Ok I have a bit of a problem I've been putting off for a while, maybe somebody can help me. I live in an old colonial house, the bedrooms and office are upstairs and the rest of the house is downstairs on the main floor. The stairs to the bedrooms are hard wood and insanely steep, my wife and I are always afraid of falling down them ourselves. They really don't come out very far, like each step has barely enough room for one foot, otherwise I would put carpeting over them but I'm afraid it will make them even tougher to go down. The problem is I was so worried about Oggie having an accident that I would not allow him to climb them from the very beginning when we got him. And he likes to come upstairs because thats where he sleeps and also I work from home so my office is upstairs and I'm there much of the day. Well I basically had to carry him up and down, which wasn't bad when he was a puppy, but he's seriously getting too heavy at this point. I can do it no problem but I feel like my knees and backs are taking a pounding.
Now its at the point where I don't know if he won't climb the stairs because I taught him not to, or because he's scared. I've tried to take him and put him on the stairs and hes just terrified. The thing is when he's at other people's houses, he goes up and down stairs no problem. Admittedly I just think these stairs are too dangerous but maybe I'm being overprotective. Is it possible to have stairs that are too dangerous? I am sure I can stick with the training and get him to do it but part of me doesn't know if I should.
I know this is a weird problem but any suggestions?
Now its at the point where I don't know if he won't climb the stairs because I taught him not to, or because he's scared. I've tried to take him and put him on the stairs and hes just terrified. The thing is when he's at other people's houses, he goes up and down stairs no problem. Admittedly I just think these stairs are too dangerous but maybe I'm being overprotective. Is it possible to have stairs that are too dangerous? I am sure I can stick with the training and get him to do it but part of me doesn't know if I should.
I know this is a weird problem but any suggestions?