GSDs and Stairs Health

Discussion in 'German Shepherd Dog' started by nickynockynoono, Jun 23, 2011.

  1. nickynockynoono

    nickynockynoono New Member

    Likes Received:
    0
    Name:
    Nicky

    GSDs and Stairs

    The urban myth says not to let GSDs or other large breeds to tackle stairs when they are pups. My vet told me this was based on a flawed study of only 6 dogs. She told me to encourage my pup to do a few stairs per day. This would build up his muscles and ligaments to support his hips as he grew. This made perfect sense to me and I tried my best to encourage him up a few steps. He was having none of it. (I won't go into all the things I tried) I did ask at my GSD club and was met with horrified comments about not letting him do stairs.

    I eventually gave up. Less dog hair upstairs, LOL. He sleeps quite happily downstairs and we won't have problems when he gets too old to manage the stairs, like I did with my old boy.

    Last w/e, we went to Surrey Police Dog Trials. There were steep concrete steps, more than 20. I'd guess, leading up to another field. The smells must have been good because he went straight up, no problem. Coming down, he wasn't as confident at first but was ok.

    I suppose I'm going to find him upstairs one day but so far, he hasn't generalised the stair thing. :lol: I just tell him I'll be back in a minute and he waits patiently for me.

    George is just over 18 months now.

    Did anyone let their large breed pups do stairs?
  2. Registered users won't see this advert. Sign up for free!

  3. ClaireandDaisy

    ClaireandDaisy New Member

    Likes Received:
    7
    Name:
    Claire
    Yup!. This one (below) and I lived in one of those 60`s split level places where the living room was on the first floor and the bedroom above that.
    She developed into a big, powerful bitch, and was sound as a bell... till she was bitten on the knee (aged about 5) by a ruddy JRT and developed arthritis after it became infected.
    [​IMG]
  4. Helena54

    Helena54 New Member

    Likes Received:
    4
    Name:
    Helena
    I never have, and even to this day my now 3 yr old never ventures upstairs, even though there's nothing stopping her!

    My brother's gsd used to do the stairs up to his flat from a puppy, and sadly, he had to have her pts at the age of 5 with hd, the vet (in Germany) telling him the reason was those stairs, but it was an everyday thing with him coz he had to get into his flat. I suppose it's the luck of the draw, but I've never let any of my gsd pups jump anything or do stairs until they were over 18 months old.

    My last gsd leaped into my horsebox once from a sitting position when she was only about 8 months old, I was horrified, it was very high up into that jockey door, but she never suffered with any hip probs and lived to a ripe old age like they all have.
  5. smokeybear

    smokeybear New Member

    Likes Received:
    2
    Name:
    smokeybear
    Dogs are not really built for stairs, up is ok, down they end up scraping their hocks, that is one of the reasons they do not like it.

    I am not anal about stairs but at home my dogs are not allowed upstairs so that is not an issue, in hotels I tend to use the lift with the dog.

    I do TRAIN dogs to go upstairs however when the steps and the dog are suitable.

    For instance my current GSD will go up a spiral staircase with no problem because I trained it and there was sufficient incentive for him to go up and down.
  6. Moobli

    Moobli Member

    Likes Received:
    137
    Gender:
    Female
    Name:
    Kirsty
    I try to keep puppies stair climbing and descending to a minimum, but now I live in a cottage without stairs it isn't a problem.
  7. jesterjenn

    jesterjenn New Member

    Likes Received:
    0
    Name:
    Jeni
    I didn't let Harley upstairs as a pup (I got him at about 5 months), and now, he doesn't bother even trying to get upstairs. He can go up and down stairs however.

    I can't understand your vets reasoning behind letting your pup do a few stairs, as if they're being walked, ran and played with, that will strengthen their ligaments and muscles well enough :)
  8. talassie

    talassie New Member

    Likes Received:
    1
    Name:
    Irena
    I kept Tala away from stairs when she was small. But when I took her to puppy class (held in the attic at the vets!) I am convinced she would have tried to dive down the two flights of stairs if she had not been held back. So I decided to train her to walk up and down stairs.

    Maybe your vet means just that. That your dog needs to learn to negotiate stairs.
  9. Collie Convert

    Collie Convert

    Likes Received:
    1
    Name:
    layla
    You cant cause a dog to get HD, if its got it its got it end of. You can however, make it worse if it is present.

    I pass over a railway on my daily walk and this invovled going up and down a huge flight of stairs, all my dogs walk to heel doing this at a slow walk, i find it builds co ordination and has helped tremendously with my youngster who is not very aware of where his feet are!

    My dogs dont go running up and down stairs and are not allowed upstairs at home, i think the only real issue would be letting a pup tear down a flight of stairs regularly- not good for the joints.

Share This Page