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Desperate for help! We have temporarily moved to a condo with "open" stairs, meaning they have no risers and you can see between each step.
Our dog is 55 lbs, almost 11, and has been using stairs all her life. But these stairs freak her out.
To compound the problem, her old knee injury has flared up and she's limping. I think she'd go down the stairs at least, if it weren't for that.
For the past few days, my husband has been carrying her up and down 3-4 times per day to go potty. But he hurt his back doing that today. Not to mention she hates being carried.
She used to be paper trained, but hasn't had to use paper in 6+ years and has seemed to forgotten what it's for. (I have a spot on the balcony with paper set up for her.)
Does anybody have any ideas? If the kennel weren't closed tomorrow, I'd kennel her first thing.
We're absolutely stressed out by this.
put cut-up pieces of cardboard where the the open spots on the stairs are?
walk backwards on the stairs yourself while holding a yummy treat in your hand, maybe she'll follow? (this might work best when she's hungry, i.e. before dinner/breakfast.
put cut-up pieces of cardboard where the the open spots on the stairs are?
walk backwards on the stairs yourself while holding a yummy treat in your hand, maybe she'll follow? (this might work best when she's hungry, i.e. before dinner/breakfast.
That's all i got.
Good luck!
That's what I would do! Find some way to disguise the stairs so they look "solid" to her.
I believe I would go to a motel until Monday and then put this poor darling into a kennel or a doggie camp until you can get out of the present condo. The kennel will be stressful but not as.....
Good idea to make the open stairs look safer. I also suggest that you get some kind of sling (if not just a beach towel) to support the dog's underside and help her down without hurting your back. I've done this with dogs that size, although not a full flight of steps.
I don't like open stairs myself...
Desperate for help! We have temporarily moved to a condo with "open" stairs, meaning they have no risers and you can see between each step.
Our dog is 55 lbs, almost 11, and has been using stairs all her life. But these stairs freak her out.
To compound the problem, her old knee injury has flared up and she's limping. I think she'd go down the stairs at least, if it weren't for that.
For the past few days, my husband has been carrying her up and down 3-4 times per day to go potty. But he hurt his back doing that today. Not to mention she hates being carried.
She used to be paper trained, but hasn't had to use paper in 6+ years and has seemed to forgotten what it's for. (I have a spot on the balcony with paper set up for her.)
Does anybody have any ideas? If the kennel weren't closed tomorrow, I'd kennel her first thing.
We're absolutely stressed out by this.
You said this was temporary, how temporary? Is there a reason he HAS to be upstairs? Can he just remain downstairs, especially being a larger dog and having joint problems. Those kinds of stairs freak me out, nevertheless a dog.
We tried long pieces of fabric draped over the stairs to hide the openings and she went up and down last night and again this morning. I just tried and she won't go again. I know it must really hurt her knee. She just sat at the top of the stairs and cried.
We're here for a couple of months, so kennel is not really an option.
Her knee is never going to heal going up and down these stairs.
My poor baby.
You said this was temporary, how temporary? Is there a reason he HAS to be upstairs? Can he just remain downstairs, especially being a larger dog and having joint problems. Those kinds of stairs freak me out, nevertheless a dog.
Just to clarify, the condo is upstairs. We have to climb the stairs to get to the front door.
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That's what I would do! Find some way to disguise the stairs so they look "solid" to her.
thanks for the replies
