Can anyone advise me how i introduce the stairs to Jax and when? As we live on our 2nd floor we have to carry Jax up and down but since Sunday he's been trying to break free from my arms? He seems far too little to be using the stairs but I've not got a clue lol. He had his 1st injection and micro chipping yesterday and the cheese worked a treat. He's been eating drinking and sleeping normally so I don't feel like the bad mummy lol.
Re: Stairs You sound like a very good mummy! I carried Charlie up long flights of steps for just as long as I could. He didn't like it much but tough luck, it was good for him - guards against joint problems. I stopped when he got to about 20kg. It was just too much after that. He went up and down small steps - 4 or 5 - from about 3.5 months. Now, I never carry him up steps or stairs, he is just too heavy at 28kg and 10 months. One really useful thing I taught him though was to walk down narrow stairs behind me and do just a few steps and stop (at first for a bit of kibble). It's ever so handy and safe - stops him crashing into me, and stops him charging down like a mad thing.
Re: Stairs I'd say that now would probably be a good time to introduce stair walking. Just practise on the bottom few steps at first until he seems completely co-ordinated and confident. Make sure he walks slowly - keep him on lead so you can control the pace and lure with treats to keep him with you. It's quite challenging for a doggy brain to learn to co-ordinate all four legs on stairs. It is a good thing to get them used to it fairly early so they develop skills in this area but it also is very important to take it easy. Does he have free access to the stairs or can he only access them if you let him? The latter would be best as it's ideal to avoid running up and down stairs till he is about a year old (to let those joints develop and to avoid the risk of a fall in the meantime).
Re: Stairs Aww thank you JulieT and thanks Oberon, I've got safety gates at bottom of both staircases and top stairs on 2nd floor (Jax doesn't have access to 3rd floor). Last couple of days has been a struggle to pick him up to take him upstairs so ive been putting a treat (science plan dry biscuits) on the first step and he will then sit for me to pick him up. I will get his lead out for the stairs and introduce him to them tomorrow. He is very independent so It will be good for him when he is a little older. It's just me who sees the dangers in it lol Thank you x
Re: Stairs Lol what a disaster! If Jax didn't eat his lead he just laid down and refused to move lol. Off to buy a harness tomorrow and try again .
Re: Stairs Well, he's a smart boy, he's been carried up till now ;D You'll get there. Did you try putting kibble on the stairs?
Re: Stairs Lol that's what I was thinking. I did put kibble on the steps and acted all daft (he likes that lol) he just laid there with his little eyes saying " you can't make me and you know it" either that or chewed on his lead. For the last couple of days he's not wanted to be carried so I thought he would 'jump' at the idea. Defo patience and perseverance lol.
