Stairs and puppies

[Chad]

everyone here has been so great about answering questions. *s* I was surfing the internet looking at puppy pictures and various websites and came across one particular breeder who was adamant about puppies
not being around stairs for atleast a year. The breeder said "stairs destroy hips"
Is this true? Do stairs cause hip displasia?
P.S Aristotles arrival has been post poned for two additional weeks because of a GI tract infection that has been running wild in his litter. He has made a full recovery with the exception that has scrawny butt needs to add a few pounds on, however several of his siblings were not so fortunate.

 

[Ivoryudx]

Hi,

Casual use of stairs do not CAUSE hip dysplasia. What could LEAD to hip dysplasia is a soft tissue injury surrounding the joint, that goes on without correct care. Stairs can aggravate joints that are already compromised, and that is usually what happens. The joint is already predisposed with a weakness and the repetitive stepping causes the joint to break down faster.

Everything in moderation, is the key to raising any puppy. Do not allow a puppy to run up and down a flight of stairs over and over and over again, as the joints are soft and so are the muscles surrounding them.

More concern should be put on not allowing a puppy to jump from 3-4 steps up from the bottom step, onto hard surfaces. This will cause a lot of trama on elbows, and shoulders, due to the impact of the weight.

My rule of thumb is to carry the pup until it is not safe for me because of their weight, which is about 30-35 pounds. Then they are only allowed on the steps on leash with me, max. 2-3 times a day. In this period they learn to not jump from any step, and not to RUN like an idiot. If I have too, I will put a tall fence at the bottom of the steps about two feet from the last step, so they have to go around it to get to the rest of the room. This keeps them from jumping, and I also put a heavy mat at the bottom so they are not stepping on a slick hard surface. I probably keep them on leash until their at least six months old, or when they show me they have the respect of the stairs that I require.

HTH,
Susan

 

[newfloverqc]

With Ceilidh we've found that she herself isn't fond of stairs. In our new house, the bedrooms are upstairs, but everything else is downstairs. Ceilidh goes up the stairs twice a day. To give her "babies" a wakeup kiss and to give them a goodnight kiss.

The rest of the time she prefers to stays on the main floor where there are no stairs.....

 

[Delta830]

On the topic of stairs...my 7 mo old Newfie has no problem going up and down stairs on the back deck (just 3 steps) or the indoor stairs (carpeted, to the 2nd story). But she will not go down the "open" steps to the basement. Our 4 yr old Newfie loves to lay down in the basement sometimes in the summer because it is so cool down there. Any ideas on how to help the pup get over her fear and learn to go down those steps?

 

[newfmalcolmlover]

I kept Malcolm away from the stairs except for the 3 to get into our house. He took them slow when he learned and I was always there to watch and keep him slow. Now he goes upstairs to our bedrooms and down slow still I always tell him "easy". I didn't allow him to use the basement stairs until he was almost a year old. He hugs the wall and goes slow down those too.
My newf rescue Buddy who I got at 7 months had to be taught to use the stairs. I started with him going up from the basement and had to move each foot to the next step to teach him. After he made it all the way up by doing this he did it himself the next time.

 

[Chad]

Ok I live in a tri-level house and the stairs from the master to the family room is about 7 steps and from the family to the living is about five steps. Aristotle is growing like a weed right now (the breeder) I like the suggestion of the leash and baby gate and obviously limiting his use of the stairs until his joints are more fully developed. Tipping hat to everyone for the great suggestions. P.s Aristotle is almost eight weeks old now!

 

[Chad]

If the (the breeder) part in my last post doesnt make sense to anyone I was going to add something in my previous paragraph and opted to delete it. ooops missed that part! LMAO