Is anyone else's mastiff afraid to descent the cellar steps???

[Pastor Dave]

Our mastiff Chev will not go down the cellar steps. He will stretch out with his hind legs still in the kitchen, and front legs down a few steps awaiting our morning aerobics...(Richard Simmons of all things!!) . Maybe he just doesn't like aerobics. Wondering ???

 

[TylerDurden]

Our Mastiff has never tried to go down there, but I could see him reacting like Chev does. We decided to block off the cellar steps when he was very young, but he has never showed any interested in going down ever since.

 

[April Nicole]

Lol! Sweatin to the oldies!!

Maybe lure him down with some high value treats on every other step. Cause if there's an emergency, like a tornado, you really don't have time to coax him, and will have to pick him up and hope you don't take a spill down the steps

 

[Smokeycat]

Kryten has never been down in the basement. The stairs are very steep, I've fallen down them a couple of times. Luckily I've only had cuts and bruises because I've been able to throw my weight backwards so my feet go down first. Kryten is definitely chest/head heavy and with his joint instability in his elbows I think having him on those steps would be asking for trouble. Jiggers who is much smaller has trouble going down when he manages to pop the gate open. It does mean that the cats have plenty of space where they can get away from Jiggers when they want to.

 

[Boxergirl]

If we need to take Ella to the basement we go out the front door, down the driveway, and through the garage. There's no way I'd ever even try to take her down the stairs. They aren't safe for her. Heck, I've fallen down them carrying a big laundry bag before and I'm a lot more bendy than she is. If I decide to give up my pantry, we can make the stairs accessible for her. I really like my pantry though...

 

[TylerDurden]

I agree with April‘s comments from a safety perspective (e.g. tornados). We luckily don‘t get those here, so I don‘t see a need for training him to go down there. The risks would definitely outweigh the benefits, and there is really nothing of interest to him the basement. Similar to Boxergirl‘s comments, most of these steps are very steep, which makes it even challenging for us to go down there without risking any accidents.
I would personally keep them upstairs unless there is a real need for them to go downstairs.

 

[April Nicole]

Wow, I didn't realize how steep the stairs were to some of those. We don't have basements or cellars here in Louisiana, so I've never been in one. I think I would break my neck.

 

[April Nicole]

Second thought maybe install one of those stair lift chairs, and train Chev to ride in it.

 

[April Nicole]

If we need to take Ella to the basement we go out the front door, down the driveway, and through the garage. There's no way I'd ever even try to take her down the stairs. They aren't safe for her. Heck, I've fallen down them carrying a big laundry bag before and I'm a lot more bendy than she is. If I decide to give up my pantry, we can make the stairs accessible for her. I really like my pantry though...

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Boxergirl, I think it would be safer if you just slide down that rail.

 

[Pastor Dave]

Lol! Sweatin to the oldies!!

Maybe lure him down with some high value treats on every other step. Cause if there's an emergency, like a tornado, you really don't have time to coax him, and will have to pick him up and hope you don't take a spill down the steps

Pick him up??? That is quite an imagination you have, April the Well-known Member !!

 

[Pastor Dave]

I have friends whose mastiff's will not go down the cellar steps. I think you were kidding ...getting Chev to sit on a moving "chair-lift" things...and Boxer Girl, be careful on those steps. Whoa...falling on the steps is a major bummer. And Smokey Cat, I do plan on getting out alive. A dear Friend told me, "If you believe in Me, you will never die." That's the Rock I stand on. Thanks for your kind answers !! Have a great week, all my friends here.

 

[Sheila Braund]

We never allowed Bella to do either sets of stairs in our home. We decided this because one night pup sitting my dads Hogan who was 280lbs went up stairs one night then was afraid to come down....It took me an hour to get him down them!

 

[Pastor Dave]

In our home, it is not a matter of "being allowed to go to the basement" which is largely finished. Our black lab Coal goes into the basement a lot of the time, especially to escape Chev's schoolboy ways...but Mr. Chev....nope, he will not descend. Maybe that's a good thing, at least for Coal. There was a "fishing derby" in that creek I walk the dogs along ...the water was a torrent running brown and fast....not so good for the fishing folks who paid $10 to drown a few worms.

 

[Pastor Dave]

I notice my car is like one of those trick mirrors at the fair....so please take note, I do not have an artificial leg that is 27 feet long....ok?

 

[Pastor Dave]

I wonder why Coal is smiling ??? Any ideas ???