Jumping Snickers flash

[Robyn, Greg and Snickers]

So here is the deal Snickers has taken to jumping from
The top of deck stairs to the ground (4) steps. He doesn't even acknowledge the steps just leaps. 
Should I be worried what this will do to his joints down the road? If so how in the world do I stop him? 
I blame the setter in him for this leaping behavior but maybe it is the doodle. Anyway else run into this leaping behavior?
One more thing a few weeks ago he leaped from the top of the regular stair case (9) steps he was sufficiently freaked out after he got to the bottom so hopefully he does not try that stunt again. 

[Christine & Shelby]

Wow! My home doesn't have stairs.... so I don't have any advice... sorry!

[BG and Gavin]

My parents' old greyhound mix used to have a great deal of trouble going down stairs. In his panic, he would take the first step or two into the basement and jump the rest of the way. My advice would be to leash him and train him up and down the stairs until he is doing it properly.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I agree. I wouldn't worry so much about the 4 step leap, but 9 steps is too much. I'd block the stairs until you can get him "stairs" trained. That said, we had an Irish Setter for many almost 13 years who pulled those kinds of "stunts" all the time. He never got hurt, but he almost gave me "heart failure" on several occasions. All I can say is ..."good luck" You'll never have a dull moment with any dog with "setter genes"...at least that was our experience (but they're sooo beautiful).

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Heck, Jane, if you could live with an Irish Setter for 13 years, you can handle anything. I would put an Irish Setter up against practically any other breed in the "Most Damage Done Inside a Home in an Hour" competition.
I agree that 9 stairs is too many. The deck thing wouldn't worry me so much as long as Snickers' skeletal growth is complete.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Can you even believe that our Irish Setter was our first dog...and we got him as a wedding present. We were totally clueless. His name was Clancy (Crazy Clancy was what he was usually called). He flunked puppy kindergarten three times. The only thing that saved us was that we had lots of land so he could run.

[Robyn, Greg and Snickers]

Jane, I believe the run thing whenever we go to the doodle romp Snickers runs and runs not many doodles keep up with him. However this last time there was an Airedoodle he gave Snickers a run for his money!

[Linda and Murphy]

Murphy does this occasionally off the back deck when he has been given permission to go to my next door neighbors. He flies off the back deck and over to hers to get hugs and treats.
He also did it off the top of an A frame when we were practicing agility, pouncing on the "target treat (cheese)" at the bottom.
This distressed the instructor no end. Thats a food motivated dog.
Also, for agility jumps, our instructor didn't want Murphy taking any full height jumps until he was 18 mos.

[Robyn, Greg and Snickers]

The 18 months is interesting he has 3 more months to go until then not sure if that is when they considered full grown?

I don't think he will try the indoor stair case again he got a very big talking too (after hubby about had a heart attack) and since then he just does his regular up and down ...I may try to encourage him with a toy or treat to walk down the deck stairs instead of the leap down it really is very graceful and beautiful but I want him to be able to WALK in his teenage years too...I just KNEW it was the setter in him I swear they are the most mischevious of his genes!

[F, Calla & Luca]

My dogs will jump a few steps from the outside decks to the ground but they do take the steps down inside. How old is your dog? I agree with the others that 3-4 steps isn't much if their bones have fused.

[Bonnie and Kona]

I grew up with Irish Setters. I think you can be pretty certain that it is the setter in him that has him leaping!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Amen to that, lol!