How to Train Your Dog to Not Go Upstairs
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Introduction
Most dogs just want to be wherever you are. However, you may want to limit your dog to certain parts of the house for various reasons. Often bedrooms are upstairs on a second floor, and you may want to keep bedroom areas dog and dog hair-free, especially if someone in the family has respiratory or sleeping problems that could be disturbed by your dog wandering around spreading his doggy fur haphazardly around your sleeping area. Another concern may be that an elderly dog that has previously gone upstairs, is now having trouble negotiating staircases. It may not be that hard for a senior dog to get up the stair,s but getting down may be a wreck waiting to happen. In this case, teaching your dog that he or she can no longer go upstairs may be necessary, and a bit of a challenge if they were used to going upstairs in the past. There are a few ways, however, to train even an older dog that is used to having access to all parts of the house not to go upstairs.
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Defining Tasks
If your dog previously had access to upper floors, you will need to establish that the stairs are now off limits. This can be a bit more involved then teaching a young dog not to go upstairs that has never negotiated the stairs before, and may already be reticent of this area of the house. You may choose to teach your dog a verbal command to prevent him or her from stair climbing behavior, use deterrents or extinguish stair climbing behavior. All can be effective, and combinations of these methods will be especially successful at preventing your dog from climbing the stairs, keeping an elderly dog safe or establishing desired boundaries in a younger dog.
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Getting Started
You may choose to use treats or play time to reinforce verbal commands to avoid stairs. Deterrents such as double-sided sticky tape, tin foil, or mats may also be used. Blocking your dog with gates, crates or confinement in a designated part of the home will require some planning and making sure that methods to contain your dog are safe and secure. Be consistent and make sure everyone in the house understands the plan.
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The Deterrent Method
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Place deterrents
Place carpet runner, pointy side up, tin foil, or sticky shelf liner, sticky side up, on the first few stairs of your staircase.
Supervise
Allow your dog access to the stairs and supervise to capture stair climbing behavior.
Provide verbal command
When your dog approaches the stairs, provide a verbal command, such as “no stairs”.
Allow deterrent
If your dog approaches the stairs at an unsupervised moment or proceeds past your verbal command, he will experience an unpleasant sensation from the surface of the stairs when he places his paws on the stairs.
Switch or remove
Leave deterrents in place for several days, until your dog starts to avoid the stairs. Once your dog has come to associate the stairs with an unpleasant sensation, you can remove the deterrent or switch to another type so that your dog does not think that with the removal of one type of deterrent, he can now use the stairs. By switching it up you will convince your dog that the stairs are just not somewhere he wants to go.
The Verbal Command Method
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Be ready
Supervise your dog. Have treats or a toy ready.
Introdue command
When your dog approaches the staircase provide the verbal command such as “No stairs”.
Prevent stairclimbing
If your dog proceeds upstairs, recall him and block the stairs with your body until he retreats.
Reinforce 'no stairs'
If your dog moves away from the stairs, provide a food treat or play with toy, say "good", and provide praise and affection.
Practice and prevent
Repeat to establish. When you are not able to supervise your dog to prevent stair climbing, put up a barrier such as a baby gate.
The Set Boundaries Method
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Determine dog areas
Establish dog-free zones in your house. Starting with a young dog that has not already made himself at home everywhere works best.
Use crate
Put your dog in a crate when you are not home or are unable to supervise, like at night. Young dogs quickly become adapted to their crates, learning they are a safe “den” for them to rest. You can put a soft blanket and a toy in the create to make it comfy.
Block stairs
Put baby gates or pet barriers up to prevent your dog from going up the stairs.
Lure away from stairs
When your dog approaches the stairs say “no”. Lure your dog away from the gate and reward him in his area with a teat, attention and play.
Establish
Repeat over several weeks, eventually you should be able to remove gates. Continue directing your dog as necessary
Written by Laurie Haggart
Veterinary reviewed by:
Published: 12/26/2017, edited: 01/08/2021
Training Questions and Answers
Penny
Pitbull mix
Four Years
Question
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We just moved to a new home and don’t want our dog going upstairs. She had access to stairs in our old place because she had to use them to go outside. We got a baby gate and the first couple months it worked. If she went near it we use “leave it” and she always walks away. She went up once the first night, we told her “no” and she went back down. It was never a problem again, never even went near it until the past couple weeks. When we leave she’ll take the gate down and go up. She never destroys anything, she just goes up and a min later comes down (We have a nest camera). How do I fix this?
Oct. 4, 2022
Penny's Owner
Caitlin Crittenden - Dog Trainer
1128 Dog owners recommended
Hello, Since you have already taught her the boundary, created a physical boundary to make it less tempting, and she is now doing it simply because you aren't there to enforce the rule, I would create a deterrent that will discourage going up stairs while you are away. I would also teach Place and either reward her whenever you catch her lying on Place downstairs on her own once she is taught to go there, or purchase an automatic treat dispensing device to place downstairs that will periodically reward her for calmness - to encourage staying downstairs, so downstairs is her preferred location, in addition to making upstairs less attractive. How you deter her will partially depend on how persistent she is. If she isn't too persistent, I would place something like a scat mat in front of the baby gate, so she will be corrected whenever she steps on the mat trying to approach the gate to get through it. If she is more persistent than that, you can place a pet barrier device on the stairs and set the radius to correct right in front of the gate, so she is only corrected if she goes to the gate to try to get past. She will need to wear the corresponding collar that comes with the device. Example of a pet barrier device: https://www.chewy.com/petsafe-pawz-away-outdoor-pet-barrier/dp/48581?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=12646124820&utm_content=PetSafe&utm_term=&gclid=Cj0KCQjw1vSZBhDuARIsAKZlijSVOfSLG0Rxdch_62w_8dVCiVPt8eG5K9pFtlOhOOUwr2O9_NluSbkaAu2XEALw_wcB Once she understands that the upstairs is off limits, you are less likely to even need the corrective devices later also. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden
Oct. 5, 2022
Graham
Bassett Shar Pei mix
6 Years
Question
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In the last couple of weeks, Graham has started going up the stairs to the 2nd floor. He has never gone up before except when we drag him up by leash for a bath. Because of his breed, he has very short legs. We don't want him climbing and we don't want him upstairs in the bedrooms in general. Why has this suddenly started and how can we deter him? Would bitter apple spray on the step work?
March 15, 2021
Graham's Owner
Alisha Smith - Alisha S., Dog Trainer
253 Dog owners recommended
Hello! You can definitely try the bitter apple spray. They also make a spray called Deter. It is used for potty training to prevent dogs going in certain areas, but works for this scenario as well. Another option may be a baby gate.
March 16, 2021