How dumb is this.......
 

I have been trying to "teach" my dogs to go down the steps for 2 months.

Apple, the chi, is over 1 year old and flies UP the steps all the time.....
Lil Bit is now 7 1/2 months old and she, too, flies UP the steps as well.

But they both stand frozen at the top of the steps barking like maniacs if they want to go down the steps!!!

The way my house is built we go down the steps into the basement and out the back door into the fenced back-yard. They LOVE going outside but trying to catch they at the same time is really getting old. Apple will run and jump on the couch and circle and circle and circle until I pick her up. Lil Bit will now do the exact same thing (because she learned it from Apple).....

So....back to the dumb part...... I have been picking the two of them up (just like usual) and taking them to the steps....I have practiced and practiced this for 2 months.....I sit on the step ..putting one of them down and letting them go down the steps themselves.....I have worked my way up from the bottom 3 steps all the way to the top!

So.....now.....if I put them down on the top step they freeze and shake like they are going to die any moment.....but..if I put them on the next to the top step they just bounce on down all 14 steps!!!

As I sit here typing (the 'office'/computer is in the basement) Lil Bit is up at the top of the steps barking her head off like she is being dismembered by a lunatic...and Apple is crying.....

UGH!!!

I think this weekend I may just put a big fat juicy steak at the bottom and see who gets it first!!!!!

;) Sounds like they just need to conquer that first step and I'll bet they do before long!! Good luck!

I have a board that I sanded and painted and put some grippy stuff on so they dont slide, on my basement steps cause Memphis wouldn't use the steps.

This is so funny. It took Josie forever to learn to climb stairs. First, she would climb down and bark till we picked back up. Then, she would get scared all over again and not go down for weeks.Now Miss big stuff's a big pro! So, all you need is patience and all little time. She'll get the hang of it. ;)

I taught Pebbles and Gaby to go down the stairs with yellow cheese. I would go on the step before them and they would put their front paws first then their back paws then they would get the cheese. I did this for fourteen steps not all the same time, but they did learn that same day.
Now they both fly up and down the stairs. I thought I had probs before. LOL

While i went outside to finish cutting the grass I left a big trail of Hunny Nut Cheerios.....one of their FAVORITE treats.....all the way down the steps.

When I came back in, just now, there stood Lil Bit...at the top of the steps....barking like an idiot!!!

(At what point do they just "lose their voice"??)

just a thought
 

You know..years back I had a poodle that did that exact same thing...She could fly up those stairs so fast... :p
But cry at the top to come back down... :rolleyes:
I would pick her up and put her about 5 steps down...with a leash on...guide her slowly down...
It was something I had to do a few times..and once her confidence built..she could fly down them! LOL ;)

haha! the steak is a great idea.

How funny! I can picture it, now! Maybe the steak will work! It would work for me :tongue: :tongue:

I do feel for you! We have a landing at the front door that has two steps up. When I first got the babies, they would climb the two stairs and start crying. I thought I would go crazy running from all over the house to rescue them constantly. We have an upstairs too, they finally got the hang of the whole stair thing, now I just fear the big fall down the stairs trying not to step on them when they stop short right in front of me. :eek:

Tucker is the same way. He learned to go up stairs (slowly), but going downstairs? Forget it! He won't even budge!

I trained Maggie to go down steps while she was on her leash and harness. They have a fear of their rear end going over their backs and tumbling down the steps. I would slightly hold the leash up, so her front feet touched first, then back feet to follow. We took one step at a time. Now she flies up and down. Now I have to train her to SLOW DOWN.

same thing here too..bentley will go up the steps ..No problem! but if he wants to go down he will cry or just sit at the top of the stairs... and wait for someone to get him... i've tried to teach him how to go down..but it's not working out so well!! i do have a step off my front porch.. but it's only a single... and he will run out the door and fly off of it!

The really aggravating part is...........I can set them on the 13th step and they go on down JUST FINE.......

But...If I set them on the 14th step (the top step) they freeze!!!

I mean, how dumb is that.

My whole family thinks it is hilarious!!!!!!!!