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#1
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Harley and the Steps.
Hi.
Harley is a sweetie. I'm so glad I got him. the problem: I live in a townhouse that has sadly some very steep steps up and down two levels. in order to get to the backyard from the house you have to use the steps... they are hardwood. I have been walking him around to the backyard so he can play off leash with Hannah... then I have to walk him back. so we figured he would learn to do the steps... so far NO. so last night I put carpet stair treads on the steps.... it seems to have helped. whereas before he would go up one maybe two steps when I would leave him in the basement, today I found him crying halfway up the steps totally stuck and confused.... he got back down the steps and I took him around. question: should we work on teaching him the steps and if so HOW or should we just let him figure it out himself. he does the wide porch steps (only 2 wide wooden steps then 2 single concrete steps) in the front of the house after the first day but he was not taught steps when we got him. Best Wishes, Nessa ---- Dog Mom to: Hannah age 6.5 Pitador rescued age 9 weeks Harley age 10 months Landseer Newfoundland (Angel) Bagel went to Rainbow Bridge 9/18/08 my Newfandstuff age 8.5 |
#2
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Harley and the Steps.
Nessa spoke these words of wisdom in
: so last night I put carpet stair treads on the steps.... it seems to have helped. I would have suggested that or should we just let him figure it out himself. Yep |
#3
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Harley and the Steps.
Nessa said in
rec.pets.dogs.behavior: whereas before he would go up one maybe two steps when I would leave him in the basement, today I found him crying halfway up the steps totally stuck and confused.... he got back down the steps and I took him around. question: should we work on teaching him the steps and if so HOW or should we just let him figure it out himself. Work on just going *down* steps, which he appears to be mostly comfortable with. Since you have another way up, don't use the stairs for *up* for a while. The backyard steps - are they open-backed (no risers)? -- --Matt. Rocky's a Dog. |
#4
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Harley and the Steps.
On 21 Oct 2008 18:19:15 GMT, Rocky wrote:
Nessa said in rec.pets.dogs.behavior: whereas before he would go up one maybe two steps when I would leave him in the basement, today I found him crying halfway up the steps totally stuck and confused.... he got back down the steps and I took him around. question: should we work on teaching him the steps and if so HOW or should we just let him figure it out himself. Work on just going *down* steps, which he appears to be mostly comfortable with. Since you have another way up, don't use the stairs for *up* for a while. The backyard steps - are they open-backed (no risers)? Matt, He wont' go near the TOPS of the basement steps... just the bottom these are steps IN THE HOUSE solid hardwood walled on one side and half the other side. Best Wishes, Nessa ---- Dog Mom to: Hannah age 6.5 Pitador rescued age 9 weeks Harley age 10 months Landseer Newfoundland (Angel) Bagel went to Rainbow Bridge 9/18/08 my Newfandstuff age 8.5 |
#5
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Harley and the Steps.
On Oct 21, 2:27*pm, Nessa wrote:
On 21 Oct 2008 18:19:15 GMT, Rocky wrote: Nessa said in rec.pets.dogs.behavior: whereas before he would go up one maybe two steps when I would leave him in the basement, today I found him crying halfway up the steps totally stuck and confused.... * he got back down the steps and I took him around. question: * should we work on teaching him the steps and if so HOW *or should we just let him figure it out himself. Work on just going *down* steps, which he appears to be mostly comfortable with. *Since you have another way up, don't use the stairs for *up* for a while. The backyard steps - are they open-backed (no risers)? Matt, He wont' go near the TOPS of the basement steps... just the bottom these are steps IN THE HOUSE solid hardwood walled on one side *and half the other side. Best Wishes, Nessa ---- Dog Mom to: Hannah *age 6.5 Pitador rescued age 9 weeks Harley age 10 months *Landseer Newfoundland (Angel) Bagel *went to Rainbow Bridge 9/18/08 my Newfandstuff age 8.5- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - More info This morning I THOUGHT we were going to do it... we had a rough night. he is so skittish. He does the steps in front of the house but i realized now he does those in ONE LEAP (sort of like a doggy superman) this morning he cried at the bottom of the basement steps. he gets his front paws on the first step and he's ok he then gets them to the second step and he's fine he then gets them TO THE THIRD STEP and he's fine but that's because his REAR LEGS are still ON THE FLOOR.... I've been rewarding him for coming near the steps... then for legs on first step, then for legs on second step.... I think now we are at the I GOTTA TEACH HIM how to do steps... he tries he wants to.. he's TERRIFIED. this poor dog... I have NO CLUE what his life was before the rescue but i know he was never shown the inside of a house or any steps at all in his entire life (and Sunday is his 11 month birthday) |
#6
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Harley and the Steps.
