Stairs

Discussion dedicated to promoting the well-being of your dog through diet, exercise and general health tips.

Moderators: emmabeth, BoardHost

Post Reply
Shalista
Posts: 1363
Joined: Tue Feb 17, 2015 10:04 pm

Stairs

Post by Shalista »

Bax is a two year old, 13 lb rat terrier. Recently we started learning contacts in agility and our trainer recommended having him go up the stairs and then down, but stop with his back paws on the bottom step and his front on the floor. This would help him learn his contacts. Now Bax LOVES practicing this. I only ask him to go up one or two steps but if i let him he'll charge halfway up our staircase before bouncing down to stop at the bottom for his treat and then before i can react off he goes running up the stairs so he can get his treat at the bottom again. This appears to be great exercise, his tongue is out, his ears up, he's got a goofy grin. Obviously I wouldn't do this a TON because all those treats would be fattening but is there any harm in letting him run the stairs just for some quick, lazy(for me), exercise? I remember reading somewhere that stairs can be hard on long dogs like dachshunds and on big dogs. Would a 13lb rat terrier be fine?

Edit: fixed typo
Baxter (AKA Bax, Chuckles, Chuckster) Rat Terrier, born 01/16/13
User avatar
Nettle
Posts: 10753
Joined: Sun Apr 13, 2008 1:40 pm

Re: Stairs

Post by Nettle »

Stairs aren't great for dogs, so I recommend you do just enough to go where you need to go, and for proper exercise, take Bax for his walks where he can sniff and look around and generally have low-key happiness instead of razzing up his excitement levels. Dogs quickly become addicted to the brain chemicals released through excitement, terriers are excitable anyway, and you have had a ton of work to do to get Bax to be calm - so don't undo it all now :wink:
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog

SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS
Shalista
Posts: 1363
Joined: Tue Feb 17, 2015 10:04 pm

Re: Stairs

Post by Shalista »

terriers are excitable anyway
The things i wish i knew before i got Bax.............

All right thanks, i hadn't thought of the excitement levels. He definitely gets super excited when he's doing it. I guess i was just looking for a quick easy way out because i tire LONG before Bax does on our walks.

I think we won't do it to much more. He's got a very good idea of what I'm asking of him and i dont want to hurt the lil guy
Baxter (AKA Bax, Chuckles, Chuckster) Rat Terrier, born 01/16/13
Post Reply