Re: Speculating and Suggestingfalln_caryatidMarch 11 2008, 14:58:01 UTC
Also, on the treats leading up the steps, if you can stand having to mop afterwards, maybe a treat that isn't so snatch-and-run-off-able -- like instead of a hunk of cheese that he can streeeetch his neck out, slurp like a hummingbird with his tongue, and bolt, maybe spray a puddle of cheeze-whiz or something similar that will require focused effort for him to lick up, to slow the process down.
Re: Speculating and SuggestinggossamerspiderMarch 11 2008, 17:12:52 UTC
Stairs he goes up and down with no problem:
~Wooden Steps from the street to the house ~Wooden Steps from the alley to the vet ~Concrete Steps from the driveway to the local Armory (where he has class)
Stairs he won't associate with unless under extreme duress: ~Carpeted Steps from our main floor to the basement ~Concrete Steps in the parking garage ~Wooden Steps going up to our D&D game ~Concrete Steps from the back "yard" into my room (in the basement)
I'm really wondering if the difference is the open space vs the enclosed "hallway" feeling, though the ones in the parking garage were *very* wide and open feeling.
Something else that I've wondered if it's because he feels they're too steep for him as he's a big dog (7 1/2 month old Newfoundland). He also has the patience of a saint and is willing to lie down at the top of the stairs in the House and wait for me to come back up. He feels no compulsion to join me downstairs whatsoever though he follows me from one room to the other on the main floor.
Re: Speculating and SuggestingzahnarabaiMarch 11 2008, 17:25:28 UTC
Hm, the carpeted steps in the main floor to basement, if I'm remembering right, have a decently low ceiling; maybe that is contributing to his feeling that it's too small for him, or too steep? Low ceilings make things look steeper and narrower.
I know with my puppy he also was scared of any and all stairs. At first, nothing really worked. But, what really helped I think is that he watched other dogs do it. We really brought him over to our friend's house who had a golden retriever, and the goldie would go down the stairs and play in the snow outside. Zeke (my puppy) would hesitate and even whimper. At that point, we would pick him up and put him down to play. Eventually after a couple days doing that, he got brave when he saw the goldie do it and started doing it himself! Treats and praise always help too!
I agree with Biz (sometimes she is pretty smart). Have some puppy friends over for an upstairs-downstairs party and once he sees the other dogs doing it with no problem, he might have an easier time with it: Pack mentality and whatnot.
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~Wooden Steps from the street to the house
~Wooden Steps from the alley to the vet
~Concrete Steps from the driveway to the local Armory (where he has class)
Stairs he won't associate with unless under extreme duress:
~Carpeted Steps from our main floor to the basement
~Concrete Steps in the parking garage
~Wooden Steps going up to our D&D game
~Concrete Steps from the back "yard" into my room (in the basement)
I'm really wondering if the difference is the open space vs the enclosed "hallway" feeling, though the ones in the parking garage were *very* wide and open feeling.
Something else that I've wondered if it's because he feels they're too steep for him as he's a big dog (7 1/2 month old Newfoundland). He also has the patience of a saint and is willing to lie down at the top of the stairs in the House and wait for me to come back up. He feels no compulsion to join me downstairs whatsoever though he follows me from one room to the other on the main floor.
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I don't know, just my two cents!
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