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07-26-2011, 04:05 AM | #1 |
Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: NY
Posts: 849
| Getting her to use pet stairs? Roxie has been coming upstairs to the bedroom more recently (which she never used to do. I guess she is getting braver). We pick her up and put her on the bed because it is WAY too high for her to jump onto or off of. A few months back we bought pet stairs for the couch downstairs, but she wouldn't go near them. Now they are in the bedroom next to the bed, but she still won't use them. We tried using treats and sort of goading her up the stairs, but nothing has worked so far. Does anyone have any tried-and-true tips to get her to use the stairs to get onto the bed?
__________________ Roxie |
Welcome Guest! | |
07-26-2011, 04:12 AM | #2 |
YT Addict Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Mesa, Arizona
Posts: 313
| We put a treat on the floor by the bottom stair to start. We didn't make a big deal, just put Bella in the room and pointed out the treat. It took her a while but eventually she ran over and snatched the treat. We did it a few more times ons on the floor and then moved to the next step. Repeated. Treat on floor, then next step. Eventually we had the floor and all steps with a treat. She went up gingerly the first time and then it seemed she decided they weren't going to hurt her and stood on the bed looking down the steps. This time we reversed the process. It didn't take more than 4-5 repititions and she was going up and down. But, the next day we had to put 1 treat on the middle step and top of the bed. She did it twice and we used treats on the top step a few more days and after 5 days, she was a pro. Took alot of treats and some time but it was worth it. She seemed a litttle less apprehensive about new things after mastering the stairs. **We used special treats for this, not her usual training treats. Good luck! |
07-26-2011, 04:22 AM | #3 |
Donating Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Arizona, USA
Posts: 481
| I have a ramp for my guys to get up on the bed and stairs for the living room couch. I used treats on both to teach them to use. Funny, mine went up fine but coming down was another story. They like the ramp much better than the stairs. I think the stairs are just a little to steep for their comfort level. I started by putting a treat on the bottom stair and stopped, sat on the floor next to the stairs petting them and praising them (I have two). I did this several times thru-out the day. The next day I went up the other stairs doing the same thing. Funny enough, now my little ones like to lay on the stairs. Abby is a littler smaller so I had to help her little butt up and down the first few times. And, I did have to break out the "special" treats - Blue Bits - small and favorite treats of my little ones. Good luck! |
07-26-2011, 04:23 AM | #4 |
YT Addict Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Manhattan, NY
Posts: 250
| I was thinking about getting pet stairs as well, but there doesn't seem to be a great deal of room for them in my room |
07-26-2011, 05:34 AM | #5 |
Donating YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Michigan USA
Posts: 3,317
| We tried to get Sophie to use stairs to get on our bed but even special treats didn't work very well. She "might" go up a couple but would never go down them. It may have had something to do with the depth of the stairs. What we finally ended up doing was buying a long leather covered bench for the foot of our bed and placed a soft rug in front of it. It works great for her, looks good and is just a very small hop from bench to bed or floor.
__________________ Jackie Loves Sophie R.I.P ."Baby" our little girl 1993-2009 |
07-26-2011, 05:58 AM | #6 |
Yorkie mom of 4 Donating YT Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: LaPlata, Md
Posts: 23,247
| The vet told me I had to get Callie to use hers so I put them at the couch one of her favorite places to lay and I blocked all access to the couch except for the stairs when just using the treats didnt work but sense the stairs where the only way up to her favorite spot she eventually used them and when she did she would get a yay good girl and a treat. Now the couch doesn't have to be blocked off any more she will just automatically use her stairs.
