Does it hurt if labs have to climb stairs a few times a day?

[greagre]

We are thinking of buying a new house. Many of the houses that we like have a basement with a walk-out patio. So I think the dog has to go to the patio and then go down the stairs to the yard to do her business, then climb the stairs back. I wonder if it is harmful to her hips or legs if we have to let her do this everyday. We were very cautious that we did not let her climb any stairs until she was 7 month old. She is now 15 months old. Also, how about the stairs inside of the house. Should we not allow her to go to the second floor at all?

For those of you who have stairs in or out of your house, how do you deal with this? I am very concerned and we do not want to take any risk to hurt her hips or legs. Thank you!

[Annette47]

My dogs have all climbed stairs inside the house (2 floor house with finished basement so two sets of stairs) and about a dozen shallower steps out to the patio for their entire lives with no problems.

[greagre]

My dogs have all climbed stairs inside the house (2 floor house with finished basement so two sets of stairs) and about a dozen shallower steps out to the patio for their entire lives with no problems.

Thank you so much for sharing your experience! It is really helpful for me to know. By the way, I really enjoyed your signature picture every time I saw your posts. SOOOO CUTE!

[Snowshoe]

When your dog gets old it might be a problem but shouldn't be now.

[POPTOP]

We have older dogs and going down the basement stairs is not allowed. However, they were going up and down the stairs until they needed help. I put up a baby gate at the top of the stairs since Mardi would come down and then DH had to carry her back up. Otherwise, we are on one floor. We also built a ramp off the deck even though it was only three stairs. Mardi has a very bad hip and a bad knee.

Now that was for seniors. The only thing I would suggest is putting some kind of nonskid surface on the stairs. We did this by cutting carpet tiles in half (the kind with the sticky back) on the basement stairs. Also used a 3M product, a wide tape with a nonskid side (found it at Home Depot) on the outside stairs until installing the ramp, then covered the ramp with a outdoor rug runner type material. It not only helps your pup but also you from slipping. The down side, more to vacuuming. Your pup should have no problem but I would suggest a nonskid surface.

[barry581]

I've pretty much always had stairs. It's never an issue until they are old when arthritis becomes an issue. I helped Fannie up the stairs for about 3 years before she passed.

[greagre]

When your dog gets old it might be a problem but shouldn't be now.

Thank you! Just for clarification, do you mean when dog gets old and develops some problem like arthritis, then it will be hard and bad for dogs to climb stairs? Or do you mean that climbing stairs when dogs are young will eventually lead to some problems that will show when they get older? Thank you!

[Meeps83]

One other thing to consider is that if she hasn't done a lot of stairs she may not want to. Maverick refuses to do more than 6 stairs, so WILL NOT go into our basement.

[janedoe]

Mine only started having problems when they got old. I think that's pretty much standard as a result of arthritis. I wouldn't worry about it at your pup's age.

[doubledip1]

Luna lived on the third floor of an apartment until she was a year and a half and she's just fine. That was probably 10 trips up and down three flights daily. Not ideal, but it was our situation at the time.

I have a split level house now.