Steps - when are they okay

[rochie427]

We got our Rosie when she was eight weeks old. To get into our front door you have to walk up 10 steps (concrete) and once you get into the house you have 4 steps to go up (hardwood) to enter the living room. The steps are a fact of life in our household. At first we would carry her up and down the steps since she could not master them yet and she was afraid to go up and down by herself. Then one day I carried her out the front door and put her down and the next thing I know she just walked down on her own. I probably looked like a fool since I was praising her left and right and screaming to my husband, "Rosie walked down the steps on her own"!!!!! Then gradually she started going up the steps from the outside. However, she would still not go down or up the hardwood steps. No matter how I tried to coax her she would not budge. Then it seems like she said to herself "what's the big deal with the hardwood steps" and she started to go down and up these steps as well.

Now going upstairs to where the bedrooms are these steps are carpeted (13 steps). She would go up but refused to go down. I would put treats on each step to entice her but she just wasn't ready, so we would carry her down. Once she gained more confidence she was able to go down as well.

Just be patient and they will learn to go up and down.

[jenebekka]

Thank you all again! So appreciated!!!

Jenny