Question Abaout Stairs and Pups......

[Eatapeach1965]

I have read stairs for big boned pups arent recommended. Issues with the joints as they grow????

My concern is in the house breaking... The place I want her to do it, is six stairs down.. Second choice, is two steps. Until he can ""handle"" stairs, maybe I'll go that route if needed.

Also... We have a lot of hardwood floors, would it be good to get rugs so he won't slip and hurt his growing.

Thoughts....Thank you

 

[Alice Kable]

Over the years I have had 6 baby Bulldogs and have always had stairs. They are usually afraid of them at first, then see their fur brother or skin grandkid using them and they climb what they are comfortable with. My boys have never hurt themselves on hardwood floors but they sure have scratched the floors with their toenails!

 

[Eatapeach1965]

Thank you for your response

 

[2BullyMama]

Six or two steps should be OK for him,,,,, but I'll tag a few members that have lots of or recent puppy experience.

as for the hardwood floors... as Alice said, they do more damage to the floor than the floor does to them.

 

[Sherry]

A puppy risks tumbling down the steps when they are little yet. 2 steps is less tumbling than 6 until they get older, easier going up than down

 

[linwhite]

Steps have not been a problem for my guys. As to throw rugs, they'll probably get chewed up. My guys move them around the room all the time and I only have ones they can't play tug with.

 

[Baconator]

Our Bacon is a year old and he has been going up and down 14 steps since he was about 14 weeks between upstairs and downstairs in our house and we have hard wood floors and he is fine. I know there are people on here who really don't like their pups doing any stairs or jumping on and off of furniture until they are at least a year old.

 

[matzwd]

Interesting question here. I never really thought about the effect of stairs on a growing bully. We have four steps from the house to the grass, and I carried Clara up and down them for the first couple of months after we had her (got her at 8 weeks) because she was just too chicken to even try. She would just stand there and look down, maybe dangle a toe over the edge and draw it back. She simply wasn't going to do it. She's almost 9 months old now, and she does the front steps fine. However, we also have an open staircase that leads downstairs, and she still won't go there. They are even carpeted, so not slick. I've just considered it a blessing since it helped confine her better while we were potty training, didn't have to worry about the carpeting down there. I kind of hope she's never interested in being down there. At least the kids' bedrooms and the office are free of Clara hair. Plus, she can't chew up the boys' things.

Sent via Tapatalk on my S3

 

[kazzy220]

I've heard about steps hurting the growth of puppies quite a few times, and it always comes back with a lot of mixed answers!

Personally, we had the usual flight of stairs going upstairs and in our old house we had about 6 steps going down from the deck to the grass. With all of our puppies we tried to carry them up and downstairs as much as possible. Until they either just did it on their own or they got too heavy to lift - normally the first of those two.

My thought is that if you can shield them from it, then do so as much as possible. But there is going to be a time when they take off upstairs by themselves.

 

[luseaann]

I've had Liz since she was 2 months and Amy since 4 months. They have both run up and down a full flight of stairs since about 4 months with no ill effects. I think when they are ready they will do it and it will only make them stronger and braver. There comes a point between 4 and 6 months when theay are just too heavy to carry around.

 

[bullmama]

In my opinion-- as long as the stairs are not steep they should be okay. If they 'thump' on the way down the stairs (too much weight up front) then no-- not good. They should be able to gracefully go up and down them. If the are too steep or you see them struggling on the way up or down, then no.

Steep or narrow steps will cause the problem I am describing. Hard to describe but I hope you understand what I am trying to say!

 

[Davidh]

Until they are about a year old the growth plates are not hardened yet, so I would not let him go down the stairs. Going down is worse than going up. Plus rugs would not be a bad idea.

 

[Eatapeach1965]

More Great info. I really appreciate it. Two weeks til we can pick him up...

Meet Angus-- 5 1/2 weeks last week

 

[gobronco]

After he starts running and bouncing around like he is on steroids I wouldn't worry about the stairs. Probably 10-12 weeks. Mila has been jumping off the top of the couch, etc., for quite a while now? She thinks she is wonder dog. Of course we keep her trim so that should be a consideration.

Btw you need to lock your doors at night after you pick up the new pooch. My wife fell in love with him at first site. She said we could handle a third bulldog.

 

[Fontanafox]

There should of been a warning before I saw that puppy pic. Angus is so cute it gave me heartache for want of one. Thank goodness I'm at my city limit with 3 or I'd be way in over my head.