Operation Freedom Paws

Operation Freedom Paws

2 days ago

Mentoring Monday: Ever been walking your dog on leash and headed up a staircase, only to have him become a 900-lb anchor at the bottom? Or had him drag you down stairs so fast your life flashed before your eyes? I once went up a staircase at a motel with my dog off leash (many years and dogs ago). We spent the next 20 minutes training while I came back down the stairs one at a time until he finally "found" me on the last step. He could smell and hear me, but didn't see me. I could tell from the look on his face that he was utterly mystified----I think he thought I had just vanished into thin air! There are all kinds of stairs----closed, open, metal, carpeted, stone, concrete, wood---though we're used to them, if your dog hasn't been on them before each one of these surfaces is a whole new world under his paws. Train with your dog on stairs whenever possible. Take one step with the right foot, then give him the command "step" as you move your left foot onto each step. Use this sequence going both up and down, and remember that those are two totally separate journeys to him. Some dogs will just stay in proper heel position all the way to the top, while others will balk after one or two steps. Spend time building your dog's confidence going both up and down staircases. Use treats if necessary. If you have stairs at home and your dog makes a game of racing up and down them, for safety reasons, train him on leash to calmly take each step in proper heel position at your side. ... See MoreSee Less