STAIRS + my gorgeous little Hugo

[Alexandra88]

So I am just so in love with my little Hugo and wanted to share him!

However I have one issue….. STAIRS….

He races up the stairs and then gets stuck. He doesn’t seem to even be able to negotiate 1 step down. We have about 10 stairs down to our garden which I understand why he cannot get down, they are steep and obviously 10 steps is a long way down. However inside we have two very small steps which are only about 20 cm off the ground, they are carpeted and soft; however Hugo will not come down on his own. We have tried; 1. Crawling down, 2. Food enticements, 3. Toys, 4. Encouragement, 5. Just leaving him. Nothing is working… he is 15 weeks old and as everyone suggests he will get there but at 12kgs he is getting heavy to constantly pick up!

Alexandra

[christina chow mum]

Oh thank you so much for letting us see Hugo! Yum yum! Absolutely Gorgeous! The problem of STAIRS is quite well known to my Chow Ming and to me! Ming is now seven. All his life he has run up any kind of stairs, up and over train crossings, up stairs leading to apartment blocks, etc. etc. The problem is that he is ALSO totally INCAPABLE OF COMING BACK DOWN - JUST WILL NOT BUDGE LOL!! I had to run up after him, coax him down, talk to him and tell him not to be silly, come down and stop making a fool of us etc.etc. Finally picking him up. Total public enbarrassment! I think he suffers from REVERSE VERTIGO like me..I can go up anything but someone somewhere always has to talk me down [Thinks: Made an absolute idiot of myself being coaxed down the stairs of the Toronto Dominion building by half a dozen other visitors when the elevator got stuck and down from a slippery rock under the Acropolis by several tourists.... ] ..ho hum. Now that he is slowing down a bit, it doesn't happen so often especially as I only take him for walks on a lead now, no born free roaming around for him!! He weighs 40 kilos now so not a happy chowlie mummy dragging that down the stairs! ONE TYPE OF STAIR he will DEFINITELY not cross or go up are the metal stairs with gaps in between the slats. Heaven knows why. As Chows are so stubborn it is no good ignoring him until he comes down by himself, nor placing a few treats or bones or toys at the bottom cos he just won't come down...IPSO FACTO Got the t-shirt to prove it My way of dealing with it is to make sure he doesn't go up stairs in the first place. I think its purely a chow thing in the same way as chows pelt along only in one direction [straight ahead ] They have no notion of circulating traffic nor listen to frantic calls to get them back, nor can they see left, right or behind] Like I said, I deal with this outside by using a firm short lead. Got no stairs in my little adobe xee xee! Good luck, have lots of fun and make marvellous memories

[twistedcaduceus]

My Shadow had that problem too. It's not so much for me since I live in a 4-flat condo and I usually leaves her in the kitchen/dining room level. No need for baby gates and boundaries, I thought. Well I was wrong. After a few weeks, she learned how to not just climb up stairs but also race down after me when I go down, LOL. My suggestion is just let him figure it out by himself. Chows are smart and no amount of bribe will coerce them if they don't want to do something. Try staying below the stairs and leave him on top. Since it is just 2 small steps, it would be pretty safe and a good place to start teaching him to not fear the stairs.

Just my 2 cents.

[Rory's Dad]

They will figure them out. It actually takes quite a bit of coordination for your chow to manage stairs. First off, most of them don't have a wide enough tread to accomodate all four legs, particularly if he is a bit longer in the body. Chows also have limited flexibility in the rear legs, they don't have the bend that other dogs do thanks to that stilted gait.

The usual response by your chow will be to gain enough momentum that they essentially run up all steps. Find a set of stairs where traction is limited (think Hard Wood) and they are going to end up slipping if you have trimmed the nails and cut any between pad fur. LOTS of injuries attributed to stairs, so i say until they get it with smaller sets with good footing, carry them if you can. ACL sprains or tears, Hip displasia, or other issues can result pretty easily from a slip and slide down a set of stairs.

[christina chow mum]

>>>>>"ACL sprains or tears, Hip displasia, or other issues can result pretty easily from a slip and slide down a set of stairs....<<<< THE ONLY ONE AROUND HERE WITH HIP DISPLASIA IS ME from getting Ming down any stairs when he got over 20 kilos (now 40 ouch!). LOL LOL! Hugo will figure it out by himself, problem is WHEN? Stand back and read his body language, its a learning process for both of you. Have you tried putting a collar on him and attaching the lead to help him down slowly. That might make him feel more secure. You never know with Chows, mysterious gorgeous little characters

[Alexandra88]

Thank you very much!

