Question About Stairs

[Guest grey_dreams]

I am a newbie who is dreaming about adopting a galgo. The problem is that I live in a 2-floor apartment located on the 4th and 5th floors of an apartment building that doesn't have an elevator. The great people at the adoption group tell me that stairs are not a problem. I have read so much invaluable advice and experience from all of you on this forum, that I would also like to get your advice about this. Do you think that I am just dreaming, or would this amount of stairs be a problem?

 

Many thanks in advance!

[Guest akcpupontherun]

You will be in great aerobic shape and have a fine looking rear end! The hound will look good too! Go for it!

 

by the way...welcome... there is a ton of terrific advice here.

Edited January 28, 2007 by akcpupontherun

[Guest GreySibs]

I used to live in a 4th floor apartment and although some fosters gave me a work out trying to get them upstairs, they ALL eventually figured it out. Some of them it did take a little while (which is where the work outs come in) and others got it right away. As long as you don't mind working on it then it won't be a problem. They will eventually figure it out.

Good luck!

[Guest LuvXRacers]

Pardon my ignorance, but what is a galgo?

 

If a galgo is another word for greyhound, then I can say that if the adoption agency has told you that stairs are not a problem, then they must have all of their greys in foster homes and they all must be used to stairs. Fresh from the track, most greys have never seen stairs, and being so long from nose to tail, it is a scarey position for them to be in. Most have to be trained and can get over their fears in no time. After they learn the stairs, THEN they'll be pulling you up the stairs!

Edited January 28, 2007 by LuvXRacers

[Guest grey_dreams]

Thanks for your advice akcpupontherun and GreySibs. I guess the thing that worries me the most is that so many people have been telling me that routine stair climbing/descending cause horrible hip problems.

 

LuvXRacers: Galgos are the Spanish breed of greyhound. They are bred for hunting (not racing), many are mistreated, and many are killed after the hunting season is finished.

[Guest Brandy_b]

My girl seemed to learn the stairs very very quick! She now she tears up and down them like there's no tomorrow!! :lol :lol

 

<3 Brandy & Caliloka

[Guest LuvXRacers]

[quote

 

LuvXRacers: Galgos are the Spanish breed of greyhound. They are bred for hunting (not racing), many are mistreated, and many are killed after the hunting season is finished.

 

 

Oh! Thanks! How sad. Bless you for rescuing one! I wish you the very best!

[Batmom]

I guess the thing that worries me the most is that so many people have been telling me that routine stair climbing/descending cause horrible hip problems.

 

Have never heard that nor seen it. I would imagine that a dog with hip dysplasia might indeed find stairs painful, but it isn't a condition *caused* by stair climbing. Hip dysplasia is virtually unknown in racing greyhounds and probably very rare in galgos.

 

If pup were injured (or in very old age, or after vet visit requiring anaesthesia), you'd want to be prepared to do some carrying. But a reasonably sound dog won't have trouble once stairs are learned. Some learn right away, some takes a couple weeks, most somewhere in between, to where you just have to go alongside and stabilize them and maybe pass out a treat or two along the way .

[ChelmsfordGrey]

I have a galgo. Stairs weren't a problem at all. I believe Data was used as a hunting dog, not a racer, so he was accustomed to "terrain". This means he is agile. At the adoption kennel, he scaled an 8foot chain link fence and got himself free. He can clear a 5 foot fence without any problem.

Edited January 29, 2007 by ChelmsfordGrey

[Guest Che_mar_Cody]

 

You shouldn't have any problem with stairs - they'll fly up & down them once they get the hang of them -

[Guest JustBreathe]

we only have one flight of stairs.... After about a week, our newly adopted grey, still would not attempt them, even with trying to lure her up or down with treats. My husband had toted her upstairs numerous times so she could explore the 2nd floor and know exactly where the stairs led too. Finally I tried standing beside her, leaning over her (hug like), then using my hands and arms to lift one leg at a time up one step at a time. She was so proud of herself, by the next morning she was zooming up the stairs. I had to work with her the same way to build her confidence to come down the stairs. Now she is a pro. Once she mastered them she thought they were playground equipment. I was so concerned that one slip at the speed she wanted to take them and she'd break a leg so I've had to discourage her from playing on them or taking them too fast. It is however difficult for them to stop mid-flight while ascending or decending, so don't trip them up by trying to halt them mid-flight. allow them to make it to the next landing. Also I found she prefers to be near the wall side of the staircase as opposed to the rail side. So I've learned to always use the railside myself, so that she is not impeded by my getting in the way of her acscent or desent on her side.

Edited January 29, 2007 by JustBreathe

[Guest grey_dreams]

Thanks everyone for sharing your advice and experience! It's greatly appreciated!

[Guest gst]

Grey dreams, we just adopted 2 greyhounds, 2 weeks ago, the female came right up the steps as soon as we got home.

The male watched her a couple of times, tried it himself and now neither have a problem with stairs.

[TheFullHouse]

All of mine go up and down the stairs with no problems at all. Saint was my most difficult to teach only because his silly mom didn't realize that a treat on each step sure got him up the stairs quicker!

[Guest artur_ganate]

Seis is a Galga ( female galgo) and she likes to jump up and down the stairs.

But this depends - most of them are not used to do this.

The spanish hunting grey usually live in a so called 'rehala' - a small kennel - and not in househoulds. They aren´t companions, they are working dogs

 

Dominic

[RobinM]

I got 2 of my greys right off the track and right into my home where they had to climb 6 steps just to get into my house and another 15 or so (2 sets of steps) to get upstairs. The last one we adopted was 2 weeks ago and he is 100% fine with all steps. It took a day or 3 to perrect but NOW, he is like a bat out of hell racing up or down.

[Guest greyhidden]

Just adding my advice. Off the record, was training my IGGIE on back porch with lead going down with her; praising her. Going up with her with lead; praising her again. THEN holding the lead at bottom of rail, telling her to come down SLOWLY; praising her. Do the reverse, going back up with the lead at the bottom of rail which is only 4 steps to top. She got the hang of it; then she did it without the lead; accomplished it seeing m y other iggie who knew how to go up/down w/o lead to back yard. She was so happy when she accomplished it ALL BY HERSELF. Maybe you can try this with your galgo inside the house, go SLOWLY with her, then without her, using a lead in both cases. Good luck.

[GreyAcresMom]

Ohh..I remember teaching 'Noser the stairs....not long after...he would push a tennis ball from the top to the bottom and play fetch with himself!!

[Guest cherieinohio]

We had a few problems with both of our greys but after a few days they were fine. Sometimes I walked beside them holding their harness and lifting them slightly. Sometimes I walked in front of them. Sometimes we needed one person pushing from behind and one coaxing in front. We still have a little trouble with open staircases where they see through but I just walk beside them, hold their harness and reassure them that it's okay. At home they run up and down the stairs at 40mph sometimes. Good luck. You'll be fine. Just be patient.

[Guest bowiebears]

We've had 3 greys, and 2 of them (Sandy & Arlo) both had no issue at all with stairs.

 

Dowland, now 11.5 y/o, was quite afraid of the stairs when he first arrived. He wouldn't even look at them. He did get the hang of it, but he's still not comfortable going up. After more than 7 years! Coming down was never a problem, however. So he tends to minimize number of trips up the stairs per day, unless there's a special treat up the stairs or a squeakee!