dog training tips and questions

[Rockbadchild]

I think that's pretty much it because, as mentioned, he can and does go up the stairs when he wants to (i.e., to sit on the bench with me).

If we just leave him down there, he will stand there and bark. I'm afraid to leave him out there too long because a cayote might decide to have him for lunch...

Try playing mind games, pick him up and drop him half the stairs and lower and lower each time to the point you just pick him up and drop him at the same place. Each time he get up some part on his own reward it... Or like stated earlier try to get him going with a toy and use that to get him up the stairs while playing like fetch, throw it a few stairs up then higher and higher.

 

[Runner]

One possability for stair issues is pain. Have a talk/exam with the vet.

Anything's possible, but as mentioned, he has no issue jumping up and down from the couch multiple times per day. In fact, one of the games we play is that (while he is sitting with me) I throw his toy across the room into another chair. He jumps off my chair, runs over to the other chair, jumps up to retrieve the toy, then jumps down, runs back to my chair and jumps back up to bring it to me. He loves this and will do it all night if I would.

He is quite athletic when he wants to be.

 

[Rockbadchild]

Anything's possible, but as mentioned, he has no issue jumping up and down from the couch multiple times per day. In fact, one of the games we play is that (while he is sitting with me) I throw his toy across the room into another chair. He jumps off my chair, runs over to the other chair, jumps up to retrieve the toy, then jumps down, runs back to my chair and jumps back up to bring it to me. He loves this and will do it all night if I would.

He is quite athletic when he wants to be.

if it be the case it would be jumping down the issue or going down the stairs not going up... any dog and jumping down is not a good combo, I try to limit that with my dogs... there's a easy way to tell, slide your thumbs on his spine, vertebra at a time if you feel him tensing up at one he his in pain and most likely is a calcified disk but he his pretty young for that at 2 years old.

 

[Dftodd]

Are the steps open, no riser? If so, time to install risers.

You'll need to find a motivator. What about her favorite toy? Make it a game and she'll be doing stairs in no time.

Will she go down the stairs on a leash? Off leash?

We had a dog that would do anything for a car ride.

Bribery works with dogs.

Our shepherd experienced stairs for the first time when we moved into a fifth wheel camper. She also has arthritis in one hip.

Her issue (and ours) was how steep they were. She could make it up them with difficulty, but forget coming down.

And me carrying her down the steps was next to impossible due to the narrow width of the hallway.

I ended up extending the steps the next day. Then she would go up the stairs without issue. But coming down the stairs took some coaxing.

I would get home from work and she would be up on the landing at the top of the stairs, and start crying to have help to come down

The help was dad standing on the first step while she came down She just needed moral support until she built up her confidence

After about 5 days of this she started coming down on her own. Some of that was us ignoring her when she wanted to come down.

 

[Runner]

Try playing mind games, pick him up and drop him half the stairs and lower and lower each time to the point you just pick him up and drop him at the same place. Or like stated earlier try to get him going with a toy and use that to get him up the stairs.

It's only 3 risers. If I put him in the middle, it's a crap shoot whether he goes down or back up. If we're at the top and I put his front paws on the middle, he goes back up. If we're at the bottom and I put his front paws on the first riser, he goes all the way up.

So far, the toys and treats don't work.

If we can EVER get him to do the 3-riser stairs, THEN we'll start working on the 5-riser stairs to get into our hi-boy bed. I am seriously considering installing ramps....

 

[Dftodd]

How do you train a dog that doesn't respond to food? I have a dog that won't climb/descend steps (even just three steps). Offers of food/treats don't seem to have any effect.

The problem is, getting the dog to go up/down steps is critical to going in/out of the house for bathroom breaks and it is a pain to have to carry the dog in/out of the house every time. To make matters worse, the dog is extremely submissive and pees every time you pick it up.

Getting this dog to go up/down steps would solve all the world's problems.

Any ideas?

Are you over feeding the pooch at meals???

With our shepherd we were doing that at first, so she would ignore treats if she didn't want one.

I skipped her breakfast and started using her kibble as training treats.

After a day or so, she started really responding to treats and her food.

 

[JasperFrank]

I don't think you can train a 1-2 year old from the pound. I get pound dogs, and have a degree in behavioral science. Not bragging, about the behavioral science stuff.. just say'en. I would work with these dogs and they would get the commands and behave in a controlled situation. Out side of that, everything is out the window. They revert to earlier and native behaviors.

 

[Runner]

Are you over feeding the pooch at meals???

With our shepherd we were doing that at first, so she would ignore treats if she didn't want one.

I skipped her breakfast and started using her kibble as training treats.

After a day or so, she started really responding to treats and her food.

He gets 1/4 cup (1/8 oz) Science Diet about 430 AM and the same thing at 330 PM. One small Milk Bone chewy treat about lunch time. Acts like he's starving at meal times.

 

[Eagle1]

He gets 1/4 cup (1/8 oz) Science Diet about 430 AM and the same thing at 330 PM. One small Milk Bone chewy treat about lunch time. Acts like he's starving at meal times.

I dump at least 4 to 6 of the big coffee cans (1 1/2 pound or so) into 3 bowls for our pack. They share those and eat when they can depending on status and what they want. Puppies are slowing down at a year old. They were good for 4 cans by themselves during the latest growing phase.
No one gets fat and the food guarding is minimal.

 

[1 Old Man]

He gets 1/4 cup (1/8 oz) Science Diet about 430 AM and the same thing at 330 PM. One small Milk Bone chewy treat about lunch time. Acts like he's starving at meal times.

Well, you Sir are well trained.