Stairs

[cc]

Our four month old puppy Jack learnt to run up the stairs very quickly after we got him.  Despite the installation of a baby gate at the bottom of the stairs he still slips thorugh my legs at every opportunity to get up them as he hates to feel he is missing out.

He has now started going back down the stairs if he needs the toilet etc.  Whilst i am very pleased he is so house trained myself and OH are really worried about the damage he is doing to his joints etc. 

Should we install a gate at the top of the stairs as well?  What did everyone else do and when is it safe to start letting them climb up and down the stairs?

It is easy to stop him going up by shuting the gate, but when upstairs he'll wonder off and go down them without us realising!

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

[sarah25]

Hello
welcome 2 col 

We have baby gates all over our house,but we dont let our dogs run up and down the stairs as it can be bad for their hips and if they fal down they may have hip problems later on in life

[ali]

I think I'd install one at the top as well, just to play it safe. I'm assuming that stairs become safer (but not ideal) once pups are fully grown- so at about a year old?- which is also when it seems that you can start to think about agility classes. Until then it must be best to avoid any unneccesary pressure on their bones and joints.

Having said all that, we're currently doing major battle with Barkley (just coming up to 4 months old) over the sofa and it's not easy to stop him jumping off, especially as he hates us picking him up and placing him on the floor. I cringe every time he manages to jump, especially as lately he's taken to actually leaping off, almost as if to make a point! 

[cc]

As Jack's confidence grows he has taken to almost sprinting down the stairs.  No accidents so far but i cringe everytime he does it and am constantly worrying about him falling. 

I think a gate at the top of the stairs is the only option.  He will hate it as he is such an indepent little monster but i would rather be safe than sorry, and not risk him injuring himself or causing any problems later on in life.

Thanks for the advice. 

[DennyK]

Reading this has made me realise that I read about it before but have completely forgotten about stairs as a source of damage - Paddy's been scooting up and down them like a mad thing for the last few weeks.  I'll get a baby gate to stop him but will I already have caused damage?  How do I get it checked?

[Nicola]

Reading this has made me realise that I read about it before but have completely forgotten about stairs as a source of damage 

Me too... 

I hadn't thought of this either but thankfully we don't allow Alfie upstairs anyway so there have only been a couple of times where he's slipped through as we're going out of the living room.. good thing as on these occasions he's thundered upstairs like a herd of elephants and then flung himself back down again... must be even more careful from now on 

[cc]

Before we got jack we had set so many rules one of which was he was not to be allowed upstairs.  Somehow that has all gone out of the window though!

To be honest if i am upstairs getting ready then i would rather he was up there with me than downstairs chewing on a favourite pair of shoes (i think this is his way of saying don't you dare leave me on my own!