Puppy and stairs

[Puppyinaflat]

Hi all, i wonder if i can pick your collective brains.I

I live in a split level flat (kitchen is downstairs, the rest of the living space is on the first floor). The stairs up to the main accommodation are typically Victorian steep!

We have a fabulous Labradoodle puppy, now nearly 10 weeks old. He's an amazing little (big!!) boy, so biddable, calm, happy and content. But.....he really REALLY dislikes being carried up and down the stairs.

It seems to be very uncomfortable, even painful for him. He reacts either by growling and snapping (only if he's tired) or yipping any other time. We hate having to pick him up when he clearly dislikes it so much, but we have no choice when he has to go up and down the stairs to the garden for toileting.

It's worth saying here that my partner WFHs in his own business. His office is on the ground floor (below the flat). Pup is with him during the daytime with free access to the garden, so the stairs issue is only a concern in the evenings.

We tried putting pup into a large cat carrier to get him up and down stairs, but he's already too big for that. We've also bought a dog carrying bag, but it's taking time to train him to be happy in this and it's not helping with the immediate problem.

We're drawing a bit of a blank in ideas....can anyone share any tips or suggestions? Many thanks

Can you not put a ramp in?

No, unfortunately not. It's a steep, narrow fight of normal house stairs

Stair lift

Why can't he just climb them himself?

Does he object to being carried in general? Surely at that age you have to carry him quite a lot?
I guess positive reinforcement, praise for when he is gentle/calm when being carried. You haven't really got an option, his health could be badly damaged by climbing stairs.
We used a backpack to carry our labradoodle puppy around but not for up and down stairs, just holding him.

Might be worth getting a vet to check him in case he has bruising or a minor injury from running around as puppies do. When he is picked up it could hurt so he reacts. Also ask the vet the best way to pick him up. Some don't like being chest lifted for example.If no pain try to train him being picked up means he'll get a treat. Start small lifts then treat then work up to stairs

@Nix32

Why can't he just climb them himself?

Because he's only 10 weeks old

@Cyberworrier

Does he object to being carried in general? Surely at that age you have to carry him quite a lot? I guess positive reinforcement, praise for when he is gentle/calm when being carried. You haven't really got an option, his health could be badly damaged by climbing stairs. We used a backpack to carry our labradoodle puppy around but not for up and down stairs, just holding him.

We don't have to carry him much at all. Only to go up and down the stairs. He's generally calm when being carried (unless he's tired, then he's a cute, furry velociraptor ) but the actual picking up seems to hurt him.

@pepsirolla

Might be worth getting a vet to check him in case he has bruising or a minor injury from running around as puppies do. When he is picked up it could hurt so he reacts. Also ask the vet the best way to pick him up. Some don't like being chest lifted for example.If no pain try to train him being picked up means he'll get a treat. Start small lifts then treat then work up to stairs

He's having his second vaccines on Monday, so that's something we could get the vet to check then.

@Nix32

Why can't he just climb them himself?

It's not recommended that puppies go up and down stairs when they're little.

I think ours was 16-20 weeks before he was allowed but it's minimum 12 weeks. We still restrict access during the day or he'll race up and down.