Hi everyone,
My husband & I just got an 8 week old Black Lab. He is doing great, except we live on a third floor & carrying him down the stairs every 20 minutes to go potty is heavy! He is already 13lbs & I am just wondering how you all teach your dogs to go up & down stairs or when they start doing it? He refuses to go near the stairs, I have to carry him up & down every time. I've tried to coax him down but he isn't having any of it.
Please help!
Puppy won't go up or down stairs!
Started by Chels, Nov 21 2011 03:29 PM
12 replies to this topic
#2
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Puppy Black Lab
Posted 21 November 2011 - 04:17 PM
I had this problem with a carin terrier i had when younger. All we did was encourage with treats and positive reenforcement. I'm sure stairs are pretty frightening to pups. it took a little time but eventually she decided to try it herself.... than she started sleeping on the stairs
#3
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Puppy Black Lab
Posted 21 November 2011 - 04:35 PM
Hi,
Our puppy just turned 8 weeks Saturday, and she has been going up our stairs since about 6 weeks. I encouraged her with treats, and now she has no problem going up them. Coming down is a different thing, she has tried, but is terrified, they are wood stairs with no grip, so that might take longer. Good luck and treats and positive reinforcement works, be patient
Our puppy just turned 8 weeks Saturday, and she has been going up our stairs since about 6 weeks. I encouraged her with treats, and now she has no problem going up them. Coming down is a different thing, she has tried, but is terrified, they are wood stairs with no grip, so that might take longer. Good luck and treats and positive reinforcement works, be patient
#4
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Posted 21 November 2011 - 04:50 PM
Dogs learn to use the stairs at their own rate. Don't try to push them otherwise they may develop a fear of them.
To a dog, stairs can be big scary things. And an 8 week old pup may not have enough energy to do three flights of stairs both down and back up. Does your building have a lift? That may be a better way to move your pup up and down until she gets a little bit older.
To a dog, stairs can be big scary things. And an 8 week old pup may not have enough energy to do three flights of stairs both down and back up. Does your building have a lift? That may be a better way to move your pup up and down until she gets a little bit older.
#5
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Senior Black Lab
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Posted 23 November 2011 - 10:38 PM
And don't forget, stairs might be simple for you, but you don't have to go down them head first!
"How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg? Four. Calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg."
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#6
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Puppy Black Lab
Posted 10 January 2012 - 07:27 PM
My dog didn't didn't like the stairs at first. But soon he just went up the stairs. I didn't encourage him with any treats, he just popped up in my room one day when I got out of the shower.
#7
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Puppy Black Lab
Posted 11 January 2012 - 12:53 PM
Hi everyone,
My husband & I just got an 8 week old Black Lab. He is doing great, except we live on a third floor & carrying him down the stairs every 20 minutes to go potty is heavy! He is already 13lbs & I am just wondering how you all teach your dogs to go up & down stairs or when they start doing it? He refuses to go near the stairs, I have to carry him up & down every time. I've tried to coax him down but he isn't having any of it.
Please help!
#8
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Puppy Black Lab
Posted 11 January 2012 - 12:59 PM
HI THERE MY DOG WOULD NOT GO UP OR DOWN BUT NOW SHE CAN GET UP STAIRS NO PROBLEM, DIFFRENT STORY COMING DOWN I JUST LEAVE HER TO HER OWN DEVICES SHE WILL SOON LEARN TO COME DOWN, MUST BE HARD ON THREE FLIGHTS OF STAIRS PLENTY OF ENCORANGEMENT SHOULD HELP AT LEAST TO GO UP, GOIN DOWN THE PUPPY WILL LET YOU KNOW WHEN HE CAN DO IT. MY LITTLE PUPPY CAN GET DOWN TWO STEPS AT THE MOMENT LAST TWO OF COURSE.
#9
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Adult Black Lab
Posted 24 March 2012 - 04:56 PM
It's funny how pups can run up & down a hill, jump, catch a ball & even swim instinctly, but stairs are, to some degree, a problem. Don't worry to much. It's not a natural terrain for dogs & for some it's plainly a scary thing. Try to entise w treats a step or two at a time. He will come arround. Enjoy.
#10
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Puppy Black Lab
Posted 02 April 2012 - 10:52 PM
I Personally threw my dog, Tiger's favorite toy, and didn't go down to get it, so Tiger went down himself 
#11
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Posted 03 April 2012 - 08:03 AM
Remember you still have a small pup on your hands. He's probably not big enough yet to navigate the stairs, and three flights of stairs would be a real workout for him!
#12
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Puppy Black Lab
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Posted 13 May 2012 - 05:47 PM
Ok...you're all suckers...just like me. When my dog hurt her ACL she suckered me into carrying her up and down the our stair case for two weeks. When my wife turned on the vacuum cleaner, suddenly my dogs condition was resolved. She went up the stairs like an Olympic athlete. This doesn't mean you should stop giving your lab any anti-arthritic medications (rimadyl (a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug)
A dog can be encourage to go up stairs, lift up the paws one flight at a time. if your dog fails to go up the stairs after a week, turn on the vacuum cleaner. You'd be amazed at how fast your dog learns to use the stairs.
A dog can be encourage to go up stairs, lift up the paws one flight at a time. if your dog fails to go up the stairs after a week, turn on the vacuum cleaner. You'd be amazed at how fast your dog learns to use the stairs.
#13
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Big Black Lab
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Posted 14 May 2012 - 02:21 PM
The vacuum cleaner story is very funny! Thx.
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