"Nessa" wrote in message ... On Oct 21, 2:27 pm, Nessa wrote: On 21 Oct 2008 18:19:15 GMT, Rocky wrote: Nessa said in rec.pets.dogs.behavior: whereas before he would go up one maybe two steps when I would leave him in the basement, today I found him crying halfway up the steps totally stuck and confused.... he got back down the steps and I took him around. question: should we work on teaching him the steps and if so HOW or should we just let him figure it out himself. Work on just going *down* steps, which he appears to be mostly comfortable with. Since you have another way up, don't use the stairs for *up* for a while. The backyard steps - are they open-backed (no risers)? Matt, He wont' go near the TOPS of the basement steps... just the bottom these are steps IN THE HOUSE solid hardwood walled on one side and half the other side. Best Wishes, Nessa ---- Dog Mom to: Hannah age 6.5 Pitador rescued age 9 weeks Harley age 10 months Landseer Newfoundland (Angel) Bagel went to Rainbow Bridge 9/18/08 my Newfandstuff age 8.5- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - More info This morning I THOUGHT we were going to do it... we had a rough night. he is so skittish. He does the steps in front of the house but i realized now he does those in ONE LEAP (sort of like a doggy superman) this morning he cried at the bottom of the basement steps. he gets his front paws on the first step and he's ok he then gets them to the second step and he's fine he then gets them TO THE THIRD STEP and he's fine but that's because his REAR LEGS are still ON THE FLOOR.... I've been rewarding him for coming near the steps... then for legs on first step, then for legs on second step.... I think now we are at the I GOTTA TEACH HIM how to do steps... he tries he wants to.. he's TERRIFIED. this poor dog... I have NO CLUE what his life was before the rescue but i know he was never shown the inside of a house or any steps at all in his entire life (and Sunday is his 11 month birthday) ================================================== =============== I knew someone with a male Dachshund that had difficulty with steps, because he would catch his sheath on the edge as he went up, and it was probably painful. Of course, a Dachshund is built differently than a Newf, but it is possible that this is happening, or it has happened in the past and the dog associates climbing steps with this experience. Possibly wrapping the rear of the dog might help prevent this. Good luck, Paul and Muttley |
#7
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Harley and the Steps.
On Oct 23, 12:44*pm, "Paul E. Schoen" wrote:
"Nessa" wrote in message ... On Oct 21, 2:27 pm, Nessa wrote: On 21 Oct 2008 18:19:15 GMT, Rocky wrote: Nessa said in rec.pets.dogs.behavior: whereas before he would go up one maybe two steps when I would leave him in the basement, today I found him crying halfway up the steps totally stuck and confused.... he got back down the steps and I took him around. question: should we work on teaching him the steps and if so HOW or should we just let him figure it out himself. Work on just going *down* steps, which he appears to be mostly comfortable with. Since you have another way up, don't use the stairs for *up* for a while. The backyard steps - are they open-backed (no risers)? Matt, He wont' go near the TOPS of the basement steps... just the bottom these are steps IN THE HOUSE solid hardwood walled on one side and half the other side. Best Wishes, Nessa ---- Dog Mom to: Hannah age 6.5 Pitador rescued age 9 weeks Harley age 10 months Landseer Newfoundland (Angel) Bagel went to Rainbow Bridge 9/18/08 my Newfandstuff age 8.5- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - More info This morning I THOUGHT we were going to do it... we had a rough night. *he is so skittish. He does the steps in front of the house but i realized now he does those in ONE LEAP *(sort of like a doggy superman) this morning he cried at the bottom of the basement steps. *he gets his front paws on the first step and he's ok he then gets them to the second step and he's fine he then gets them TO THE THIRD STEP and he's fine but that's because his REAR LEGS are still ON THE FLOOR.... I've been rewarding him for coming near the steps... then for legs on first step, then for legs on second step.... I think now we are at the I GOTTA TEACH HIM how to do steps... he tries he wants to.. he's TERRIFIED. *this poor dog... I have NO CLUE what his life was before the rescue but i know he was never shown the inside of a house or any steps at all in his entire life (and Sunday is his 11 month birthday) ================================================== =============== I knew someone