# Stuck upstairs, scared to come down



## Heart O'Gold (Jul 31, 2012)

I need some advice. Bentley has a fear of coming down the stairs in the house. He can go up and down shorter staircases. I wanted to try to work on him going up a few steps and coming down to help him adjust but he was not turning around to go down and was basically sliding down backwards. I brought him all the way up so he could turn around but I can't successfully encourage him to come down now. I have tried great treats, the leash, and my kids have been helping to encourage him, too, but it's not working. I have tried leaving him alone to work it out and calming him down and retrying. He is about 70 lbs, I can carry him if I must, but that makes him nervous also and he tries to jump out of my arms. I don't want him to get hurt or be traumatized. Does anyone have any suggestions? I wish I had another dog to teach him.


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## Tennyson (Mar 26, 2011)

What's the surface of your stairs?


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## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

Some dogs just do NOT like stairs, not sure what it is. My Lucy is very coordinated and agile, see in my signature below, is one of these. She has ALWAYS been one of those. Both up and down and the more steps the more trepidation. At 12 1/2 years of age I still have not found an answer. I just let her do them at her own speed, method. 
I would recommend NOT carrying. Dangerous really for both you and the dog and once you start doing it, he will want it to be done ALL the time.


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## Heart O'Gold (Jul 31, 2012)

They are carpeted.


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## Heart O'Gold (Jul 31, 2012)

Yes, I am afraid to carry him because it is dangerous and I want him to know he can do it. And not think me carrying him is the only way. He is currently resting in the upstairs hallway.


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## Heart O'Gold (Jul 31, 2012)

Do you think he will just eventually come down if I leave him alone? Or should I try to keep encouraging him with treats and praise?


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## Seagodess (Dec 6, 2012)

What happens if you just leave him at the top of the stairs and you come down?
Try going down and putting a few treats a couple stairs down. Sit a couple steps down and wait. 
This was one of the FIRST things we worked on with our dog since we have stairs that you have to go down to even get outside. Plus if we wanted her to go to our rooms, that was another set of stairs. No way was I going to carry a big dog down them. She is about 40-45lbs now and I can hardly carry her. I dont know how you do 70lbs. Yikes.


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## Heart O'Gold (Jul 31, 2012)

I have been trying coming down in front of him, and treats on stairs, and sitting on stairs, and blocking his view of the rest of the stairs. So far it hasn't worked. I think the only reason I can carry him is sheer willpower. I really am not that strong. Which is why I am afraid if he tries to jump out of my arms midway I won't be able to control him safely. I am hoping my cat will go up and down some and that will motivate him. Thanks for your advice and replies.


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## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

Heart O'Gold said:


> Do you think he will just eventually come down if I leave him alone? Or should I try to keep encouraging him with treats and praise?


I would try to leave him there for a while and then later make a rukus like you are playin with a ball or something where he can not see you and see if he comes. If not then later set his dinner at the bottom of the stairs. If he gets hungry enough he will eventually come down and get it.


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## Bentleysmom (Aug 11, 2012)

I tried all of the above with Bentley to. The stairs coming into the house he has no problem with but the basement staircase he is afraid of. We tried everything. I thought if I left the door open and went down there he would eventually come down that didn't happen.
It's all in Ky's hands (paws) now. She works with him. When I go down stairs she tries to coax him to follow her. She will go down, come back up, go half way down and look at him ect. So far she has him going down about 5 stairs then he hits reverse and backs up the stairs 
I think she will eventually teach him but I've given up. He will do anything for food and I do mean anything, but I've tempted him with a cherished hot dog and he won't go down there to get it.
Good luck. I only need him to go down there during tornado season so I hope Ky is successful.


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## drofen (Feb 2, 2013)

Is there a way to make the upstairs safe for him to be alone? Meaning could you leave him at the top of the stairs and leave safely?

I suspect he's unwilling to try with you there--he's waiting for you to just carry him. 

I would leave his food dish with a meal or high value treats in it at the bottom of the stairs and then go about your business downstairs. 

My guess is he'll figure it out. I would try to avoid making it a big deal getting him down the stairs as you expect him to be able to come down as a part of your normal routine. 

Of course I'm a relative noob so take my advice with a grain of salt. But that's what I would try.

ETA: As evidenced by Joyce's post above mine, who tried exactly as I suggested and it didn't work. Hahaha!!


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## Seagodess (Dec 6, 2012)

Leave him at the top, put treats every couple of stairs. After a while he'll probably start to try. Maybe make noise with toys like AmbikaGF suggested. Or let him hear you put food in his bowl.


