Hardwood Floor Stairs

[Yana Shulman]

Hi Everyone- I really appreciate everyone's feedback on my posts :)

We are getting a standard goldendoodle in a few months and wondering if we should put carpet on our hardwood floor stairs. Our previous dog would slip on the steps a lot and we had to carry him so wondering what everyone's experience has been and if anyone has any solutions.

[Barbara B., Sasha & Oliver]

I have hardwood floors and 3 hardwood stairs going out to my back yard.  I have area rugs so the doodles don't slip and slide.  My stairs are pretty beat-up and they are not slippery at all so I really did not need anything for the doodles when they were babies.  If your puppy will be using the stairs, I would put something down if they are slippery.

[L.M.]

My doods tend to get nervous if steps aren't carpeted....I know just for my own sake too, I prefer carpeted steps....I've slipped many times down hardwood stairs, so I can only imagine a puppy going down the steps.  If you don't carpet the entire staircase, they sell those pieces that just cover part of the step too.   =) 

[Diana Erhart]

We recently moved to a house with wooden stairs.  I was worried about them and all of us falling.  We have been here 3 months now and Charlie has slipped a couple of times but has not fallen.  I, on the other hand, have fallen down them once.  Charlie has learned that he needs to go slower down these stairs than the carpeted stairs at our last home.  Sometimes I need to remind him to slow down before he gets to the stairs.  I am still not sure if I will put a runner of carpet down them or not.  I guess we will wait a few more months and see if there are any more falls.

[Colleen, Jake & Baxter]

It has not been too much of a problem with wooden steps.  My own doodle does well and I also have foster doodles coming in and out.  Most of them have been fine but the last one kept slipping and sliding on the way down.  That's when I put a leash on to help them learn to go more slowly. 
I was going to try using the stick on carpet pieces but they seem to come in the ugliest colors....perhaps you could look online for better ones.

[Bonnie and Kona]

We have uncarpeted stairs. it was a problem when our Golden Retriever got old. She could not go up the stairs. For a few years my DH carried this 80 pound dog up to bed. When she could not go down the stairs by herself she ended up sleeping on her dog bed in the family room. 

[Jennifer,Chloe & Myla]

I would feel a lot better with carpet or tread so they don't slip and fall.