I have a 16-month-old pug and I recently moved to a new apartment. She's never been introduced to stairs before and was a little hesitant at first, but now she flies up them like it's nothing. The only problem is that she's too afraid to go down them. I've tried everything - coaxing her with treats, gently pulling/pushing her, etc. but nothing can seem to work. What can I do to teach her to walk down the steps and stop being so fearful?
2006-07-05 10:05:17 · 20 answers · asked by Kristen 3 in Pets ➔ Dogs
First, make sure her nails are trimmed short - long nails can make going down steps a nightmare. Have her checked by a vet to see if she has any knee problems - pugs often have luxoid patellas, which can be painful going down stairs. If the stairs are tiled or slippery, install tread grips or a carpet runner. Then, train her...
Puppies learn to go up stairs before they learn to come down. Start the same way you would with a pup... The best thing to do is carry her most of the way down, put her down on a step near the bottom and pull gently with the leash until she has to take the next step down. Praise her for GOOD behavior, don't coddle her and try to encourage her when she's showing fear. You'll actually be rewarding her anxiety and making her MORE fearful. Each day make her take a few more steps until she will go with you from the top. Just calmly say, "let's go" and walk to the steps and go down slowly without hesitating. She'll pretty much have to go with you, no? After a few weeks, she'll go down just fine.
2006-07-05 14:10:32 · answer #1 · answered by Danger, Will Robinson! 7 · 8⤊ 4⤋
Patience is the first rule of thumb. I got a Pomeranian from a puppy mill. She was abused and had a hard time bonding. Stairs were a real challenge for her. I didn't force the issue, but I patiently let her come to the top of the stairs and watch me go down. Her litter-mate had no problem with going up or down the stairs, but my Pom just wouldn't go down, even though she went up easily. The thing is, when a puppy is at the top of the stairs looking down, it seems like a very dangerous, long fall for them. I think it's hard for them to see that each step is just another step down. To them, it's like looking over a cliff. In time, my puppy decided to come down the stairs by herself when she realized I was down there, and she wanted to be with me. Once she made that first trip down, it was easy from then on for her. I still say, just be very patient with your puppy and eventually, she will take that step, too.
2006-07-05 17:18:43 · answer #2 · answered by Pamela E 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
be patient your dog will learn if you don't force it to fall down the stairs and increase the aready present fear it has of the stairs. dogs and cats will follow you as puppies and if you are theleader of thepack they will as adults. just lead the way their are many things that people do that are unnessesary to teach dog to do things this is because we think they should just do them.
My 3moth old beale followed me 25 feet into a fallen tree and cam down after about 20 minutes of coaxing. it is now 19 months and will clinb up ladders and go down slides with a little coaxing, and patience. she is not afraid to clinb anything. your pug will gain confidence in success. keep working with it. learnig is a life time endevour
2006-07-05 17:19:09 · answer #3 · answered by reispinscher 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
she'll get there eventually, what happened with my dog. The going down wasn't really the hard part the going up was. Ever try to carry a 100 pound dog up stairs lol
2006-07-05 17:16:31 · answer #4 · answered by bradzb 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We had a Carin Terrier who is the same way! She is terrified of stairs! We did it step by step with her and she hated it but eventually she felt safe enough and started going down them on her own one day out of no where. Give her time, eventually she will!
2006-07-05 17:09:33 · answer #5 · answered by NatBee 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Just do it. Be careful that it doesn't fall, but just go down, and have the right energy about. Act confidently, and the dog will pick up on your positive energy. If you act timid about it, the dog will also be timid about going down the stairs. My puppy that I just got last week did the same thing, but I just kept on going, and he followed. Of course I went very carefully, so he didn't fall, but he made it!!!
2006-07-05 17:18:46 · answer #6 · answered by jmo74 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You have to show her that there's nothing to be scared of. I would suggest sitting a step down from her and then wait until she goes down. Then go down a couple more steps and so on. You have to comfort her so that she knows she won't fall because that is her ultimate fear. Have fun with your puppy.
2006-07-05 17:16:20 · answer #7 · answered by angel32984 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Go up the stairs with her. Each time you go down and she goes down with you to the next step, give her a treat. And when she completely makes it down, be happy for her and pet her.
2006-07-05 17:08:29 · answer #8 · answered by soccerstar966 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
sit down on the stairs and show her how to do it, step by step. and sit infront of her ready to catch. also if possible have a person or something big (doesn't matter weight, dogs don't know how heavy it is). blocking the way to get upstairs. this way there is now where else to go. and don't carry her down, your promoting it if you do. if she gets hungry etc. she will have to eventually have to come down.
good luck.
2006-07-05 17:58:02 · answer #9 · answered by Kelye 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i have the same problem my 2 month old puppy jus learned to go up the stairs but is too scared to go down i noticed tho sum steps are too big for her small legs and body to step down cuz she barely can go up the stairs without struggle...so im hopin as she gets bigger and the stairs seems smaller to her she can eventually go down the stairs...she has fallen on a step... so maybe your dog is to small as a pup to go down
2006-07-05 17:10:41 · answer #10 · answered by . 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