Dog suddenly not wanting to go down stairs

[IHopeYouStepOnALegPiece]

westie is 13m, been going up and downstairs for 6 or 7 months, definitely always been more hesitant of down then up but does do with encouragement.

Last couple of weeks has been v hesitant and last 4 days point blank refuses, normally putting her on first step works and she goes the rest but just refuses now. (Will go down steps out front if house but they’re stone and not slippery whereas laminate inside and she’s never minded them)

Nails recently clipped (although I can hear them in the floor so maybe still too long?), walking and playing fine so no injury or pain I don’t think and no falls or slips

Anyone have any ideas?

Maybe she's had a near miss that's spooked her? Does she have a sore foot or leg at the moment (downstairs is generally more painful than upstairs)? Maybe she's just going through a phase of not liking the big fairground ride that is going down the stairs for a little dog? Maybe she's got used to being carried/the attention for refusing? What does she do if you go and leave her up there?

Haven’t seen a near miss (she absolutely never goes down without someone there - her choice! And haven’t seen anything)

She’s licking her foot a lot but I think it’s irritated from salt on the ground (do wash her paws when we get in but guess some gets between her pads maybe) rather then painful. Walking and playing absolutely fine, no concerns at all.

She jumps on and off sofa and has a couple of slips recently jumping up but we’ve taken the rug away so think it’s that (and little legs!)

If I go up she’ll follow after a brief moaning at the bottom of the stairs but if I come down she’ll either just get into her bed and stay there or cries

Maybe the skin on her pads is dry from the washing (not saying it's your fault) and the pressure and friction from going downstairs is uncomfortable, or maybe she's pulled a muscle jumping on/off the sofa? It's hard to know for sure. Is she normally a bit of a drama queen, do you think she's having you on?

The skin on her pads is dry actually but she’s fine going down the outside stairs so didn’t think it was that (same with pulled muscle)

I’ve just had a proper look at her nails and they still seem really long to me. They were cut at the vets 3 weeks ago. She had a groom last week where they were meant to cut them but I don’t think they have. Do these look really long to you guys?

Yes she certainly had dramatic moments (hence paying someone to trim her nails ) and hates being dressed so has mastered the art of running and hiding when the jumper or coat comes out (v necessary for a small dog in Scandinavia!) so maybe she’s a bit dramatic but she does seem genuinely a bit afraid

I'd be concerned about forelimb or neck pain.

Def get her checked out

Even though she’s walking, running and playing fine and will go down outside stairs?

(Genuine questions, our vets is closed until Jan 3rd so will need to find an emergency one)

@IHopeYouStepOnALegPiece

Even though she’s walking, running and playing fine and will go down outside stairs?

(Genuine questions, our vets is closed until Jan 3rd so will need to find an emergency one)

It may well be fear/behavioural Impossible to say via the internet, but the priority would be to rule out pain first. There are definitely situations where motivation overrides pain so it's tricky to say

Re: the coat - is she clipped? I understand Scandinavia is cold but are you sure she needs her jacket/it fits her properly? Maybe try resizing?

Westies are bred for fairly harsh Scottish climates. There's definitely a trend for jackets on dogs but plenty that dislike them manage perfectly well without (I have a single coated tropical breed in northern Scotland)

It’s not an emergency vet situation but I would get her checked out in the new year

It may be joint pain, it could be behavioural but I wouldn’t be making them go down the stairs without having them checked over in case it’s actually painful for them

It’s quite an undertaking for a little dog, they properly have to throw themselves into it so it may even be anxiety

I'd put money on the dog being in pain, possibly shoulder area? If you poke random areas of it's back, does the skin/fur sort of tense and react? Don't have to do it hard or anything to see it.

My old girl was in a lot of pain with her back, but would still run around/chase balls etc. It was the specific movement of jumping and/or stairs that made us notice.

I would say pain tooand probably in the short term would carry up the stairs.

Could you put a rug before the first step so se can push off easier to get onto the first step to see if this helps.

Also maybe consider the lighting, too bright may shine off the laminate, too dark may make it hard to judge the distances on the steps.

Hope you find a solution soon

We put a small rug at the bottom of the stairs for our elderly westie which seemed to give him more security with coming downstairs, could that be an option?