yard" into my room (in the basement)
I'm really wondering if the difference is the open space vs the enclosed "hallway" feeling, though the ones in the parking garage were *very* wide and open feeling.
Something else that I've wondered if it's because he feels they're too steep for him as he's a big dog (7 1/2 month old Newfoundland). He also has the patience of a saint and is willing to lie down at the top of the stairs in the House and wait for me to come back up. He feels no compulsion to join me downstairs whatsoever though he follows me from one room to the other on the main floor.
Re: Speculating and SuggestingzahnarabaiMarch 11 2008, 17:25:28 UTC
Hm, the carpeted steps in the main floor to basement, if I'm remembering right, have a decently low ceiling; maybe that is contributing to his feeling that it's too small for him, or too steep? Low ceilings make things look steeper and narrower.
Re: Speculating and SuggestinggossamerspiderMarch 12 2008, 10:16:38 UTC
Currently the vet said his hips are okay. He needs to get x-rays done again in a year and a half as the joints are shallow so the head of the bone doesn't sit as far in as the vet would like. Upon consulting with a radiologist he was told it isn't cause for concern yet, just keep an eye on it.
Is it just narrow stairs? (As a big dog, he may be afraid of getting stuck, which would be harder to solve, save only with slowly exposing him to it, and building up his confidence/tolerance. And try him first on big, open stairs, outdoors; make a game of running up and down the town hall/public library/etc. front steps.)
Or just wooden ones? (It may be the sound or sensation upsetting him, so practice on carpeted stairs; check his paws to make sure there's no damage, blisters, etc. and that his nails aren't overgrowing. It may be that the footwork on the stairs is hurting his feet....)
I think overall the best thing is to build him on it slowly. Set aside time when you're not holding up the entire dungeon crawling party, and split up each at one end of the stairs, with toys and cookies and treats -- it's going to take a lot of encouragement, and patience. You could even just bring a book, sit at the top of the stairs with his supper, and wait to see if he'll sneak up the stairs with that inducement. If you have a flexilead, try incrementally shortening the leash, not dragging him, but by degrees lessening his latitude till he has no choice but to take just this one step, then another....
GOOD LUCK!
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~Wooden Steps from the street to the house
~Wooden Steps from the alley to the vet
~Concrete Steps from the driveway to the local Armory (where he has class)
Stairs he won't associate with unless under extreme duress:
~Carpeted Steps from our main floor to the basement
~Concrete Steps in the parking garage
~Wooden Steps going up to our D&D game
~Concrete Steps from the back "yard" into my room (in the basement)
I'm really wondering if the difference is the open space vs the enclosed "hallway" feeling, though the ones in the parking garage were *very* wide and open feeling.
Something else that I've wondered if it's because he feels they're too steep for him as he's a big dog (7 1/2 month old Newfoundland). He also has the patience of a saint and is willing to lie down at the top of the stairs in the House and wait for me to come back up. He feels no compulsion to join me downstairs whatsoever though he follows me from one room to the other on the main floor.
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How are his hips?
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