My dog won't use pet stairs for our high bed. How can I teach her?

Question

We purchased "pet stairs" to help our dog get on our new bed which is much higher than our previous bed. Although we have stairs in our home which she bounds up and down constantly and easily, she doesn't seem to "get" the pet stairs. I've tried bribing her by putting a treat on each step (didn't work) and have been literally taking her legs and putting them on the stairs to show her how to climb them but no luck. She's a 9 year old miniature schnauzer, playful and in good health. Pet's info: Dog | Miniature Schnauzer | Female | spayed | 9 years and 3 months old | 20 lbs

Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA · Accepted Answer

This is a very common problem! Most dogs have to be taught how to use the stairs at first. I would recommend going very slowly, and using treats to reward her for each tiny step in the right direction. So instead of putting treats on the stairs, if this is too challenging for her, start by putting a treat on the very first step so she can eat it easily. Do this several times. Then, try holding the treat in your hand and luring her nose up and forward, to see if she'll put a single paw on the first step - praise and let her have the treat as soon as she does. If this is too hard for her, give her the treat just for lifting her front paw - then work up from there. The key is to break it down into tiny steps that are manageable for her. Do short sessions (no more than 3-5 minutes at a time) several times a day. If you're still having trouble, consider calling a good reward-based trainer to come and get you started on the right track. You can search for a qualified trainer in your area here: www.ccpdt.org

My dog won't use pet stairs for our high bed. How can I teach her?

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