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Very Slow Progress On Stair Learning


Guest willowNY

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Guest willowNY

Hi all!

 

My husband and I have had our first greyhound, Willow, for about a week, and couldn't be happier. She's been off the track for about 6 weeks- 5 of those in a foster house with other greyhounds. She's incredibly sweet and gentle with us, and for the most part has been a dream so far.

 

While she isn't scared of people, and already seems attached to us, she is definitely very timid about floors, exploring the house, toys, and especially STAIRS. We live on a second floor two flat, so she has to use the stairs to go outside 4x/day. We came into this with eyes wide open, and I knew that the stairs would be a challenge. I'm happy to be patient with her, but after a week and 20+ trips up and down, it seems we've made very little progress and I'm wondering if I should be doing something differently.

 

The stairs are hardwood, so we put down carpeted treads to help her with traction after it was clear she was sliding a lot. Our usual routine is to first encourage her to come up the stairs on her own, talking to her and saying "UP". Sometimes this will spur her to do the first two, but then she always "statues" on the landing before she has to do 7 stairs. So, we support her from behind, moving her paws up stair by stair, and nudging her to go. Typically once we get to the second to last stair, she'll leap up. She gets big treats and praise when she gets up the stairs, regardless of how much we helped her. After a week of this, we're not seeing much progress- she still statues at the sight of them, sometimes tries to go back DOWN the stairs she's already accomplished. We've tried high value treats (which she'll usually have nothing to do with while on the stairs), tried not stopping and just running up so she doesn't have time to think too much, tried waiting her out, and nothing seems to help her progress. We always end up with us moving her up and showing her how, but she isn't catching on on her own. She goes down the stairs great- very deliberately and methodically.

 

I've read on other threads here that a lot of greys get this after a few days, and I'm worried that we're doing something wrong here. I'm happy to be patient, but I don't want to have to manhandle her 4x a day if I don't have to- I'm sure it's not fun for her!

 

Any advice or thoughts would be much appreciated!

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Sounds like she's sensitive, and perhaps a little timid, sweet girl! Each one takes their own time settling in and learning new things. I don't think she's particularly slow in this regard, she's just taking enough time for herself. Good for putting down the non-slip treads. If the stairs are open - don't have risers - it could take her longer to get used to them since they are scarier going up than down.

 

It's harder on you because she needs to go out several times a day. I know it takes extra time each trip, but you're really doing it right. Keep encouraging her, praising her, and giving her treats (as she'll take them) and one day the light will come on. It probably set her back in the first few days when she was slipping - they have long memories!

 

You might get a harness like this one Ruffwear Webmaster Harness http://www.ruffwear.com/Web-Master-Harness_2 It made for hiking and you can lift the dog around like a suitcase. It could help you - but watch and see if being handled like that is counter-productive for her. If you can find some stairs outside - wider, shallower stairs - for her to practice on away from the apartment, it could speed things up.

Chris - Mom to: Felicity (DeLand), and Andi (Braska Pandora)

52592535884_69debcd9b4.jpgsiggy by Chris Harper, on Flickr

Angels: Libby (Everlast), Dorie (Dog Gone Holly), Dude (TNJ VooDoo), Copper (Kid's Copper), Cash (GSI Payncash), Toni (LPH Cry Baby), Whiskey (KT's Phys Ed), Atom, Lilly

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Guest willowNY

Thanks! The outside stairs are a good idea, we'll have to try and find some good ones. I will also look into a harness if we don't see improvement soon. The stairs aren't open, thankfully, I can't even imagine how she'd feel about that!

 

The one or two times she has done the big section somewhat on her own, she basically tries to take the whole thing in a giant leap and its a mess and probably sets her back, so we are trying to use a close leash and get her to learn how to do it in steps rather than trying to leap it and crashing.

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Guest Greyt_dog_lover

I would go with the manhandle routine. I have had 30 plus greyhounds (30 which were in rehab for broken leg) that have to learn open face stairs outside to eliminate. There is no time for coddling. here is how I trained each of them:

 

Down:

Slide hand into collar like suitcase. Slip 3 or 4 fingers between the loop that the "d" ring is on

Walk the hound to the stairs

The hound WILL balk at the top of the stairs

Hold the hound's head to your hip and walk down the stairs at a slow steady pace keeping control of the hound the ENTIRE way down

You WILL have to pull the hound over the top of the stairs, do NOT jerk yank or otherwise show any impatience. Simply walk steady with the head at your hip

Keep the hounds head at your hip all the way down the stairs until you are at the LAST step. Do not let go early. This could encourage the hound to jump the last few stairs, not something you want them to do

Repeat, Repeat, Repeat.

 

Usually after about 3-10 times of going down the stairs the hound figures that he/she is going down regardless of their desires and relents and will willingly go down

 

Up (more difficult than down)

Walk hound to stairs

Get behind the hound and have the hound's butt on your chest

Lift front paw up one stair

Left rear paw up one step

Lift other front paw up one step

Right rear paw up one step

Repeat, Repeat, Repeat

 

You want to be sure that the hound cannot turn on the steps, so you may want to have the leash on the hound and have hold of the leash. Keep repeating a few times a day. You can practice before you actually have to use the stairs.