__________________ Taylor My babies Joey, Penny ,Ollie & Dixie Callie Mae, you will forever be in my heart! |
07-26-2011, 06:59 AM | #7 |
YT Addict Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: San Diego
Posts: 288
| Iris is not a fan of stairs either. She does fine with her ramp but she's very skittish with stairs. We used treats to train her too, just as others have said. She will use them if she has to but she avoids it. We have a ramp for the bed but stairs for the sofa. I think we will have to get a ramp for the sofa too. Ivan just jumps right up on the sofa but he's much bigger. |
07-26-2011, 07:06 AM | #8 | |
YT Addict Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Abbotsford, BC, Canada
Posts: 466
| Quote:
__________________ David & Denise ... proud parents of Ozzy | |
07-26-2011, 07:21 AM | #9 |
♥Momma's Bambino♥ Donating Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Ca
Posts: 10,026
| They way I taught Pnut was: I first set him on the steps, just to show him it is safe. Then I went and got something yummy (treat) that he loves, like cheese! I sat on the bed, and called him to come up. He attempted and jumped on the first step, then I kinda picked him up and put him on the second step, then I called him with the chesse and showed him, he jumped up, I gave him the cheese... I did this over and over till he jumped by his self! He will still jump up and down to get my attention so I pick him up, but I will just tell him "use your stairs" and he will jump, and use them!
__________________ "People with nothing to hide don't usually feel the need to say so." |
07-26-2011, 07:43 AM | #10 |
Donating YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Michigan USA
Posts: 3,317
| The bench opens up at the top and we use it to store throws/blankets in. We bought it at TJMaxx for around $40.00 but it looks much more expensive and matches our bedroom furniture as well.
__________________ Jackie Loves Sophie R.I.P ."Baby" our little girl 1993-2009 |
07-26-2011, 08:03 AM | #11 |
Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: NY
Posts: 849
| Thanks for the tips. I'm a little torn about the stairs for two reasons: 1. I think there is still a big distance between the top step and the bed. She may eventually be able to get up, but getting down might be a challenge. 2. I'm not so sure I want to encourage her to be climbing on the bed all the time. SO doesn't want her in the bed at all. Maybe I just pack them up and try to sell them on Craigslist. It's been way too long since the purchase to return them to the store.
__________________ Roxie |
07-26-2011, 09:13 AM | #12 |
Donating YT 500 Club Member | We got steps quite some time ago. Trained her with treats. She seemed to 'get it', but continued to jump up and down. Quite a long time after, she suddenly started going up the steps voluntarily, and still does. She still insists on jumping down though. Am trying to be patient and hoping she will decide to go down the steps also. Have thought about replacing with a ramp, and still might. Don't know if that will help or not. May have DH make one.
__________________ June ~ Roxy LUV LUV |
07-26-2011, 09:16 AM | #13 |
YT Addict Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Abbotsford, BC, Canada
Posts: 466
| That's awesome! I like the idea even more now! Thanks
__________________ David & Denise ... proud parents of Ozzy |
07-26-2011, 10:15 AM | #14 |
Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 10,534
| I put them in my room, shut the door and laid on the bed with my face peeking over the top of the stairs. All I did was NOT pick them up and encourage them to come up the stairs. It took Dexter longer than Fletcher to feel ok coming up them, but now both of them fly up them... for the life of me though, I cannot get them to go down them... they much prefer to jump off the bed. Its not super high so it's ok ..... but yeah, no stairs for getting down, only up. Oh I would say it only took them about 3 nights to really realize they can climb the stairs, now they don't even bother jumping onto the bed... too much work! LOL
__________________ “Petting, scratching, and cuddling a dog could be as soothing to the mind and heart as deep meditation and almost as good for the soul as prayer.” ― Dean Koontz |
08-10-2011, 03:10 AM | #15 |
Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: NY
Posts: 849
| Well, I've been trying with the treats, and blocking off any other avenue, but she is still skittish on the stairs. She makes it up to the second stair and then turns around and jumps off. When she comes into the room, the first thing she does is size up the jump to the bed. Then she rears up as if she is going to jump and we have to stop her every time. She tried to jump up once and promptly smashed her face into the side of the bed. With her LP, there is no way I want her jumping off the bed either. *sigh*
__________________ Roxie |
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