# Coping with stairs?



## Toffin (Aug 8, 2012)

I'm in Edinburgh at the moment and trying to cope with Polly in a main door first floor flat. The door opens onto a lobby and then straight onto the stairs which is fine because we quickly shut the door and then run up the stairs after her with the lead on to make sure we're there if she loses momentum or falls backwards. And we have a stairgate at the top to stop her trying to get downstairs once she's up (if you see what I mean!). 

Our dalmatian was never allowed upstairs at all, and when we looked after adult dogs we were in New Zealand where single floor houses (what we would call bungalows) are the norm. So I don't have any experience of dogs and stairs.

But whilst we're here Polly has to go up and down. I'm on a knife edge watching to make sure everyone closes the gate and twice Polly has slipped past - cue rugby tackle dive to catch her in time!

Is anyone else in the same situation? Is there a way of teaching them how to go down safely? Or is it just that we'll have to live with the gate and the frassled nerves until we manage to find somewhere more suitable here?

Any advice would be much appreciated!

Toffin
x


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## RuthMill (Jun 30, 2012)

Lola bounds up and down our stairs, sometimes doing a bit of a slide at the bottom when she hits the wooden floor! I don't really understand the set up with your stairs but is there something dangerous at the bottom or top? Prolly will probably manage them just fine. Low centre of gravity!


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## susanb (Jan 19, 2012)

She will get the hang of it. Gisgo was a bit nervous of coming down to start with and used to wait at the top for us to carry him down. Even now, sometimes he waits at the top as if to say "come on, come up and carry me down"......but when he wants to he runs up and runs down as fast as lightning and with no problems at all. We have a stair gate at the bottom - just to keep him from running up there all the time. If he really wants to go upstairs then he still manages to squeeze through it!


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## benson (Apr 18, 2012)

Benson lives in a bungalow and it was so funny when the first came across some steps he had no idea what to do and just sat at the bottom and looked bemused, it didnt take him long to master going up, we took him to my daughter and let him practice going up and down the stairs he is a bit clumsy but is getting more surefooted at each visit!!


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## Toffin (Aug 8, 2012)

RuthMill said:


> Lola bounds up and down our stairs, sometimes doing a bit of a slide at the bottom when she hits the wooden floor! I don't really understand the set up with your stairs but is there something dangerous at the bottom or top? Prolly will probably manage them just fine. Low centre of gravity!


What worries us is the steepness of the stairs and the narrowness of the tread - there isn't sufficient room on each tread for both front and back legs and there's nothing to stop her falling straight to the bottom where there's a hard floor and the front door.

I tried her earlier supporting her with the lead to see if she would go down and she couldn't do past the first step because of the narrowness.

Thanks for the comment about low centre of gravity - I hadn't thought of that!

Toffin
x


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## Duckdog (Jul 23, 2012)

I have a house over 3 floors and no carpet...all stripped wood. So pretty solid and lots to negotiate for Binky as my office is at the top of the house. She has managed after a fashion since she came home at 10 weeks. She tears up and down them now, it makes my heart stop at times


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## Toffin (Aug 8, 2012)

Thanks, Sam, that's very encouraging too! Will start showing her properly how to go downstairs - at least that means she'll have a transferable skill for when we go back to Nottingham or to other houses with stairs...

Just another worrying mum, I suppose!

Toffin
x


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## kendal (Jul 16, 2009)

We are in a split level house o
so you cime in thrugb the front door into the middle landing and eaithe go up or down stars ti the livung room, kitchen and bedroom. 

Our girls have no problem with the stairs. they are an agile breed so stares are no isue. puppys can be clumsy going down stairs but in general they get the hang of it as they get older. they learn from mistakes of how fast or slow to take the stairs.


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## theaccessman (Mar 12, 2012)

You might consider placing Miss Polly 2-3 steps from the bottom of the stairs and calling her on down. If she should trip or stumble no big tumble only a step or two. As she masters this initial challenge just keep moving her up the stairs a step or two at a time until she is managing from the top of the steps.


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