 

You will hear different ideas on how to do this. I have had so many fosters that I cannot afford the time it takes to let them "figure it out" on their own. Realize that this routine does require you do physically handle the hound. DO NOT in any way shape or form lose your temper or patience. If you think you are going to get frustrated, dont do it. Greyhounds are very adept at accurately reading your emotions. Keep a positive mindset and treats handy. Treat at the top and bottom, throw a party and keep things light natured. In the 30 plus hounds, the longest it took to get reliable stair walkers was about 5 days.

 

You can do it, no worries.

Edited by Greyt_dog_lover
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Be as confident as you can be. Exude confidence because as said above, your girl will sense if you are timid about the entire process. Annie learned to do stairs in 4 tries and I know it was because I had it in my mind that she had to do them or else she'd be sleeping downstairs by herself because momma sleeps in her bed, not on the couch. I did the paw paw/paw paw thing as above while mostly standing behind her and giving shoves on her bottom. Coming down the stairs, I stood beside her head, so my feet were always ahead of hers, and held her collar so she wouldn't fall. I did the paw paw thing going down. It worked.

 

You can do it because it has to be done and go into it with that attitude. Do not ever carry her up or down. If she thinks she can get a free ride, she will expect it every time.

Edited by Feisty49
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We use Greyt_dog_lover's method.

 

If you're strong enough (physically AND patience-wise :lol ) , it might be worth doing some practice runs when she doesn't have to go outside. Couple times in a row. Big party each time you get up or down. Many dogs get to at least helping a bit in a few days, but some do take a little longer. Patience and practice, and she'll get it.

Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in Illinois
We miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10.

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Guest WildSparkler

It took Roxy a long time to learn the steps too. We live in a 2nd level apartment now as well. We've had her for a year and a half now, and she still hesitates every time she has to go up or down, although going up is definitely more difficult too! She will put her 2 front paws up on a step and rock back and forth then pick up each back leg one at a time and sometimes take up to a minute to get going! Haha. It's like she still really has to think about it every time, like it's so unnatural for her :dunno:rolleyes: . At the beginning we definitely had to place the paws one step after another. Once I would get her halfway up, I would take my hands off her so she would kind of be stuck there, yet make sure she is not able to turn around and try to go back down so she only had the choice to go up. She did take a few weeks to be able to do it completely on her own! Good luck, and much patience! :)

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It may also help if you can have a friend come by with a happy, confident dog that likes stairs. The couple of new fosters I've had that had any trouble with the stairs, really had a much easier time after watching my two doing them without a second thought. It made them more confident to try them. Some still require a helping hand to learn, but seeing a buddy isn't afraid of them has really helped in my house.

Kristie and the Apex Agility Greyhounds: Kili (ATChC AgMCh Lakilanni Where Eagles Fly RN IP MSCDC MTRDC ExS Bronze ExJ Bronze ) and Kenna (Lakilanni Kiss The Sky RN MADC MJDC AGDC AGEx AGExJ). Waiting at the Bridge: Retired racer Summit (Bbf Dropout) May 5, 2005-Jan 30, 2019

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It took Roxy a long time to learn the steps too. We live in a 2nd level apartment now as well. We've had her for a year and a half now, and she still hesitates every time she has to go up or down, although going up is definitely more difficult too! She will put her 2 front paws up on a step and rock back and forth then pick up each back leg one at a time and sometimes take up to a minute to get going! Haha. It's like she still really has to think about it every time, like it's so unnatural for her :dunno:rolleyes: . At the beginning we definitely had to place the paws one step after another. Once I would get her halfway up, I would take my hands off her so she would kind of be stuck there, yet make sure she is not able to turn around and try to go back down so she only had the choice to go up. She did take a few weeks to be able to do it completely on her own! Good luck, and much patience! :)

 

Annie also always contemplates the idea before going up. She'll walk up to them and if she gets there on what I assume is the wrong foot to start the trip up, she turns around, walks around the room and goes at it again. It might take her three or four times to get the right rhythm, and if I'm watching her from upstairs, all bets are off. She has to have privacy. Crazy dog.

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It took my girl a month and a half (roughly 44 days) of about an HOUR A DAY of stair training before she finally just did them herself. It's a process for some and you really have to be patient. You getting aggrivated only makes it worse. On the 44th day, I cooked a FRESH chicken breast that I was going to eat myself, and I figured I would see how much that motivates Trace. So I took the chicken breast and went down the stairs and Trace FLEW down the godamn stairs to get the chicken. So maybe try that? But be patient- a week is not nearly enough for some dogs!!

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I took Kingsley a month to learn to go down... but it was definitely more than a week to go up as well... and we did the stand-behind and pick up each foot for him technique too. He was definitely a fearful hound, cause Ruby, our second was running up and down in a matter of days-- of course, she also had Kingsley to watch!

We had brought another dog in for him to watch, which I do not think help... just time and patience. My husband would carry him up or down part-way and put him down to do the rest. which I recall helping.

Amy and Tim in Beverly, MA, with Chase and Always missing Kingsley (Drama King) and Ruby (KB's Bee Bopper).

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Guest willowNY

Update: It took about 12 days, and Willow has mostly gotten the hang of the stairs!! Sometimes she needs a little nudge to get going, but once she does she's doing great and doesn't need to be bribed with treats anymore. Thanks for all the helpful advice and encouragement!!

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