brindlehound Posted June 27, 2013 Share Posted June 27, 2013 We're currently under a tornado watch in Southeast PA. The house has a basement but Magic doesn't do stairs any longer. I figure we should be OK if I can get him inside the basement door on the small landing at the top of the stairs. But does anyone have a suggestion to get him down the stairs so we'll be even more safe? Quote Carol, missing Magic (1/5/01 - 4/15/15) but welcoming Fuzzy's Joy Behar (Joy) into my life on 5/31/15. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAJ2010 Posted June 27, 2013 Share Posted June 27, 2013 Can you pick him up and carry him? Harness to help him down the stairs? Both my girls do stairs, but Rainy is iffy with them and getting older. In an emergency I would carry her or just throw a leash/harness on her and keep her at my hip and pull her down. And stay safe! We are under a tornado watch until 10pm tonight too. We don't even have a basement though Keeping leashes on is a good idea anyways. A friend this past year had to make a run for her basement and her dogs panicked and ran to the bedroom upstairs! The winds sound scary to them and they just wanted their safe spot. Quote ------ Jessica Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brindlehound Posted June 27, 2013 Author Share Posted June 27, 2013 Thanks for the harness suggestion. I do have one. Right now, your area looks like it may be under the gun more than we are. I'm north of Philadelphia near Doylestown. Quote Carol, missing Magic (1/5/01 - 4/15/15) but welcoming Fuzzy's Joy Behar (Joy) into my life on 5/31/15. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cleptogrey Posted June 27, 2013 Share Posted June 27, 2013 i would harness the dog, ask for help and get her down before just in case. since people will be scrambeling better do it in advance. good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAJ2010 Posted June 28, 2013 Share Posted June 28, 2013 Not even windy here..... I'm trying not to pay to much attention since there's not much I could do anyways. No basement. I could stack us all in the downstairs bathroom. And I do mean stack! Not even sure 1 dog could turn around in there Quote ------ Jessica Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lynne893 Posted June 28, 2013 Share Posted June 28, 2013 Just want to chime in and extend my thoughts and my heart to you all in the tornado zones. Hugs, be safe, Lynne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianamac Posted June 28, 2013 Share Posted June 28, 2013 That sucks, warnings are scary! I would suggest you carry Magic down the stairs. If Magic isn't into being carried as is, perhaps you can place him (her? sorry!) onto a nice blanket and have a friend help carry the dog down that way. Hope you make it out safe and sound. Quote Bri and Mike with Boo Radley (Williejohnwalker), Bubba (Carlos Danger), and the feline friends foes, Loois and Amir Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brindlehound Posted June 28, 2013 Author Share Posted June 28, 2013 Thanks for the suggestions. Unfortunately, no one was home last night to help me with him. I did get his travel harness that I could have used to help him on the stairs. As I said, if worse came to worse, I could have gotten him inside the basement door. There is a small landing there. Fortunately, we usually get smallish tornadoes (EF0 or EF1) and we live in a big hold stone house so getting him on the landing would have protected us from glass and other debris. We didn't get much more than a little wind and a heavy downpour and very little thunder. It was just a watch. As far as i know no one in the area actually had a warning. Quote Carol, missing Magic (1/5/01 - 4/15/15) but welcoming Fuzzy's Joy Behar (Joy) into my life on 5/31/15. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeofNE Posted June 28, 2013 Share Posted June 28, 2013 He doesn't do stairs because he CAN'T or because you won't let him? In an emergency, you can be damn good and sure I could carry George down the stairs, one way or another! I've done it before. Adreneline takes over and you might surprise yourself. Quote Susan, Hamish, Mister Bigglesworth and Nikita Stanislav. Missing Ming, George, and Buck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fruitycake Posted June 29, 2013 Share Posted June 29, 2013 If you have a very large dog and no harness (so this is for people other than the OP), you can do what veterinarians and staff do for dogs with leg weakness or injury and use a towel under the belly (and potentially another around the chest) to support some of the weight when going down stairs after you start him. Then you aren't carrying all of his weight but are reducing resistance and helping brake (so it doesn't end up in a tumble down the stairs). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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