with a male Dachshund that had difficulty with steps, because he would catch his sheath on the edge as he went up, and it was probably painful. Of course, a Dachshund is built differently than a Newf, but it is possible that this is happening, or it has happened in the past and the dog associates climbing steps with this experience. Possibly wrapping the rear of the dog might help prevent this. Good luck, Paul and Muttley- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - well since i stated these things in the initial post: 1. he was never taught steps before we got him AND 2. he goes up and down the steps in front of the house without a problem and then I stated that he has his FRONT PAWS on the THIRD step and his REAR paws on the GROUND I seriously doubt that catching ANYTHING on the edge is an issue. I mean we are talking a full bred landseer here. their legs tend to be longer than regular newfs. in fact males tend to be 28 ½ -31 ½ inches tall. while black, bronze or grey newfs tend to be Dogs 27-29 inches tall. did you know in some parts of Europe Landseers are considered a separete breed from Newfoundlands? i'm thinking a pushme-pullyou kind of thing... where someone is in front with a non-slack lead (not tight but not loose) and someone behind him lifts ONE leg at a time and we SHOW him that these steps are safe? so not sure what it is about these steps other than how steep they are that throws him.... he keeps trying however... but he CRIES and it's pitiful... |
#8
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Harley and the Steps.
"Nessa" wrote in message ... he keeps trying however... but he CRIES and it's pitiful... How are you responding to his crying? Harriet was afraid of my mom's stairs. It's an old house, and the staris are narrow, steep, and uncarpeted. Harriet got left downstairs while we went upstairs. She was free to stay downstairs or figure out how to come join us. No babying, treating, or coddling. I was careful not to make any sort of big deal out of it whatsoever, other than asking her, "Are you coming?" Then, I went up the stairs and ignored her. About ten minutes later, a *very* wiggly and pleased-with-herself Harriet appeared at my mom's bedroom door. So, I'd be matter of fact about it. The dog would get abandoned downstairs until he figured out how to join us at the top of the stairs. Assuming he's become at all bonded to you, I'd trust him to figure it out. -- Shelly http://www.cat-sidh.net (the Mother Ship) http://esther.cat-sidh.net (Letters to Esther) |
#9
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Harley and the Steps.
On Oct 23, 1:21*pm, "Shelly" wrote:
"Nessa" wrote in message ... he keeps trying however... but he CRIES and it's pitiful... How are you responding to his crying? Harriet was afraid of my mom's stairs. *It's an old house, and the staris are narrow, steep, and uncarpeted. *Harriet got left downstairs while we went upstairs. *She was free to stay downstairs or figure out how to come join us. *No babying, treating, or coddling. *I was careful not to make any sort of big deal out of it whatsoever, other than asking her, "Are you coming?" *Then, I went up the stairs and ignored her. About ten minutes later, a *very* wiggly and pleased-with-herself Harriet appeared at my mom's bedroom door. So, I'd be matter of fact about it. *The dog would get abandoned downstairs until he figured out how to join us at the top of the stairs. Assuming he's become at all bonded to you, I'd trust him to figure it out. -- Shellyhttp://www.cat-sidh.net(the Mother Ship)http://esther.cat-sidh.net(Letters to Esther) Shelly, this was SO what I was hoping. I tend to be matter of fact and tell him what a good boy he is when he's by the steps and/or on the steps and tell him "you can do it, come-on" but i don't sit there encouraging him. I let him try for 30 minutes this morning before I had to bring him around so I could get ready for work. This is a dog that is afraid of shadows at this point... |
#10
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Harley and the Steps.
In article
, Nessa wrote: i'm thinking a pushme-pullyou kind of thing... where someone is in front with a non-slack lead (not tight but not loose) and someone behind him lifts ONE leg at a time and we SHOW him that these steps are safe? so not sure what it is about these steps other than how steep they are that throws him.... Some dogs take to one direction faster than the other. Have you tried down these stairs? I have to chuckle about scraping parts. Yeah - him and the pony too! -- Janet Boss www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com |
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