# Riley is all of a sudden afraid of the stairs.



## Lizzie (Jan 26, 2006)

For the past two days Riley refuses to walk up or down our stairs. He learned stairs months ago and has always cheerfully escorted everyone up and down all day long. Night before last he didn't follow me to bed, even though that is our routine. I thought must be he wanted to stay up and finish watching the news with daddy. My husband said no, he had to carry him up. I got up in the morning and he always bounds down the stairs in the most rude style, barely waiting for me to get to the landing before passing me. I got to the bottom of the stairs, looked for him and there he was sitting at the top whimpering, when I went to bring him down he ran to his crate (we keep one in our bedroom), this continued until I picked him up and carried him down. Same exact scenario all day and night yesterday and this morning. 

If I put a leash on him he scampers right up or down without pause. I thought perhaps his pad hair made him slip once and he didn't want to repeat it, but I keep it trimmed and no change after I cut it again. Any other suggestions? 

Has anyone else had their fur baby balk for unknown reasons at something they've always done?


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## Baxter and Wally's Mom (Aug 18, 2005)

Hello Lizzy, I can't say for sure, but if he got a scare at some point, going up or down, he may just be affraid regardless if there is no longer a reason. Maybe he slipped once or tripped, and now he knows he could get hurt and won't risk it. I had a Chihauhau once who was fine till he slipped on the tile floor, from then on he wouldn't walk on the floor withour rugs.

Maybe working with him slowly he'll get back to climbing. Best wishes!

Jean


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## Scoobydoo (May 26, 2005)

I think something has happened to make him afraid to do it alone too, Scooby slipped on the wood floor in hubby's computer room and now he only walks in if there is a mat for him to walk on. It's the same with our kitchen, if he slips he won't go there again, they remember things for a very long time.

The funny thing is when at SIL's house in Colorado he had no choice as she has mostly wood floors and tiled kitchen so he did walk on them but very carefully.

Perhaps Riley did trip or have a little accident and he is now not risking an injury. Also Scooby used to come up the stairs fine till we found he has a slight patella problem so I have stopped him doing it and he knows that he has to be carried up so he waits at the bottom. He has never gone down the stairs at all, and now I am glad too because it could put a lot of stress on his knees. They are very smart in figuring out these little things.


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## Lizzie (Jan 26, 2006)

Thank you for your imput. I should have mentioned that I have studied his gait almost constantly since his new refusal to do the stairs and I haven't seen a hint of any limp or tenderness when I touch any part of his legs or hips. As my gram would have said, " he's got no hitch in his giddyup". He runs, he plays at full speed, it's just the stairs. I suppose the oddest part of it is that he scoots right up or down if he's on leash we don't even have to encourage him.

*shaking head* what a silly little fuddy duddy he is.


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## Boobookit (Dec 3, 2005)

I watched a show on this one day....On the show it said that if you don't want your furbaby to have fear on anything keep walking him up and down the stairs with the leash until he is comfortable to do it without the leash.

My mother's shih tzu will not walk down and has to be carried....she will bound up the stairs but not down!!...so for 10 years my mother has been carrying her!! My mother, mind you, just got thru with chemo (again) and is not strong...this baby is 14 pounds! And she goes upstairs whenever she wants and my mother then has to go get her!! If she would just walk her up and down the stair with the leash and get her used to it they both would be better off.

I think that every now and then they catch a fear of something, must be part of growing up, like a child, and as long as we don't feed into it they can overcome it.

My issue with this is that what happens, God forbid, there is an emergency and the pup NEEDS to get down those stairs on their own.....it could mean the difference between life and death. 

Call me weird but I want my furbaby to be the happiest and healthiest that he can be and having no phobia's is one way to attain that. 



Marie & (I'm not afarid of nuttin' Mommy, except that new water gun!!) Pacino


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## precious paws (Jun 7, 2006)

Maybe Riley has a knee problem or possibly something else may be bothering him. I personally wouldn't force him to use the stairs as if it is medical it could make it worse.


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## Guest (Jun 11, 2006)

We have a ranch house, so there are no stairs except to the garge. There are only 3 stairs , easy to climb. Tucker, our 2 1/2 yr old Maltese goes up and down sometimes, other times balks, studies the stairs and then runs up the stairs as fast as possible. I do not know the reason for his actions. Hope you will solve your problem. These critters march to their own beat!!!


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

I would not encourage him to do stairs. I would teach him to sit at the top and bottom and let you carry him up and down. These little dogs repetetively jumping on and off furniture and doing flights of stairs can develop back problems ("slipped" discs). We use a ramp for furniture or else have the dogs ask to come up. We try to limit them going up and down flights of stairs.


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## Lizzie (Jan 26, 2006)

I appreciate everyone's concern about Riley's knees and back, I know they can be a problem with these small dogs but I really don't think that's what his problem is. He goes up and down the stairs to the out side, without hesitation. He's not a jumper, he doesn't try to get up on our furniture and if we pick him up he waits for us to put him down on the floor. I think I accidently taught him that from when we first got him at 3 mos. and wouldn't let him near the edge. I don't think he knows he could get down himself. My children are all college age, they've been very careful with him he's always been set down on the floor cautiously.

We are leaning more towards him being fearful of something, that's the main reason I posed the question here. If our poor little fella showed any signs what so ever of discomfort I sure wouldn't hesitate to call his vet right away. I suppose you'd have to see him in action, he hasn't slowed a bit in doing any other activity including his nightly run around the coffee table, into the dining room, back around the coffee table, pause in his bed, then all over again. (another behavior we have no clue as to why he does it. He goes outside several times a day and gets plenty of exercise he just finds himself needing to speed thru the house every evening. Perhaps that one is due to the fact we all gather to watch this display and laugh and clap for him, LOL).


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## M&M's MOM (May 10, 2005)

WE never taught Molly or Maggie to go up or down stairs. Actually, we live basically on one floor and there is no need for them to go down to our rec room as we go there seldom and would carry them if we went. It is a plus to us to not have to worry about them falling or getting into something they shouldn't. Of course, they can go up a few steps...but stairs, no..and we like it that way.


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