[Pearl]

I have a rescue gsd. about 2 y.o. He is fearful and will not go down our basement steps no matter what I coax him with. It is not the steps because we have a deck out side and has not problems with that. I believe it is the enclosed space of the basement walls. we have carried him down,and he cries and whines the whole time. He will scurry up out of anxiety. Help.

[CorkyMax]

Originally Posted by Pearl

I have a rescue gsd. about 2 y.o. He is fearful and will not go down our basement steps no matter what I coax him with. It is not the steps because we have a deck out side and has not problems with that. I believe it is the enclosed space of the basement walls. we have carried him down,and he cries and whines the whole time. He will scurry up out of anxiety. Help.

Being a rescue---maybe he was mistreated and kept in a basement. Might try taking treats down there with you and try to distract him ----even play ball or something----Do things down there with him that should be thought of as pleasant things for him. Last resort--maybe only give him treats down there and no where else (until he is okay with the basement.) I don't know what would happen if you only fed him down there---May depend on what happened in his previous home.---Like if he was kept in a basement on a pretty permanent basis and was always fed down there----Then it might not be such a good idea. Do you have kids or somebody he likes to be around a lot?--If so you might try having kids/people he enjoys being around just go down in the basement and act like they are having a good old time playing catch--laughing etc--Get the dog's curiosity up and want to join in. Don't try to force him down there--just let him want to go down on his own. It may take a long time for any of this to work --if it is going to work at all.

Another thought---Maybe it has to do with the amount of steps too. Does your deck have a lot of steps--Prob. not as many as your basement.

[Pearl]

Thank u for your interest. I have tried ball, treats, sitting there and coaxing. In all other situations he will not leave my side......he goes everywhere where I go even if it back and forth in the kitchen. WE have carried him down twice, and he rushes back up. This I know now is not the course to take, he becomes more anxious when being carried down. The steps on the outside of the house are more than the ones in the house, so this is not the issue. Maybe it is the basement., but is necessary at some point to get him down there. He is fearful of nothing else. I thought at first it was the enclosure of the steps, but will walk through a tunnel, so don't this is it either. Think maybe you are right had a bad experience with basements. Have no children around to help. Any other suggestions?????????

[Lara's mom]

I adopted a puppy who had never been abused and she would NOT go down the basement stairs. They were not carpeted and you could see through them. She was and continues to be fine on stairs that are carpeted. To this day, she never goes down those basement stairs. She's 13 years old now...

[OregonGirl]

Is it mandatory that he learn to go down into the basement? It sounds like since the problem is not the steps themselves perhaps its best to just leave it alone.

As long as there is no reason for him to need to be in the basement I don't see why it wouldn't be better to just let him relax and not put him through the anxiety. =)

If it were my dog I would just leave the basement door open every time I went down, and perhaps someday he will find the courage on his own. Especially since you say he loves to follow you everywhere.

How long have you had him?

[Pearl]

WE have had Merle since August 2nd. You mentioned if the steps were carpeted......they are not. but this gives me an idea. When we first got him, he would not walk across out kitchen floor which is wooden, he would not go into petco because the floors were slippery. Maybe this IS the problem. WE will carpet the steps and see if this makes a difference. We have had him only since August 2nd. and when I do go down into the basement I always leave the door open. But again what a great idea!!!!!!!!!!!! maybe it is as simple as that. The reason I want him in the basement is because he is a high energy dog, and I play fetch for hours with him which is loves. When winter comes, I will not have that option if there is a lot of snow. We have a tread mill in the basement which I want him to start using for the exercise that he will continue to need.

[DoggieVogue]

I think the carpet thing is a great idea. My lab as she got older wouldn't come UP the basement stairs! Because at the top of the stairs is wood floors into the kitchen and she sometimes slips on those because of her size and older age now. It got so bad we used to have to lead her out the basement door to the backyard and around the house to the front door to get her upstairs. So we started putting a rug with rubber on the bottom at the top of the stairs for some traction for her and it completely helped! She still gets nervous but she'll do it on her own now. So I hope the carpet solves your issue!