Guest kirstenbergren Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 So.... I have a silly, but kinda serious question. Does anyone's greyhound go up and down carpeted "open" spiral stairs?? We go on vacation a hand full of times to my uncle's lake home in Tofte, Mn on Lake Superior. The only stairs between the first and second floors are a set of spiral stairs. The first and only time we brought PJ up there was a few weeks ago and he wasn't having anything to do with them. He does great with normal carpeted stairs. We are going up again in a few weeks and I don't want to scare my already spooked dog more, but I'd like him to learn the stairs. Any advice?? I'm only asking because my "whole" family will be going up there for Thanksgiving this year and if we can't get him to use the stairs we probably will have to board him while we are gone. Other people occupy the other bedrooms on the first floor when "everyone" goes up at the same time. And no, they won't switch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DesiRayMom Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 Personally, I'd sleep on the floor & make everyone else step over/walk around. I'm with PJ....open spiral stairs give me the heebie-jeebies. Quote Blessed is the person who has earned the love of an old dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OwnedBySummer Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 (edited) Wow! Summer is my stair-proof go-anywhere therapy dog and, although I've never tried stairs like that, I'm quite sure she would refuse. She's also my little civil engineer -- if the staircase is "not to code" (treads too narrow, risers too steep, whatever), she can balk and take some convincing. But I know she'd not go up spiral open stairs. Where could you even go to work on such a thing? Maybe a fire tower in a state park? And if it's another guest like yourself in the 1st floor bedrooms, I'd think your uncle could just assign them a different bedroom? Good luck -- that's a tough one! ETA: Rather than board the dog, could you stay in a local inexpensive hotel? Or bring an air mattress and sleep on the living room floor with your dog? I'd be very resentful if no one in my family was willing to help accommodate me if I was in this situation -- those are scary staircases and many dogs, grey or not, wouldn't go up them. Edited August 3, 2012 by OwnedBySummer Quote Lisa B. My beautiful Summer - to her forever home May 1, 2010 Summer Certified therapy dog team with St. John Ambulance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BootsyCollins Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 Can he sleep in the living room area while you're upstairs? If not, I'd just plan to work with him with hot dogs, american cheese, liver, and patience. He can learn them. Quote Christie and Bootsy (Turt McGurt and Gil too) Loving and missing Argos & Likky, forever and ever. ~Old age means realizing you will never own all the dogs you wanted to. ~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Time4ANap Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 Can you cut some cardboard to shove into the open backs and "close them? Just a thought. It may also just be the whole staircase space is too confining for a hound. You could always put the dog bed in a first floor bedroom and leave instructions for middle of the night potty outings. Quote Camp Broodie. The current home of Mark Kay Mark Jack and Gracie Kiowa Safe Joan. Always missing my boy Rocket Hi Noon Rocket, Allie Phoenix Dynamite, Kate Miss Kate, Starz Under Da Starz, Petunia MW Neptunia, Diva Astar Dashindiva, and LaVida I've Got Life Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAJ2010 Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 That staircase would terrify me! I doubt Rainy would go up it but I could get her up if I really had too. Sunshine would have no problems but she is part crazy mountain goat. She jumped a baby gate and scrambled up stairs that were to slim and narrow that Rainy fell down them. Quote ------ Jessica Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Snazzy_Chloe Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 I think covering the open back would help the most, I was going to suggest a carpet runner but that wouldn't work on a circular stairway without creating a tripping hazard; plus these circular stairways are quite steep which may be another issue for your dog. I guess I would carry the dog up and down, don't know if someone there is capable of it - that is unless you can sleep on the ground floor. The cardboard idea looks the like the most reasonble and best to me so far Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cleptogrey Posted August 5, 2012 Share Posted August 5, 2012 i rented a cottage once that had a metal spiral staircase. the dogs didn't go near it and my dogs never balk about stairs. i just left the dog beds downstairs and they were fine. your only sleeping upstairs, what's the problem? the pups will be exhausted from all the commotion and attention and will be snoring away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kirstenbergren Posted August 6, 2012 Share Posted August 6, 2012 PJ is really attached to me and I was hoping he'd sleep by me upstairs. There are 2 bedrooms on the main floor. My parents usually sleep with their dogs in the one with hard wood floors (cause they won't do the spiral stairs either). The other one has carpet that has been in the house since before my uncle bought the place. Needless to say, it has really good smells. Yuck! The