# Going down the stairs



## Arkos (May 12, 2013)

Hey guys, I have a situation regarding our puppy going down the stairs. Besides our 4-month-old V puppy, Arkos, we have a 6 year-old Brittany, Banjo. We moved to an old house about 2 years ago and the stair treads were hardwood and the stairs a little steep. I saw Banjo falling all the way down the stairs pretty hard once and thankfully nothing has happened to him. He didn't get traumatized or shaken up but I did :-[ . It was a horrible scene and I can't get that image out of my head. Last year we installed carpet staircase treads and Banjo has never fell down the stairs again. Since Arkos arrived we keep a baby gate on the first step of the stairs. We used to carry him up at night to sleep in his crate in our bedroom and the next morning we carry him down. When he was 3 months old he started to climb the stairs every night with us without a problem (he loves it). BUT one night I went to the bed early leaving my husband with the boys downstairs. When the time to go to the bed came, my husband let the boys climb the stairs to go to our bedroom. Instead of going straight to our bedroom, Arkos went to the guest bedroom right across from the stairs and my husband went after him. Hearing it, I called Arkos from our bed and I just heard a big noise coming from the stairs and my husband saying "Arkos, No!!!!". I closed my eyes in panic imaging him falling down the stairs. My heart was racing like you could not believe and I was shaking and frozen. 10 seconds later I see Arkos completely fine coming to our bedroom and going to his crate. I asked my husband what happened and he said that Arkos heard me calling him and thought I was downstairs so he went right down the stairs by himself without a problem (but of course, all clumsy and fast) and came back right up to where I was.


This was the first and last time Arkos went down the stairs by himself. Every morning we still carry him downstairs (he's getting heavy! 28.5 pounds). I tried to take him down the stairs with a leash but he got all freaked out and I got panicked so it didn't work out. I don't know what to do. I have this block that I can't let him go down the stairs. How do I do this? I mean, how do I train him to go down the stairs? I always think he's going to fall like Banjo did. I think he's too young to go down the stairs... He's 4 moths old. He goes down our porch steps (4 steps) without a problem. When he climbs the stairs he goes so fast and clumsy, all excited so I picture him going down stairs the same way and I get chills just to think about it. I'm paranoid. :'( I attached pics of the stairs without the baby gate. I appreciate any advice.


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## stryker (Dec 9, 2012)

Put a piece of cheese on each step and you will see how fast he gets down those stairs. At 28 Lbs he can get down the stairs believe me. Stop babying him he can do it all by himself hes probably trying to figure out why you are still carrying him. He is a high energy athletic hunting dog bread to be in the field, let him be a dog.


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## Arkos (May 12, 2013)

Thanks guys!


Stryker: you are right, he's definitely trying to figure out why we are still carrying him. No doubt! Especially that Banjo always goes down the stairs in front of us. He might think: "Hey, I can do what he's doing so why are you still carrying me?!". When he went down the stairs that night my husband said he did it without a problem. So I guess he is perfect capable to do it on his own. I'm just concerned if he goes down too fast and clumsy because he is still pretty clumsy. I guess I'm just too paranoid because of Banjo's fall. Bottom line is that it's not the puppy, it's me :-\ . I have to overcome this fear. If I see him going down the stairs I might relax about it... I know I'm creating a huge thing about a simple thing.


Datacan: How old was your boy when he started to go downstairs on his own?


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## gunnr (Aug 14, 2009)

You kinda have to let go. Let him find his own feet.
Ours were clumsy at first, but now they can do zoomies in circles up an down the stairs.
He's a lot more agile than you may be giving him credit for. 
I can't say that I ever restricted any of my dogs through the years on stairs. Once they were big enough to do them on their own, I let them go at their own pace.


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## calum (Feb 13, 2008)

We have stairs similar to this, but narrower. They used to be just wood and were incredibly slippy, but now we put carpet on them sort of like yours.

Phoebe has no problem going up and down them. It is hard to tell from the picture but they are maybe even steeper - definitely bigger steps. They go up to the attic room so the dogs don't use them much, but Vizsla's are clever and Phoebe soon realised how to use them. Arkos should be able to cope fine with them - its only slippery surfaces that can cause trouble.


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## WillowyndRanch (Apr 3, 2012)

Free Professional advice removed by Author.


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## VictoriaW (Mar 16, 2011)

Might be worth keeping in mind that an ER trip is much more likely to result fom your trying to carry a 30lb puppy down a steep flight of stairs. If he slips on his own he will probably be just fine...if you fall on top of him it could go really badly for both of you. :-\

Arkos is beautiful. Where is he from?


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## mlwindc (Feb 8, 2013)

We brought our puppy home at 11 weeks and he was terrified of the stairs. We live in a four story townhouse so he quickly got over it. It was about two weeks whereby he didn't like going down (up was never a problem) and we occasionally had to carry him when he was really tired, but he was an old pro by 4 mos


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## Rudy (Oct 12, 2012)

Week 8 now week 12 my Willow eats stars , stairs Rudys Nuts in bunches ;D

you are not helping the mate

and no deeds to carry her or him due to the stairs posted

Rudy says nuts taste like chicken? ;D

Willow da' Red shark bite the Rudy machine :

and what a pointer runner and pre hunter


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## Arkos (May 12, 2013)

Hey guys, I'm so grateful for all of your input! Thank you so so much!!!! You guys helped a lot. Boys are upstairs sleeping now. Tomorrow will be the day that my fears will disappear. I'll let you guys know


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

Arkos is sure a handsome little guy!! ;D ;D

I have some steep, narrow stairs in my house, too, and have always let the dog go at his own pace and figure it out. (They always do.)

Ken, I loved the little video of Popeye learning to do the stairs. How sweet!


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