How do you train a dog to not be afraid of stairs?

[mwmorph]

My 2 female roommates fell in love with a dog named "Kyan(pronounced like Porsche Cayenne)" and brought it home last night. It's a 6 year old mix, looking at it's head, looks to be part bulldog and part some massive breed. He's at least 100lbs and absolutely afraid of stairs and the balcony.

He doesn't bark or make any trouble (hasn't barked or made any noises yet, really), seems extremely friendly and quiet, but I live on the 3rd floor of a condo and he refuses to walk up or down stairs or go out onto the balcony. It took 2 of us to carry him upstairs last night. How do I train an old dog not to be afraid of these things? It's going to be a problem when he needs to do his business and exercise

Pic.

 

[Safeway]

Give him time, treats.

 

[Phoenix86]

Bacon.

 

[skyking]

treats are OK, toys and play are even better. He won't realize he is going up or down stairs if he is really involved in some play. Get him chasing a ball and toss it up a couple of stairs. he can probably reach that while keeping his back feet on the floor. Gradually work him up a couple of steps at a time.
Never carry him up stairs again if you can avoid that.

 

[StevenYoo]

you sure he doesnt have arthritis or other joint issues that make stairs painful for him?

 

[BeauJangles]

Originally posted by: StevenYoo
you sure he doesnt have arthritis or other joint issues that make stairs painful for him?

Yeah, make sure there isn't any underlying medical condition. If there isn't, try getting down on all fours and showing him you going up and down the stairs. Dogs learn by seeing, so this, combined with treats, might get him used to the stairs. Be wary though, it will probably take him a while to go up and down them without issue.

 

[EagleKeeper]

As others have stated, make sure that there is not a medical condition that causes him pain.

Then if all is OK; take a few hotdogs.

Slice them up in 8 sections per hotdog and place them on the stairs (2 sections per stair).

Once he gets up the stairs - repeat to get down the stairs - this time every other tread.

After a couple of lessons, he should have no worries.

 

[Safeway]

Originally posted by: Common Courtesy
As others have stated, make sure that there is not a medical condition that causes him pain.

Then if all is OK; take a few hotdogs.

Slice them up in 8 sections per hotdog and place them on the stairs (2 sections per stair).

Once he gets up the stairs - repeat to get down the stairs - this time every other tread.

After a couple of lessons, he should have no worries.

From experience?

 

[EagleKeeper]

Yes - for the second set, stagger the treads like done on the downside

 

[Porter21]

I had a dog with the same problems. Even though dog treats seems to help, it was still very difficult to get him to ever feel comfortable going up/down stairs.

 

[Capt Caveman]

All good advice so far.

May want to try to find some steps outside and see if he goes up them. The dog may be just afraid of going up a steep indoor stairwell and the suggests of placing treats every few steps to encourage him to go up them may work.

 

[El Guaraguao]

you have to be the pack leader. /pants like a dog. you have to be affirmative and straight forward with the dog. /shakes butt left to right like a dog. get a choke leash and slowly force the mutt down the stairs. /cleanses balls with tongue.

 

[SonnyDaze]

Originally posted by: StevenYoo
you sure he doesnt have arthritis or other joint issues that make stairs painful for him?

Good point. He may have hip dysplasia or some other ailment that causes pain. Or he may have been kicked down some stairs at one time and has a fear of them.

 

[cmf21]

Hire the dog whisperer?

 

[Lorax]

i (carefully) nudged my dog down the stairs, he figured it out eventually.

 

[JS80]

how do i teach my 1 year old to be afraid of stairs?

 

[PingSpike]

I'm afraid your dog is what is commonly called an "evolutionary dead end".

 

[middlehead]

Are the stairs hardwood or some other slightly slippery surface? My lab/rottweiler mix refused to go up my hardwood stairs when I first got her, I just laid some adhesive-backed carpet squares and now she's fine.

 

[Bspendleton79]

Give him lots of time. I would suggestion maybe sitting on the step below him, encourage him to get on same step as you. Then do same thing until last step. May take multiple times for him to realize they aren't that bad and with lots of positive attention.

 

[Saulbadguy]

Drag its ass up and down the stairs several times.

 

[sswingle]

Originally posted by: Lorax
i (carefully) nudged my dog down the stairs, he figured it out eventually.

Thats what I did. Now they race up and down the stairs like they are nothing.

 

[Nik]

If he dosen't like stairs or the balcony, maybe he's afraid of heights? Maybe his previous owner abused him by throwing him down stairs or off ledges? If you call him from the top or bottom of the stairs and he makes his way up/down the stairs to you, make a big deal of it, give him some treats, and show him that you approve. Do this repeatedly and on a regular basis. He'll get used to it eventually.

 

[Sea Moose]

fire crackers

 

[EagleKeeper]

Originally posted by: JS80
how do i teach my 1 year old to be afraid of stairs?

You can not - they have no fear until the parents instill it in them.

 

[ric1287]

Originally posted by: Common Courtesy

Originally posted by: JS80
how do i teach my 1 year old to be afraid of stairs?

You can not - they have no fear until the parents instill it in them.

Or...until they fall down some stairs or something.