Firstly there is no way to avoid the stairs as they are half way through our house! I am going to try the lead and walk him down; pehaps telling him that we are going for a walk so he is excited to come down.

I had no idea that Chows couldn't see around them, so they can only see staright ahead?! That is something that i need to work with.

I will try the lead thing tonight and report back!

wish me luck!

Oh

[christina chow mum]

I really do wish you and Hugo well Alexandra, you are going to have a marvellous life of adventures together. Hugo is the image of my Ming at the same age. They look so cuddly you just want to squash them to bits but now Ming is older, apart from when he was very young and I carried him about in front of me in a baby sling LOL I can't really get a "cuddle" let alone pick him up at 40 kilos [groan...] unless he "asks" for a cuddle by himself by pushing his head between my knees so I stroke him, strange distant, independent, aristocratic little creatures... Glad you will try the lead and hope it works. Just a thought in desperation I have spent quite a few years (7) "coaxing" Ming into doing things. The game is to be a little bit more crafty than they are, they are really very sharp and clever. At night Ming sleeps on his "yard mats" outside. Chows have a very deep loud bark which frightens the hell out of burglars but doesn't go down too well with my neighbours so I like him to be inside on his "bed" . You would not believe what I have to do to get him inside. [Singing in the dark in the yard all my myself - total lunacy.......feeling like a female "dork" ... LOL "Right come on in, it's time for bed, one two, two little legs, three four, four little legs, that's it, now we're standing up, now we're going in .... can you see the door? There's a good boy!! ...] Oh yes, even now it's still going on. Its all a learning experience and anything for a quiet life, sigh.... Yes, Chows can't see left right or behind except by doing a complete sudden head about turn to go after something ELSE which means that if you have Hugo out for a walk WITHOUT A LEAD you will be in for some fun and games with him pelting straight ahead after a cat or even just a scent with you running after him holding a lead with no dog on the end, catching up to him only when HE decides to stop, panting his little head off and feeling very proud of himself with you feeling totally ridiculous in public! Its all about give and take, give a little, take a little, get a LOT!! I am so happy Hugo has so much love and care. Like I said I have no stairs in my adobe and only two small ones out to the yard so I would be interested to learn if the "trick" with the lead works..hope so!

[vanyok]

It was already mentioned but I'll say it again.

Please Do Not let your puppy run up and down the stairs while he's so young. Carry him up and down for now even if he gets a bit heavy.
Chow Chows are heavy boned dogs and the paw joins are not strong enough to handle the stairs or landing from chairs/couches.

I would recommend to always carry them up/down the stairs, even when grown but then I realize sometimes it maybe difficult, especially if you have a heavy Chow Chow. So wait at least til your puppy is 5 months old to let him up the stairs and 6 months old to allow him to go down the stairs.

I made this mistake myself and now I'm noticing something funny about the way my pup walks. Though he was tiny his weight was already 25lb. It's very minor it's not affecting him. I'm just worried that it will as he gets older.

Be careful with yours:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXKX8Vj_I4k

[christina chow mum]

This a very good point, especially as Chow legs are like straight stilts and not bent like other dogs. I am no expert of course, I can only speak from personal experience with my chow and as Chows are quite rare in Greece I have had to bring him up entirely alone with only the occasional vet's medical advice. All the rest of it I had to learn by trial and error, very similar to bringing up a child I believe. Even though Ming was always "heavy" from a puppy he has climbed or run up an enormous amount of stairs outside during our walks all over the place as I have mentioned before. Up to now, at age 7, he still wants to do it if I let him, which I don't in public, again for the reasons mentioned. For all that, and now weighing 40 kilos he has never, ever had a problem with his leg joints and sometimes still runs around in the yard like a puppy. I noticed your point about letting him go up the stairs at 5 months and letting him come down at 6 months. Isn't that rather a long time to have a chow puppy waiting at the top of the stairs to come down again LOL or did you mean something else when hitting the keyboard Thanks for the advice anyway, much appreciated!

[vanyok]

I noticed your point about letting him go up the stairs at 5 months and letting him come down at 6 months. Isn't that rather a long time to have a chow puppy waiting at the top of the stairs to come down again LOL or did you mean something else when hitting the keyboard

You know what I meant
Do not allow to run up and down the stairs on their own. Carry them.

