Phyllis Reed wrote 09/07/2001 10:12 AM Training Stair Climbing #36940 - 09/07/2001 10:12 AM
Phyllis Reed Webboard User Reg: 09-04-2001 Posts: 79 Loc: New Jersey Offline	I have a very important question. I am training an assistance dog for my son, but the dog is 11/2 and has had very little exposure to stairs. I now have him coming down the stairs in a controlled manner beside me, however he is resistant to new stairs (puts the brakes on and pulls backwards, away) and when he goes up the carpeted stairs in my home, he bounds up much like a horse. He revs up and takes two at a time. I was going to train him using the clicker to take one at a time and click/treat at each stair, does anyone have any other suggestions. I know there is some disagreement about the use of a clicker on this list. Yes, I have read Ed's article. I am not a bleedingheart, I do tend to be a soft trainer, but have no problem with compulsion training. He is a neutered male and VERY food motivated. Thanks, Phyllis (New Jersey, USA)
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Lisa Swanston wrote 09/07/2001 12:59 PM Re: Training Stair Climbing [Re: Phyllis Reed ] #36941 - 09/07/2001 12:59 PM
Lisa Swanston Webboard User Reg: 08-03-2001 Posts: 1588 Loc: Offline	Does he know "heel"? I would simly teach him to heel on stairs, using his prong collar to keep him from bounding up or down them. Use your voice to tell him "heel" or "easy". For new stairs, does his reaction differ when you are going down the stairs as opposed to up? I would say that whichever he is more comfortable with, you do that first, then turn right around and go the other way, using his momentum to make a quick change in direction, and praise him when he takes the change in stride and continues up or down, whichever it is....am I making sense here?
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Phyllis Reed wrote 09/07/2001 01:03 PM Re: Training Stair Climbing [Re: Phyllis Reed ] #36942 - 09/07/2001 01:03 PM
Phyllis Reed Webboard User Reg: 09-04-2001 Posts: 79 Loc: New Jersey Offline	Well if that isn't the easiest suggestion I've heard <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> LOL I'm going to give it a try and let you know how it works. Here I was looking for a complicated way to train, rather than the most obvious. I'll let you know his reaction. Thanks, Phyllis (New Jersey, USA)
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Phyllis Reed wrote 09/07/2001 01:21 PM Re: Training Stair Climbing [Re: Phyllis Reed ] #36943 - 09/07/2001 01:21 PM
Phyllis Reed Webboard User Reg: 09-04-2001 Posts: 79 Loc: New Jersey Offline	Ok, I did it three times (hardly enough). He is heeling nicely going down, obviously more comfortable with that. He doesn't understand one back foot at a time. He double jumps. I got him to do it well 4 stairs, so I think if I do it several times a day he will get it??? Hopefully. He seems scared. Probably for lack of experience, but his tail was midline and wagging slowly. He likes the praise and upbeat voice. So I'll keep doing this. He is fine if we are out and walking when it's a few stairs, it is the long stairs or open stairs that he has an issue with even more. My feeling is to work on the ones at home and get him good at that (including the open basement stairs) and then work him out of the house in other environments. Thanks, Phyllis (New Jersey, USA)
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Lisa Swanston wrote 09/07/2001 01:31 PM Re: Training Stair Climbing [Re: Phyllis Reed ] #36944 - 09/07/2001 01:31 PM
Lisa Swanston Webboard User Reg: 08-03-2001 Posts: 1588 Loc: Offline	Sounds like you're doing great. You just work on getting him to heel on stairs, and let him figure out his footing. Keep at it, and you'll both get it!
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Phyllis Reed wrote 09/07/2001 01:34 PM Re: Training Stair Climbing [Re: Phyllis Reed ] #36945 - 09/07/2001 01:34 PM
Phyllis Reed Webboard User Reg: 09-04-2001 Posts: 79 Loc: New Jersey Offline	Thank you J That's exactly what I'll do. Thanks, Phyllis (New Jersey, USA)
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Phyllis Reed wrote 09/21/2001 03:31 PM Re: Training Stair Climbing [Re: Phyllis Reed ] #36946 - 09/21/2001 03:31 PM
Phyllis Reed Webboard User Reg: 09-04-2001 Posts: 79 Loc: New Jersey Offline	Ok, I've been heeling him up and down the stairs since the last post. Well not continuously <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> Anyhow, it seems that the problem is complete lack of experience. He still acts as though he thinks he needs to bound up the stairs two at a time in order to make it. I still can't seem to get him to take one stair at a time, calmly. I realise that we haven't been working on it for a long time, but going down he is fine. Even on open basement stairs now. He will go down and up, but still seems to need to rev up to it first. Any other suggestions? Thanks, Phyllis (New Jersey, USA)
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Vince P. wrote 09/21/2001 04:12 PM Re: Training Stair Climbing [Re: Phyllis Reed ] #36947 - 09/21/2001 04:12 PM
Vince P. Webboard User Reg: 07-13-2001 Posts: 1050 Loc: NJ Offline	You answered your own question. Food. Let him eat out of your hand as you walk up and down. Unless your a giraffe you can't eat what you can't reach.
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Chuck Fantasia wrote 09/21/2001 08:13 PM Re: Training Stair Climbing [Re: Phyllis Reed ] #36948 - 09/21/2001 08:13 PM
Chuck Fantasia Moderator Reg: 08-08-2001 Posts: 1174 Loc: NJ Offline	I think I read somewhere on Ed's site to drag him up and down the stairs a bunch of times and he will learn that it is easier to go up and down willingly then to be dragged. OOPS! Renee,Vince....There I go again with that macho stuff again!!LOL Seriously, the advice Vince and Co. gave is good stuff. I'm gonna go mellow out..maybe watch some Shirley Temple movies with my 4 year old daughter. You know, get in touch with my sensitive side!LOL
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Chuck Fantasia wrote 09/21/2001 08:32 PM Re: Training Stair Climbing [Re: Phyllis Reed ] #36949 - 09/21/2001 08:32 PM
Chuck Fantasia Moderator Reg: 08-08-2001 Posts: 1174 Loc: NJ Offline	Sorry Phyllis, I read your origional post too fast. I realize now that your dog's problem is that he is uncontrolable on the stairs more than afraid. Definately don't go draggin' him around! I'll go back to sleep now!LOL
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