Free Tips on How to Teach a Dog to go up Stairs

In this Omaha dog training session, we focused on how to teach a dog to go up stairs by training 1-year-old Lab mix Pilot to run up and down as an alternative form of exercise and to overcome his refusal to go up when called.

I met Pilot outside of his home as his guardian had just finished letting him out to potty. He showed nice confidence, curiosity and a playful energy.

However as soon as we walked inside, Pilot stayed at the door while we ascended the stairs. His guardian mentioned that one of Pilot’s issues was he refused to go up the stairs to the apartment.

He said the dog started acting differently only a week ago. The dog’s behavior changed a week ago.

The dog is new to the house. I think the change in behavior is due to the dog feeling anxious when left alone. It’s definitely not a case of a fear of the stairs. I think that the dog’s thinking is that by waiting at the door, Pilot knew the guardian couldn’t leave without him.

How to Teach a Dog to go up Stairs on Command

I gave my camera to the guardian to show him how to train a dog to go up and down stairs when told.

As you can see in the video above, my positive dog training approach to this dog behavior problem worked beautifully. Pilot was running up and down the stairs to gobble up the tasty treats within minutes.

Teaching a dog to go up and down stairs on command can prevent behavior problems and give them good exercise. This training can help your dog get stronger and have more energy, while also making stairs easier for them to handle.

Regularly practicing stair training with your dog can improve their obedience and strengthen your bond through positive reinforcement. Overall, mastering stair navigation can contribute significantly to your dog’s well-being and daily routine.

We talked about rules, structure, and how to pet the dog to make it feel good about itself during the rest of the session. It’s important to avoid petting insecure and needy dogs in ways that could make their separation anxiety worse.

Teaching Your Dog to Stay

I showed the guardian different dog training exercises to help with his other dog behavior issues. One of these was to teach Pilot to stay. I have found that this skill is very important for dogs with separation anxiety.

Teaching your dog to stay in another room can help them stay calm and confident when they can’t see or touch you. This can be beneficial for their overall behavior and training. It is important to gradually introduce this concept to your dog and reward them for staying in the room.

Consistent practice and positive reinforcement will help your dog learn to stay calm and confident in various situations. If the guardian develops a good stay with Pilot and practices it as I outline in the above free dog training video, he can stop Pilot’s separation anxiety from getting worse.

In the meantime, the guardian may want to do some positive kennel training in case he starts to show some destructive behavior. Many people think crate training is simply putting a dog into a crate and then closing the door. That is a good way for a dog to develop a fear of the crate.

The positive crate training tips I share in this free dog training video should help make sure Pilot continues to like his crate.

We made a roadmap to success video to help the guardian remember all the positive dog behavior tips we covered during this in-home training session; including teaching a dog to go up and down stairs on command. Check it out below.