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## Heart O'Gold (Jul 31, 2012)

I think every Bentley needs a Ky!  My Bentley is very food motivated, too. His lunch awaits him at the bottom of the stairs. He does the reverse thing as well. I hope his stomach will soon override his brain.


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## Pixie (Jun 13, 2012)

Just invite Ky over, she is a pro 

Can't give much of a help with this one! Pixie literally flew down the stairs when she realized I was down there! I actually disintegrate even wanted her to go down/up stairs at that age!

What does motivate your puppy?


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## TheZ's (Jun 13, 2011)

AmbikaGR said:


> I would try to leave him there for a while and then later make a rukus like you are playin with a ball or something where he can not see you and see if he comes. If not then later set his dinner at the bottom of the stairs. If he gets hungry enough he will eventually come down and get it.


I was going to suggest this approach. We had a similar situation with Zoe when she was young but have wood stairs which can be even more of a problem.

It's kind of like dealing with a small child. If you put too much pressure on them it becomes more of a big deal. He'll get curious about what's going on down stairs without him and hungry and hopefully come down by himself. Please don't try to carry him down it's very dangerous for both of you. If so much time passes that you need to get him outside, try sitting on the stairs and easing him down one at a time using petting and treats to keep him calm.


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## Heart O'Gold (Jul 31, 2012)

He is definitely food motivated, and motivated to be with us. Hopefully these things will help him overcome his fear.


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## rhondas (Sep 10, 2010)

@ Hearts O'Gold

I can empathize with you. I have a 5.5 year old (Jake) who is very agile and literally nothing bothers him with the exceptions of steps at times. There is nothing physically wrong with him. The first time it happened when he was 1 year old I took him to the vet and after being examined, I asked the vet what was wrong. The vet pointed to Jake's head 

The first time it happened was with steps in the house that are carpeted. However, it was only the steps going to the second floor and not the steps going to the finished basement. *The difference was that the steps going to the second floor is open with railing and the flight to the basements has walls on both sides.
*
So.... what I did for a brief period of time was to put blankets over the railing and it worked - advice from a trainer. Not sure if this fits your situation but it was a solution that worked for me.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Bentley*

How old is Bentley?
If he is a puppy, I think this is normal.
If he is older, he could have depth perception, and can't jude how deep the stairs are.


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## BriGuy (Aug 31, 2010)

Cookie has never been a huge fan of the stairs either. With her, I know that the light has to be on, or she isn't coming down. She has gotten much much better about going down stairs with time and practice.


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## Heart O'Gold (Jul 31, 2012)

He will be 10 months in 2 days. There's an open railing at the top but not all the way down, I'll try covering it and turning on the light. Thanks!


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## BriGuy (Aug 31, 2010)

Oh yeah - I remembered that I watched this video and it was helpful to me:

Building confidence the clickery way. | Dog Star Daily


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Puppy*

I know that puppies at a certain age shouldn't do stairs, but can't remember the age.
Have you googled about this?


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## Heart O'Gold (Jul 31, 2012)

I think I waited too long to expose him to stairs. I think he's old enough now, but I haven't googled it. Either way he needs to come down tonight. Poor guy needs to go out to potty and eat lunch and dinner.


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## Heart O'Gold (Jul 31, 2012)

He's still up there . He hasn't been out since before noon. I tried the video method but I am afraid to give him too many treats and eliminate the hunger motivation to come down and eat. Now I am worried that he needs to pee and is holding it. He has water up there.


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## Hannahwdel (Mar 25, 2013)

I have a golden mix that we got from a rescue. The first week home she was TERRIFIED of the stairs. Like wouldn't even go near them. One day she saw our cat goes up the stairs and decided to follow. Before she could realize it, she was at the top of the stairs. She wanted to come down but was afraid so she started whimpering. She is a golden retriever border collie mix, so she is extremely smart. We figured, if we carry her down once then she would think it was a game, so we said comforting words and let her be. We did as usual, put food in her bowl at six, got her leash out for a walk, ect. Eventually she came down them because she had to pee and she wanted her food. Worked for me!


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## Zakov (Jan 19, 2013)

I'm not sure if it'll work for you, but Simba goes nuts when I get down on the floor. He just wants to sit in my lap so bad. So I used that method to teach him to go down our stairs.

First, I started with a small set of stairs. I grabbed a bowl of his food and sat down on the floor while holding his leash. I tugged at the leash to encourage him, and also encouraged him vocally like a maniac. It took 15 minutes for him to go down the 4 small steps on our small set of stairs, but he did it. After that it was just practice.

