My dog refuses to use the stairs

[Grimmjow Jeagerjaques]

I know this is a common problem, I just don't know the solution. Yeah, there are probably plenty of sites I can look it up on but I'd rather hear what's worked for you people.

At some point my dog used the stairs, but she ceased doing so after she fell down them. She's a big dog (german shepherd mix) so it's pretty much impossible to lift her and she's extra skittish because she was abused when she was a puppy. The floor's hardwood, but we've put stuff on the ground for her to step on that won't make her slide around and she won't have it. We tried coaxing her with treats to no avail. The same thing happened with my cousin's dog but hers is much smaller so she can just carry him.

So, what do you guys suggest? Please no idiot replies like "LOL KICK HER DOWN THE STAREZ"

[Headline]

Would it be possible to make a ramp or something? Like, just a slim one that went down one side. That might be a little inconvenient, but.. -shrug-. Good luck.

[Grimmjow Jeagerjaques]

Not a bad idea, but the only problem is that our stairs curve. gonk Our back ones are just straight down, but we're on the second floor and she won't even go near those.

[flightlessdream]

Well, I was going to say try getting her to come up by using treats, but I see you've already tried that. My sister's dog used to use the stairs until she got out of the basement one time while my sister was away and she set off the alarm. She was terrified. Now she will only use stairs outside. Lol. Why stairs outside are any different I don't know, possibly because there are only a few steps as opposed to many.

Maybe work on just getting her to walk up a step or two with you and sit down on them. Then you could pet her and show her that she can be comfortable on the stairs. Then work on getting up a few more steps each time...you know, as a gradual process.

[ayu_rule_yay]

ok whatever!

[5quid]

Put puppy upstairs alone until he learns its safe over and over, they'll get it eventually.

[Coyote-Walker]

My dog was never really exposed to tall flights of stairs so she's always wary of them. Especially if she can see through them. She'll wait for me at the bottom on them though, and I'm pretty sure if she though something happened to me she'd come up and check on me.

[chao fan jiaozi]

Well, maybe you can take a psychological approach and put a treat on one or a few stairs at a time. You know, train her to conquer her fear while giving her rewards for every few accomplishments...something like that...XD

[Illicit Expressions]

Put her food in sight at the other side of them. Her stomach will eventually win out.

[Styrene]

Dogs can be trained, and I understand the problems of the dog not using the stairs. I fostered a German Shepard once who had no problem going up the stairs, but was terrified of coming down.

Try getting some wood together and building a small set of stairs. Start with one, have the dog go up and down, then work your way to two, then three. After that, try putting the dog on a leash, hold it close to the collar, and take them up the stairs as far as they will go. If the sight of the stairs still freaks them out, try putting a sheet from the rail to the other end of the wall so they can only see a small section. Once they go as far as they can, then stop, give them a treat and some praise, and then take them back down. Do it again and again until you've finally got the entire staircase settled. It'll take some time

You can also try putting their favorite small treat on each stair. Go above them, and put one down and when they eat that one, show them that you're putting another one down on the next stair up.

[oAenimao]

Your not Alone :]]] One out of my three dogs refuses to go up the stairs as well..has to carry her up everynight...Ridiculous D;

[Grimmjow Jeagerjaques]

flightlessdream

Well, I was going to say try getting her to come up by using treats, but I see you've already tried that. My sister's dog used to use the stairs until she got out of the basement one time while my sister was away and she set off the alarm. She was terrified. Now she will only use stairs outside. Lol. Why stairs outside are any different I don't know, possibly because there are only a few steps as opposed to many.

Maybe work on just getting her to walk up a step or two with you and sit down on them. Then you could pet her and show her that she can be comfortable on the stairs. Then work on getting up a few more steps each time...you know, as a gradual process.

She'll go up but not down, probably because she fell head first rather than getting tripped up when she was climbing them. confused I always gotta use that stupid wubbu voice for her to go anywhere near them, but whenever I try encouraging her to actually go down the stairs she just backs up and partially tramples me.


Coyote: Your dog is real cute. I would be afraid to use transparent stairs too. I think.


AurorA: Not bad in theory, but when my dog gets scared she doesn't even acknowledge food. We took her into this pet store once and she wouldn't walk on the floor because she kept sliding around on the tiles, so an employee. The lady wouldn't go away after that gonk And she kept offering my dog treats to calm down, but they all got rejected.

But she ate them once we got home. confused


Styrene: Exactly the problem. She'll go up but not go down. I could try doing something like that because my grandpa has a lot of hardware stuff down in the basement.

[-=RitsBits=-]

You could try using a clicker. Set one paw on the first step, even if you have to put it there, as long as the paw touches the step in any form, then you click the clicker immediately and give her/him many rubs and pats and say "Good dog!" in the most annoying baby voice ever @_@. Make sure you give a command too, like.."[dog's name here], stairs!" and continue doing the process over and over. It will most likely take more than one day, just work on it daily for 10 minutes.

Just remember, say the command, if the dog touches in any way, click the clicker and reward immediately. If the dog is too afraid to take treats, rubs and pats are just as good in a dog's mind.

=]



Here's a clicker, they are like $1.00. Not expensive at all. You most likely can find one in a PetsMart or Pet Supplies Plus.

[DJ Twissta]

Sounds like she was traumatized by that exstremely,
I think there was something similar to something like that on the Dog Whisperer on one of there episodes, the dog refused to step on hard wood.

[Grimmjow Jeagerjaques]

-=RitsBits=-

You could try using a clicker. Set one paw on the first step, even if you have to put it there, as long as the paw touches the step in any form, then you click the clicker immediately and give her/him many rubs and pats and say "Good dog!" in the most annoying baby voice ever @_@. Make sure you give a command too, like.."[dog's name here], stairs!" and continue doing the process over and over. It will most likely take more than one day, just work on it daily for 10 minutes.

Just remember, say the command, if the dog touches in any way, click the clicker and reward immediately. If the dog is too afraid to take treats, rubs and pats are just as good in a dog's mind.

=]



Here's a clicker, they are like $1.00. Not expensive at all. You most likely can find one in a PetsMart or Pet Supplies Plus.

She might be afraid of that, but I'll try it anyway. I'll go to Pet Supplies Plus tomorrow since it's closest and see how it works. Thanks for the suggestion. 3nodding


DJ: Yeah, I don't know the intricate details but she's really skittish.