My dog has stopped going down the stairs

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Hi, I’ve got a four-year-old Jack Russell who has always gone up and down the stairs without any trouble; she's completely used to it. However, for about a week now, while she's still fine going up, she just stands at the top of the stairs whining until we come to help her down. We thought she might have had a fall and was scared of descending, but we’ve now noticed that she only seems afraid of the first and the last steps. Once we help her off the top step, she goes down the rest with no issues until she reaches the very bottom, where she stops again, starts whining and waits for us. If we don’t come to help, she eventually jumps from the second-to-last step to avoid the last one. I really don’t understand what could be bothering her.

Thanks in advance for your help! :)

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    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    Thanks for the info. Since then, I’ve tried putting a treat on the step and calling her, but she won’t come down and she’s whimpering as if she’s trying to let me know she’s too scared (see the attached video). I feel like we’re making progress though, because she wouldn’t even go near the stairs before, but now she goes to the edge and sometimes puts a paw out; she’s hesitant, but she whines even louder.[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y272XwBKbWg]

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    ProvetoJuniorConseil
    Provetojuniorconseil Icon representing the flag French
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    Hi,

    Your dog's behaviour points towards anxiety; as you mentioned, she may well have frightened herself by slipping or falling while you were out. I’d suggest encouraging her by guiding her with some treats, taking it very slowly until she regains her confidence. You could try placing little rewards on the steps to entice her to go down them one by one without being scared.

    That said, it’s also important to check whether she’s in any pain when she uses the stairs. Going up and down stairs is an exercise that really works the hip joints; if your dog is in pain, she might be "self-limiting" and not dare go down for fear of the ache. I’d recommend watching her gait very closely, both on level ground and on the stairs, and taking her to see a vet if you suspect she’s hurting. If that is the case, please don't force her to use the stairs—carry her so you don't make the pain any worse, and use a baby gate at the bottom of the stairs to stop her from going up.

    Best wishes,

    Chloé – Veterinary student at a national veterinary college and Project Manager for a student-run veterinary consultancy

    Translated from French

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