Maximus won't go up or down STAIRS !!!

[Maximus]

Maximus has a problem with stairs. Don't know why, he just does.
I live in a duplex, which is the 2nd and 3rd floor. I have to carry him down the stairs to get him outside to walk. He will not go down the stairs.

He won't go up stairs either! Does anyone else have this problem?

What on earth is this all about? At 67.3lbs. I can't really carry him anymore .......

 

[Davidh]

Try taking him up a little ways and put him down and try to get him to go down with a treat, only go a few steps at first, once he goes down a few times move up a few more, then practice going up the same way, except start a few steps from the top, may even have to give a little push. My Beagle was like that and I did this and before long she was running up ans down the stairs. Lots of praise and treats. Hope this works.

 

[JeannieCO]

It's taken me 4 months to get Wilson to go up and down the stairs, our house is a two story. I still have to coax him sometimes and bribe him with a yummy treat. A treat is how I started training him to go up and down. I would put the treat on a step or two down, give him the treat, and start that over. Eventually we worked all the way to him being at the top and me at the bottom with the treat. I still watch him going down at time because he's so top heavy and short legged. He doesn't go down like a 'normal' dog does either. It's more like the front two feet at the same time going thump thump thump thump. Just keep encouraging him, it'll take some time. Good luck.

I believe @Cali_Baker lives on a third story and she has two bully pups and might be able to chime in also.

 

[cali baker]

I believe @Cali_Baker lives on a third story and she has two bully pups and might be able to chime in also.

Tate and Finn can easily run up those three flights of stairs...it's the going down part that is challenging. Actually, Tate does fine going down the stairs if he wants to. I have to carry Finn down the stairs b/c the vet doesn't want him going down on his own yet d/t his joint development. Since he only weighs in the mid 20's right now, it's not a problem. But when Tate sees me carrying him down, Tate becomes more determined for me to carry him too. And at 43lbs, that gives me a workout! So, i do the treat thing too for him and it usually works.

 

[Fontanafox]

Oh, oh...I've never tested Wilson or BabyGirl on stairs!

 

[KMARINO]

Hhmm... we don't have stairs either, and I am thinking Vegas has never been anywhere with stairs. Most houses here in Florida are one level even my son lives in a one level. I don't know if he can go up and down or not??

I think [MENTION=2071]Davidh[/MENTION] has excellent advice though.

 

[lexterwayne]

It took lex the longest to go upstairs. We would put him on the 3rd step up and use a treat to coax him onto the 4th step. Once he did that i would praise him and give him the treAt. Now goin down was a diff story lol we would have bo go Down the stairs a few times. We would just sit a few stairs down and call him and show him a treat, he finally went down to us then He would get a treat. After he saw Bo a few times it kinda clicked on what he needed to do. I posted a video of him goin down all of the for the first or second time I think I named it stairs. Sorry at work and can't look it up now

 

[LucysMum]

All good advice here...but wonder if a leash and collar would help?? I know when Lucy is leery or afraid to do something it always helps to put her collar and leash on. I guess she feels safe because she is connected to me.

 

[mosca72]

No need to be with it. Just put his food down stairs and if he wants to eat it has to go down that's what we did with Besito now he is a master on it he even take 2 steps at the time. Good luck