first time we brought PJ there we thought we'd sleep in there. But, within 2 minutes of walking in the room PJ peed on the carpet. So that room was closed off. The basement might be an option, but those stairs are hard wood. We'll see wht happens. I'm going to ask my uncle if he can put the new carpet higher on his to-do list before Thanksgiving. We go up again on the 18th. We'll see if I can coax PJ upstairs. Upstairs is all carpet, so I bet he'll just want to pee up there too if it has "good" smells. Lol. PJ weighs 90+ lbs. So, I'm not carrying him up, I doubt my husband will want to try either. I'll probably just lay on a mattress in the living room with him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macoduck Posted August 6, 2012 Share Posted August 6, 2012 If the new carpet isn't in by the time you go there, how about putting a belly band on PJ? Quote Freshy (Droopys Fresh), NoAh the podenco orito, Howie the portuguese podengo maneto Angels: Rita the podenco maneta, Lila, the podenco, Mr X aka Denali, Lulu the podenco andaluz, Hada the podenco maneta, Georgie Girl (UMR Cordella), Charlie the iggy, Mazy (CBR Crazy Girl), Potato, my mystery ibizan girl, Allen (M's Pretty Boy), Percy (Fast But True), Mikey (Doray's Patuti), Pudge le mutt, Tessa the iggy, Possum (Apostle), Gracie (Dusty Lady), Harold (Slatex Harold), "Cousin" Simon our step-iggy, Little Dude the iggy ,Bandit (Bb Blue Jay), Niña the galgo, Wally (Allen Hogg), Thane (Pog Mo Thoine), Oliver (JJ Special Agent), Comet, & Rosie our original mutt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cleptogrey Posted August 6, 2012 Share Posted August 6, 2012 If the new carpet isn't in by the time you go there, how about putting a belly band on PJ? easy solution and your not asking anyone to do anything! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kirstenbergren Posted August 6, 2012 Share Posted August 6, 2012 If the new carpet isn't in by the time you go there, how about putting a belly band on PJ? I didn't think of the belly band. What a great idea! That might by my problem fixer. I'd rather bring him with us on Thanksgiving than leave him at the boarders. Even though I know he'd have a blast, since it's all greyhounds at the place we would board him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest june Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 Wow, I can't belive there is only one way down from the second floor and it is a spiral staircase. I lived with one of those once and they are wicked. I think the belly band is probably the answer. I know I wouldn't want to leave my dogs if there were any way I could take them with me. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kirstenbergren Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 Wow, I can't belive there is only one way down from the second floor and it is a spiral staircase. I lived with one of those once and they are wicked. I think the belly band is probably the answer. I know I wouldn't want to leave my dogs if there were any way I could take them with me. Good luck. The house is absolutely beautiful! It has 2 bedrooms upstairs, 2 bedrooms on the main floor and 2 or 3 bedrooms in the basement. The whole side of the house that faces Lake Superior is windows. It's just wonderful, but those stupid stairs!! Spiral to go from 1st to 2nd floor and hard wood stairs going from the 1st to the basement. Not very dog friendly, but obviously the previous owner(s) had pets since there are so many good (bad) smells in the carpeted areas. I think my uncle needs to re-model the entryway with the spiral stairs and put in "normal" stairs with a landing or 2. I think it would fit well and still look really nice. He's got the money. I'll plant the seed in his brain. I know it was a pain in the butt for him and my dad moving all the furniture he bought upstairs. I'll buy a belly band the next time I'm at the pet store and we'll try it on him in the room on the 1st floor with the carpet. That can be our test-run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sobesmom Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 (edited) I'm not dedicated or smart enough to try to teach open spiral stairs - especially if you're only there occasionally. That would be somewhere between seriously tough and impossible. You could probably teach your dog to surf easier. I think you've stumbled upon one of the very few things GT may not be able to help train. Belly band sounds reasonable - but I'll warn you if you've never used one - he WILL still pee. And you'll have to change the band, so get a few and plan on washing and drying them. Some dogs pee in them once and hate it so never pee when they have one on ever again. Some - just keep peeing in them. You can put maxipads or incontinence pads in them so you only have to change out the pad. Oh, and some dogs can figure out how to get out of them. I'm NOT trying to discourage you - I think it's a really good idea. I'm just trying to give my little bit of experience so you'll be smarter than I was when I had to use them. (on a grey - not me - I'm a good girl!) Could your dog sleep with your parents and their dogs? Maybe you could offer to steam clean the downstairs bedroom and treat with a pee-out cleaner. I forget what the good ones are. Sounds like the room needs it anyway. Not sure that would be appropriate for you to do though in you situation. Don't want to offend! Edited August 11, 2012 by sobesmom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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