[christina chow mum]

Ok, sorry, got it!

[Rory's Dad]

Chows, and several other breeds can sustain serious injury if they have an incident slipping on stairs. Just to diagnose a torn acl can cost upwards of $600. To surgically repair a damaged knee or ligament is around $3000. Since i am in the US, those are prices in American Dollars.

Leading your dog up or down a set of stairs under a controlled speed and gait is definitely a good option. If they absolutely have to do the stairs, this is a good teaching environment. Both my dogs do stairs well, if they are standard height and constructed of a course material. Faced with a slippery surface, they risk injury. Best to err on the side of caution and prevent unnecessary injury. If the stairs can be optional, invest $15 in a baby gate or $5 on a 1/4 sheet of plywood and block the steps.

[christina chow mum]

I entirely agree with you which is why I suggested Alexandra use a lead for stairs. Displasia in Chows is the first "chow problem" that came up when I began to read more and more about how to care for Ming and it has always been on my mind. A baby gate is a good idea too but the problem has to be dealt with inside and outside, namely, Hugo should also be controlled using stairs outside especially if he goes anywhere without a lead as "free" chows tend to go up anything if given the chance. My only dream is to be able to let Ming free in the woods and mountains to run around totally free for a few hours instead of constantly being controlled with a lead in the suburbs. Oh well, we all make different choices. Maybe one day my daughter will let me borrow the car but then, will he get in it?? Ho hum....

[christina chow mum]

Hi Alexandra! Long time no post ha ha! How is Hugo getting on now with the stairs?

[Alexandra88]

Hugo made it down the stairs (the two little ones in the house) Saturday morning he was sitting at the top of them and I was cooking his chicken for him, I kept saying ‘Come on Hugie little Biscottino (means baby biscuit in Italian) waiting for you’) and then after about 3 minutes I hear a *tumble tumble thud” and the little guy made it!

Since then he awkwardly gets down each time… he sort of slides his front feet forward and then just ends up hopping down.. very very cute but he looks horrified!

He is huge now! My little man is growing.. he is so sweet I cannot say anything bad about him.

Oh I have one story.

On Saturday I was out to lunch, he was sat behind me on the floor with a chew toy. I didn’t notice but a 1.5 year old had wandered over and was sat next to him (almost on top) with Hugo’s bone in his hand! I almost died when I realised what was happening. The child was so tiny and I really did not see him… neither did the parents! Anyways excellent news Hugo just stayed sitting down and was licking the little boys hand.. ! I was so pleased he allowed the child to be so close and also didn’t seem to mind him taking his bone away. But it gave me a fright!

[christina chow mum]

Oh Alexandra you have made me laugh! Firstly very good news about the stairs, you will see he will eventually come down by himself on all four little fat legs. WHEN that will be, only Hugo knows. Ha ha. Your little story about the baby did make me laugh and brought back memories of when Ming was younger.

As far as I know he was the only chow in the world then (well.. he still is over here basically, lol). In Greece the nights are so long and hot in the Summer that all the locals gather around in the town square for coffee, chats and backgammon. The kids go to bed at 3 a.m. (groan... something I really can't get used to...my daughter went to bed at 6.30 every night (in true English fashion) much to her lasting fury and disgust! ha ha ha!

Anyway, where was I ? Oh yes, so all of a sudden when Ming was about a year old two little Greek kids about 18 months old toddled over, touched his fur, oooohd and aaahd and asked me if their Grandad could lift them onto his back for a "horsey horsey ride". Yes its TRUE! I kid you not!

I stood watching with my mouth open as the Grandad put them on his back one behind the other and all three went once round the fountain, the little kids pretending to be cowboys, click clicking their tongues just like Roy Rogers and digging their "spurs" into Ming's sides (ouch!but he never uttered a chow word....bless him) (oh god help me how I am screaming with laughter here all by myself remembering.... ) with their parents following behind absolutely horror stricken that they might fall off into the fountain or that this "big horsey lion" might tear them to pieces! Not so. I think Ming loved the attention and just waited patiently while the Grandad finally got them off him and they screamed to get back on him! LOL.

Strangely he has always been very gentle with young children and babies and accepts pats and strokes from them which he won't accept from most adults. If we see a baby in a pram (stroller) while out walking he will go up to it and sniff the baby! It's SO embarrassing! Seriously though I believe it is a special Chow instinct thing that they have. Thanks for the memory! Take care! P.S. Which part of London does Hugo live in??