Another question from Quinnsmom

I have another problem with Quinn. He's 2 1/2 now and won't climb stairs. When I let him outside, he takes a running leap and jumps up on the deck to come in. Lately, he's been venturing down to the family room in the lower level of the house (total of 14 steps) but sits at the base of the stairs and cries when he wants to come up. How do you teach a dog to climb stairs?

 

Has he ever climbed stairs before? Try sitting a few stairs up from him (just out of reach) and holding out a treat, see if he'll climb the stairs and take it. Keep doing this until he gets to the top/bottom of the stairs. Also he is very young, so arthritis shouldn't be an issue, but i'd still check on it, just to be sure.

 

Another thought...

If the stairs are slippery (tile, wood, ect.) then maybe he doesn't feel he was enough traction to get up or down then, try putting something down that will help him climb them (rugs, ect.)