6 month old Labrador using the stairs

Hello, we have a six month old female lab.. We have had her 2 months she sleeps in our bedroom at night so uses the stairs. Up until yesterday she would not come down the stairs she would sit and cry until we carried her down.. However after coaxing her down one stair at a time with treats she is now using the stairs on her own to get down.. My concern is at her age is there any risk of her injuring her hips or bones ?? Should we try to change the sleeping arrangements so she is downstairs (this may be tricky).. Thanks

Hi Matt

You are right in assuming stairs are not good for dogs - especially larger dogs, as they can aggravate or cause problems in the joints.

I would personally install a child gate and not allow the dog up and down the stairs. This, for me anyway, would be particularly important until the dog has fully matured.

I would also get to the vets and have her checked out too - tell them about her reluctance to use the stairs.

Hope that helps - and welcome to Dogsey!

I think as long as your dog takes the stairs in a slow and steady fashion she should be fine. It's when they use the stairs to play on and are constantly running up and down it becomes a problem, especially when they start to leap off part way down. If you hold onto her collar as she goes up and down to avoid her rushing or slipping and she's only going up and down once a day she should be fine. Lots of larger dogs especially dislike coming down stairs as it's a very unnatural position for them, head down and ar$e up isn't natural and unbalances them.

I agree with Azz. I would be concerned about the elbows and shoulders, especially in a labrador. I have a stair gate to stop all mine coming upstairs but then I would never have them sleeping in my bedroom either!

It's the coming down and the weight on the front end that I'd worry about the most, if she's doing it regularly. My house is over four floors so my dogs can't really avoid stairs if I want them to be with me for some of the time, I use a baby gate to prevent them just going up and down stairs when I'm sat working, which is on the lowest level, and have times when they can go up and down to nip out to the toilet if necessary when I'm in the kitchen or sitting room.