Another Stairs Question

[Tracey]

Over the past 6 years we have successfully taught four Greyhounds to walk up and down our 13 stair staircase with no problem. Our wonderful Cosmo was even able to do it with three legs, bless her heart. We have always used the 'one foot in front of the other while supporting them from behind' method to get them up the stairs, and taken them by the collar and guided them to get them down. No problems with any of the four of them. Number 5, Reggie, is a problem. Despite watching Chase, Morgan and even his co-newbie Rufus walk up and down the stairs, Reggie decided his best way up was to hurl himself at the stairs and jump up them in about three terrifying (for us and probably for him) leaps. And going down is not as scary, but nearly two months in he really is not getting any better at doing them by himself. The others walk or even run down without a thought and Reggie goes down each step as if he's negotiating a cliff an inch at a time.

 

Reggie is clearly afraid of going up the stairs. He desperately wants to be with us but he now sleeps on the couch in the den when we go to bed. Several hours after he can't stand missing us anymore, he may stand at the foot of the stairs and cry. Eventually he may hurl himself up the stairs to be with us. Once there he jams himself in between Jason and me, puts his head on a pillow and sleeps like a baby; that's how I can tell how frightened he must be of the stairs because he is SO happy once he's finally back with us.

 

So, my question is, I have a technique that obviously worked for most of the dogs. Do I start over from scratch and hope that Reggie can learn to do stairs the "right" way? Do I try a different approach and if so, which (I know which one NOT to do based on the Soapbox thread )? Or now that he's learned this dangerous way of doing the stairs is it hopeless and I should just block him from coming upstairs altogether so at least he doesn't break something (neck, leg, etc)?

[Batmom]

I would teach him to do it right, one step at a time. That way fewer worries about him crashing and burning.

[Guest LindsaySF]

I would teach him to do it right, one step at a time. That way fewer worries about him crashing and burning.

Agreed.

 

 

The others walk or even run down without a thought and Reggie goes down each step as if he's negotiating a cliff an inch at a time.

One of my friends has a Greyhound that still does this. She is 8 now. She does the stairs but extreeeemely slowly.

[Guest Greyt_dog_lover]

Maybe try picking him up and placing him in the middle of the stairs going up, then repeat the training of one foot, one step. Maybe if he can see the top, then you teach him the proper technique, it may help. I would have someone above him though as if he sees the top, he may just decide to jump. I have had many that do that, though they usually relax after a week and do "nomal" stair climbing (if any greyhound doing stairs looks "normal").

[sobesmom]

Well... now you've got the oddball. Time to switch gears. I've had to do that recently with my current foster (on a diffent issue) after having a dozen fosters learn easily the way we taught. This one doesn't "get" it. CRAP!

 

I'd suggest "the suitcase method". Put a harness on the dog. Walk up the steps, slowly, with the dog in a harness, you supporting all the way - lots of treats for every step. Over and over. Lots of support, both physically (with the harness) and verbally - and with Treats. Lots of treats.