Then I introduced him to our bigger set of stairs. I did the same thing, but his leash wasn't long enough so I sat in the middle of the staircase. I had a bowl of his food and I tugged at his leash to encourage him. It's very slow, but he got it eventually, and now he won't stop going up and down the stairs (which is annoying cause then he eats the cat's food).

Good luck. I hope this helped in some way.


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## Heart O'Gold (Jul 31, 2012)

He will go up and down the stairs to get in and out of the house, There's about 4 steps. He was also afraid of these when he was small. He must just be very afraid of the height of the big staircase. Thanks for your advice and support. I'll try playing on the floor at the bottom with his toys. We also kept him gated downstairs to give our cat a safe area. Now that I would like him to come up at night he's too afraid.


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## GoldensGirl (Aug 2, 2010)

This reminds me so much of my Charlie. When he was about a year old, I moved to a house that had a big staircase in the foyer, leading up to the bedrooms. I took the dogs to visit after I bought the house and before the movers came, so they could get to know the new place. When I went upstairs, Charlie stayed behind, fussing and fuming. I came down to find that he had left a brown surprise for me on the living room carpet, which I duly cleaned up before I went back upstairs with my other dogs. Next thing I knew, Charlie was upstairs with us. When we went back downstairs, he hesitated at the top of the steps and whimpered a bit before coming down. After that, he became King of the Stairs, resting at the top of the stairs or on landings, where he could survey his Dominion. 

With the hindsight of years, I wonder if my boy had vision problems, perhaps with depth perception, that made him fearful on stairs.

I hope things work out for Bentley soon.


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## FeatherRiverSam (Aug 7, 2009)

How about actually leaving the house...pick up the car keys, put on your coat, everything you normally do when you leave but really over emphasized so that you're sure he knows you're leaving...and then leave. It might be worth a try...my dogs never want to be left behind...no matter what! Good luck.


Pete & Woody


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*I googled about pups and stairs*

I googled about pups and stairs:

What Age Can Puppies Go Up/Down Stairs?


Labrador Retriever Pictures, Information & Forum | Just Labradors › ... › Training Tips and Puppy Advice


10 posts - 5 authors - Nov 14, 2006
I have read that Puppies should not start using stairs for a while as it can hurt their joints. Is there a certain age that we need to have them be.


golden retriever forums Doing steps or stairs? - Top Golden ...

www.***********************.net › ... › The Puppy Chronicles


28 posts - Jul 4, 2004
Did I read some where that puppies shouldn't be doing stairs? If this is true, what age can they start to do them? Sabre (6 wks) goes up from the ...

− Do's and Dont's for your puppy


deekscuddlyk9s.com/dos-and-donts-for-your-puppy/

This usually means at least 6 months of age. Public parks, pet stores that ... This is where your puppy can pick up diseases. Wait until your puppy's shots are ...


puppy exercise - how much is too much - Page 1


puppy exercise - how much is too much - Page 1...


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## Heart O'Gold (Jul 31, 2012)

Thanks for the idea, I tried leaving, I drove around the block and came back. He's still up there though.  About a month ago I was out and my son brought him upstairs, when I came home he ran down to see me. So I thought he was cured of his fear, but the next day he wouldn't come down again. Today I just wanted to work on making him comfortable and trying to help him, it didn't work out so well.


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## Goldens R Great (Aug 19, 2010)

Have you tried putting anything at the bottom of the stairs with his food like cooked hamburger or chicken? Something he can smell that would tempt him more than his regular food?


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## FeatherRiverSam (Aug 7, 2009)

Heart O'Gold said:


> Thanks for the idea, I tried leaving, I drove around the block and came back. He's still up there though.  About a month ago I was out and my son brought him upstairs, when I came home he ran down to see me. So I thought he was cured of his fear, but the next day he wouldn't come down again. Today I just wanted to work on making him comfortable and trying to help him, it didn't work out so well.


That's too bad...I thought it might be enough motivation to get him down the stairs. At this point I'd do what it takes to get him down those stairs...perhaps your son on his hind end and you with a lead on his front end. Step by step and a super celebration with high value treats once you have him all the way down.

My primary concern being he's got to go to the bathroom and the last thing you need is to have him go in the house. And then feed the poor guy.

I 'd probably keep him downstairs at this point until you get some good positive information on the best way to handle this. I am not a trainer so please take this with a grain of salt. Hopefully one of our more knowledgable members will chime in with the magic bullet.

Pete & Woody


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## Heart O'Gold (Jul 31, 2012)

He's crying up there because he needs to pee. I'm worried about his bladder and kidneys.


