HELP: My dog can't walk up/downstairs

[In Uppers 10]

I have a 5 month old pup who is a cross Cavalier King Charles/Bichon Frise (a mongrel really) certainly would never call him a 'Cavachon'.

 

Anyway, my problem is that he'll run towards the bottom of the stairs but just stops & looks up and just won't attempt to go up them. I've also taken him up and he can't get back down.

 

Do you think this will come in time?

Is he just scared/uncoordinated?

 

I feel so sorry for him

[rubydo1 10]

Unless there is anything physically wrong with him I wouldn't worry . Certainly don't keep trying to make him do it . You will probably find he will just suddenly appear upstairs one day . Remember his joints and bones are still growing, so not charging up and down stairs at this age can be a good thing .

[Valentine1 10]

Our dog would only go up the stairs, not down them for a long time, I think it was at least a year. And then eventually one day I had him upstairs away from a visitor and he got soooo desperate to see them that he ran downstairs by himself. So if they want something enough, they'll do it

 

Also, maybe try putting a few treats on each step to tempt him to go up so he realises he is allowed?

[Cyclone 10]

5 months is still pretty young. He'll figure it out.

As people have said, dogs find up the stairs to be easier, so you might have to carry him down a good few times.

[Chelle-82 10]

He's only a baby, he'll soon be running up and down them.. And if not then think yourself lucky!! at least you can currently go to the loo on your own without an audience

 

If you really want him to start going up and down stairs though you could start by putting him so many steps up and get him to walk down them and do the same at the top of the stairs, just put him a few steps beneath the top and just keep doing that until he cracks it x

[REUBEN 123 10]

Don't encourage him to go up and down stairs. He is still very young and his bones haven't developed properly yet. You will save him from a lot of problems later in his life if you don't over exercise him now.

[ccit 10]

Reuben123 is correct. You shouldn't be allowing the pup to go up and down stairs just yet. Also check out the Kennel Club website for advice about exercising puppies. The safest thing to do is to get a safety gate to ensure that your pup cannot access the stairs. In addition to the potential problems that Reuben123 has outlined, there is also the risk of a fracture occurring if he falls down even a couple of steps.

Edited February 16, 2016 by ccit

[Marx 10]

I showed mine how to do a step at a time. That worked for a couple of years and then she lost her nerve again. I thought about putting half-height wooden blocks on the steps to help.