Snickers is scared of the steps

[Robyn, Greg and Snickers]

Yesterday Snickers fell down the steps to our lower level family room.  I was not home, but DH said it was pretty loud and seemed to scare him.  He probably had wet paws and with the wood floors it was slip n slide time!  So last night he refuses to go down these same steps.  Mind you he has climbed and descended the steps to the 2nd floor (which is longer and steeper) without a problem but when it came to going down the shorter stair case he wasn't having any of it.  We even brought down one of his favorite treats, and he would NOT go down the stairs.  So DH carried him down (since this is where he sleeps-where his crate is). He came up the stairs fine in the morning but then refused to go back down. So DH tells him "car ride" which means going down these steps to get to the garage entry door, and he carefully manages to make it down-then he has not tried since, he will put out a tentative foot but he can't bring himself to go down these stairs.  Again, no problem with any other stairs inside or outside the house.  Any suggestions?  DH thinks we should try and feed him down there tonight, to encourage him to go down.  I feel so bad for him because this is his favorite room in the whole house.

[Donna K & Quincy]

 Poor Snickers, that must have frightened him terribly. My sister's little dog did the same thing once and it took him a very long time to go up and down the hardwood stairs. I'm not a trainer by any means but I would leash him up and lead him up and down the step, treating him each time at the bottom. I would do this until he goes up and down without hesitating. Good luck, I hope you find a solution. Is there any way you could put a carpet runner and those steps?

[Robyn, Greg and Snickers]

Donna we may need to get something on these steps both DH and I have also
Slipped on these same silly stairs. 

[Lindsey & Cocoa]

Is there anyway to have carpet installed on them?  That might make him feel he has something to grip onto.

[Jennifer,Chloe & Myla]

That must have felt horrible to him. I'm glad he's physically ok. It will take time and coaxing but I think he will overcome it. Good luck Snickers!!!

[Lindsey & Cocoa]

Oh poor baby.

My parents schnauzer fell down their basemest steps when she was a puppy and thumped really hard on the concreat. She is 13 and still will not go down those steps only the steps to upstairs that are carpeted and cut in the middle with a landing.

I kept her last winter for a week when on vacation and she refused my steps as well.

I hope you find something that helps him want to try them again.

 

Almost 6 months ago my yorkie fell down my steps and quit breathing, we got him breathing again but then at the ER vet they said he was pretty much brain dead and there was really nothing they could do for him.

 :(  So now we are freaked out about the steps and I will not be letting this new puppy up or down them with out one of us there.   My yorkie was only 8 and started having mild epilespy episodes so we are not sure if that happen while he was running up or he just slipped and landed wrong. My husband and I were in the other room when it happen.

[Robyn, Greg and Snickers]

Lindsey I am so sorry about your Yorkie how horrible! 

[Barbara B., Sasha & Oliver]

Oh poor Snickers :(      I would not force the issue, he may come down in his own time.  Oliver never had a problem with steps, he stumbled up them and stumbled down them but that did not stop him.  I only have 4 steps down to go outside and there is about 5 steps down to the basement which Oliver has no problem with.  Now Sasha does up and down to go outside but refuses to go down the basement steps.  I don't know why, she just never went down the basement, I have to carry her down when I bathe and groom her.

 

I would wait a day or two then try to coax Snickers down, he may forget in a day or two or three.

[Sharon & Monty]

Oh so sorry about Snickers.  Very glad he wasnt hurt.  We have wooden stairs, two sets of them.  As we know our doodles feet never stop growing their fur and I worry all the time about Monty.   He actually prepares himself to descend down, and then its a quick here I come kinda decline.  I want carpet runners and will have them someday.  I'm not the most adept neither and my socks are a hazard. 

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Why don't you put some of his favorite treats, something irresistible, on every other step and see if that will entice him?

[Doris, Knox & Flash]

I think that if you continue to be patient with him, he will come around before you know it!  If it's his favorite room, he'll learn again to trust the stairs.  Good luck!

[Kaytlin and Cooper]

I wouldnt force him to go down them, but I wouldnt carry him either, or he may never walk down them. Favourite treats, lots of praise, and 1 step at a time (literally)

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Could you try sitting on the stairs with lots of treats in your hand.  Go down each step on your "butt" and then invite him to come down just one step to get a treat and lots of praise.  I would not force him...I'd just sit and wait with the treat in my hand.  If you're positioned in the right place he won't see the whole staircase....just that one step.  It could take quite a while, but I think if you're just calm and patient, he may give it a try.  As Kaytlin says....one step at a time.