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## Heart O'Gold (Jul 31, 2012)

He just peed up there, at least he went. I don't care about the mess, I can clean it. I just want him to be safe. I think I may have no choice but to carry him down. Maybe my husband will help. Then I think you're right I'll have to have a trainer come and work with him very soon. I don't think I can deal with this on my own. Thanks for everyone's support.


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## Zakov (Jan 19, 2013)

Heart O'Gold said:


> He's crying up there because he needs to pee. I'm worried about his bladder and kidneys.


I'm sorry, I wish I could help more. As a last resort, maybe just grab a leash and put his two front paws on the first step and tug a little/encourage him as you place more paws on more steps? I'm not sure if that made any sense. 

Also, I didn't read the whole thread, but did you consider getting a trainer's help for this?


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## Heart O'Gold (Jul 31, 2012)

He's down!!  whew! I couldn't lift him, but I pulled him forward while my son guided the leash. He can't help me lift because he had spinal surgery. Thank God he was able to help me though. Poor Bentley. I feel so bad for him. My husband says I traumatized him. I hope not. I just wanted to help him. Thanks to all of your for your kind advice, I'll let you know what the trainer says. Hopefully he can be cured.


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## Heart O'Gold (Jul 31, 2012)

Zakov, I just read your post, that's basically what I had to do. Thank you!


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## BajaOklahoma (Sep 27, 2009)

Does Bentley have any dog friends that could come over and teach him how to come down the stairs? 
Our "old" dogs have always taught the younger ones. And honestly, we've always started them on stairs very early, just for practice. I block off the stairs until they are much older.


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## Goldens R Great (Aug 19, 2010)

I'm so glad he made it down with you and your son's help!


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## Heart O'Gold (Jul 31, 2012)

*Bentley conquered the stairs! *

Bentley did it, he is over his fear! After the awful experience he had being stuck upstairs I decided to hire a trainer to help. But in the interim, Bentley took it upon himself to master his fear. I kept the gate open so he could go up as far as he was comfortable and back down when he wanted. I did not encourage him to go up at all. One day he decided to go up, so I played with him upstairs. He needed some encouragement (guided on leash) to come down. The next day he went up again, and needed even less help. The 3rd time he went down without any help. Now I make sure he has the chance to go up at least once a day so he remains comfortable. :crossfing Now he bounds down like it's no big deal and he never had an issue! Thanks to all of you who offered advice that day and helped us! :thanks:


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## TheZ's (Jun 13, 2011)

So glad to hear he's worked through it. With so many things for dogs and humans it's really a matter of believing you can do it and giving it a try.


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## Goldens R Great (Aug 19, 2010)

That is great to hear! 

Good boy, Bentley! :You_Rock_


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## janababy (Jan 2, 2012)

Buddy is a year and half now. He refuses to do stairs at all. We have tried everything, high value treats, chicken, beef, nothing will get him to go up or down our stairs. He evn has to be hoisted into the car when we go out. I have to very strong boys that carried him up our stairs several times. Out of sheer desperation he got himself down but has never been back up. I sure hope that you have better luck.


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## Ksdenton (Mar 17, 2013)

Congratulations! That's awesome and such a relief I'm sure. 


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## Wenderwoman (Jan 7, 2013)

Yay! Victory!


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## mddolson (Jul 10, 2012)

*Concurring the stairs*



janababy said:


> Buddy is a year and half now. He refuses to do stairs at all. We have tried everything, high value treats, chicken, beef, nothing will get him to go up or down our stairs. He evn has to be hoisted into the car when we go out. I have to very strong boys that carried him up our stairs several times. Out of sheer desperation he got himself down but has never been back up. I sure hope that you have better luck.


Here's the link to my thread on helping Bella concur the stairs, hope it helps:
http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com...1-year/152306-bella-has-concoured-stairs.html

Bella is a year old now and we're still working on the car also.

Mike D


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## mddolson (Jul 10, 2012)

Heart O'Gold said:


> Bentley did it, he is over his fear! After the awful experience he had being stuck upstairs I decided to hire a trainer to help. But in the interim, Bentley took it upon himself to master his fear. I kept the gate open so he could go up as far as he was comfortable and back down when he wanted. I did not encourage him to go up at all. One day he decided to go up, so I played with him upstairs. He needed some encouragement (guided on leash) to come down. The next day he went up again, and needed even less help. The 3rd time he went down without any help. Now I make sure he has the chance to go up at least once a day so he remains comfortable. :crossfing Now he bounds down like it's no big deal and he never had an issue! Thanks to all of you who offered advice that day and helped us! :thanks:


Congratulations.

Mike D


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