Feisty49

Greenville, Greene County, NY: Marla with Annie Bella

My Annie, adopted July 14 this year, will do the 9 blue stone steps leading down/up from terrace to ground level and back, and the one step into the house, but will not do the 14 *wooden* stairs up to the 2nd floor, where the bedrooms are. I did the paw/paw, push from behind, the first two nights of her living here. She shook like a leaf and I shook with fatigue! Getting her down each morning was a nightmare with morning #2 resulting in both of us falling down the bottom 4 steps. Needless to say, I didn't do that any more and have given her lots of time to get over it. Since then, I have put carpet treads on the stairs, and got advice from the local Bark Buster dog trainer who came last week. Regarding the stairs, she said to put off breakfast for 2 hours, making Annie very hungry, and then put 2 or 3 pieces of food on each of the first 3 stairs. It got Annie used to approaching the stairs again because she wanted to eat! She could eat off the first 2 steps from the floor. When I put a few pieces on the 3rd and 4th steps, it required her to put her front paws on the bottom step. She had to be reassured it was fine and it took her a few times of walking around, but she finally did it. She then ate the rest of her breakfast from the bowl placed on the bottom stair. At each successive meal, which are to be given late, I will put a few pieces of food on one step higher, forcing her to put both paws on stairs...hopefully! This will take days but I was assured she will eventually go up (and down?) the stairs without being forced. I suppose if I had another person here, I'd do the paw/paw, push again, but it was too much on my back alone. Fortunately, or unfortunately because I'd like her to be upstairs, she is OK sleeping on her Bean bed in the TV room all alone.

I've had my Annie Bella since July 14, not quite 4 weeks. She has pooped twice in the house because she was angry at something I did, both of which were when I left her in the house when I was outside talking to a neighbor. If she sees me, she wants to be part of the conversation. Luckily (knock on wood), I can go away for 3 to 4 hours, without crating, with no problem. Some dogs just poo more than others and one break mid day may not be enough, and I honestly don't think 8+ hours with no chance to potty should be expected. I know I can't go 8 hours... Annie poos & pees (P&P) first thing in the morning, about 6 AM. She then gets breakfast, and we go for our morning walk about 30 minutes later. She will also P&P then. She has another poo during our evening walk (after supper) with a couple of pees between morning walk and evening walk. Pretty much I give her an opportunity to do her thing every 4 hours after our morning walk. (I don't have a fenced-in yard so she's always leashed.) Her stools have often been pudding-like so I am experimenting with different food. "Good" food is supposed to be better absorbed, thus producing fewer #2P, but the "good" food Annie was on is what was causing her soft stools (too much protein).