[yorkietalkjilly]

I placed big boxes, placed books, oddments in the floor in front of the couch to crowd the area and discourage Tibbe jumping down off the couch or bed and then had Tibbe go up and down the stairs over and over as a training exercise, 2 minutes a time x 6 - 15 times a day, with a bit of treat every trip he made up or down along with a big party response, BIG smiling, high happy voice, clapping, yelping, yahooing like he'd just won the lottery every time he used the stairs. I'd just grab him up and dance around with, hugging him, telling him how wonderful and smart he was EACH time. He finally got addicted to the rush of being always rewarded in that big way and besides, all that stuff deterred him from jumping straight off, along with my "NO! Bad jump, bad NO NO jump. No jump!!!!!" , along with my wrinkled up, unhappy, scowling face.

Then I'd smile really big, take a treat and lure him up and back down the steps and say, SMILING big time, "That's it!!!! Gooooooooooooooooooooooooood jump, WHAT a smart boy doing good stair jump! Goooooood boy jump, YES YES YES!!!!", all the while plying him w/ bits of kibble and the party, happy, happy atmosphere. Boy, it gets old but you can fake it like the best of them and finally, your dog gets just so addicted to pleasing you so much he makes the deliberate CHOICE to make mom so happy and use the steps! Boom! BIG WIN. Big win. Celebrate until your tired with your good little guy over and over each time he does it, scold and unhappy times when he goes the old way! He'll soon figure it out! Takes about 3 weeks of this each and every single time but happy, upbeat, fun repetition is how dogs learn and you're pretty much home free to then only party every 2nd - 4th time he uses the stairs but ALWAYS scold when he directly puts his little joints at risk by jumping directly off any furniture and automatically follow that up immediately with a treat lure showing him the RIGHT way to jump down that rewards you both! Good luck.