SearchCellar steps- not!
Regan will go up and down any stairs anywhere- even the metal open-mesh ones outside. BUT- he will not go down the stairs that go to my basement. They are all carpeted and the steps lead to the finished part of my basement. I have tried EVERYTHING except physically picking him up and carrying hin down, which will not happen. I would like him to go down there with me while I am on the computer, working at my desk, watching TV etc., but he absolutely refuses. He'll stand at the top of the stairs and whine, but he will not venture down. Any advice / ideas??
Sheesh, everybody knows the boogey man lives in the basement!! Seriously tho, are the stairs well lighted? Do you have all the lights on in the basement? He's whining at the top, he wants to come down, he just needs to get over some fear he has. Who knows what that is, and he's not telling. Have you tried leashing him and making him come down with you if treating doesn't work?
I have tried the leash, and its a no go. I ahve tried treats,and toys, etc. i have even tried pushing him down (gently)! I have lights on in the basement as well as in the stairwell itself, I don't know, I can't figure it out. This dog will go anywhere else but down "there". Actually, the comment about the Bogey Man is pretty right on! That's how he acts.
I think he wants to go down too, but he is definitely fearful of something. Since he's never been down there, nothing could have scared him...
maybe its because the stairwell is partially enclosed at the top and he feels confined? Who knows.
That thought crossed my mind to about it being incased. You sure there's no ghosts down there?
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I used to take Ziva to my office building and teach "up and down stairs skills". I taught her to go down stairs by 'baiting' her, and if she only went two or three steps at a time before running back up, that was ok...next time we'd make it one or two more. After she figured out that she could do it, she ran down them, and I had to spend some time teaching "easy" so she would slow down. I dont want to be holding her leash, going down a flight of stairs and take 4 at a time along with her. LOL Now, stairs are not anything she even gives a second thought to.