Many dog owners are baffled as to how to get an old dog up stairs. The following are the most common reasons why the old dog is unwilling to go up the stairs, struggles to go up the stairs, or lingers in front of the stairs:
Causes of struggles to go up the stairs
As a result, you should inspect your staircase, all of your dog’s paw pads, and
whether your dog has joint disease. If there are any issues with these areas,
improving them will undoubtedly help your old dog re-adapt to going up and down
stairs. Here are specific improvement guidelines:
Soften the stairs
We can’t modify the slope of the stairs, but we can make the floor of the stairs softer and more frictional. Carpeting is the first solution that pops into everyone’s minds. But carpeting can be costly and hide your favorite wood patterns, know that it is not the only option; you can also use removable self-adhesive stair treads carpet with a soft and non-slip plush fabric.
The back of the tread, which made of rubber or latex material with adsorption capacity rather than glue, is similar to an octopus’ tentacles in that it can firmly adsorb the smooth ground, ensuring that your old dog and your family can safely go up and down the stairs. When it comes time to clean these stair treads, all you need is a vacuum. When you don’t want to use them, picking them up directly from the stairs is just as simple.
Restore the friction of the paw pads
If you look closely, you can see that an old dog’s paw pads are not covered with rough particles like a young dog’s pads, but are so worn that the part that touches the ground is smooth and even reflects light like a mirror. It’s a sign of aging, and no matter how good your dog’s diet and nutrition are, the pads will wear out eventually.
Excitingly, there is always a group of brilliant creators capable of developing new and effective products to improve the quality of life of old dogs. Here are three useful products that you can try based on your old dog’s current situation.
Solution 1: ToeGrips
This is a kind of nonslip grips that fit onto dogs’ toe nails, similar to tight soft rubber rings on the finger tips, to restore instant traction on hard-surface floors and stairs. ToeGrips is easy to use by simply attach the small rings to each of the dog’s toe nails and ensure that each one is firm and tight. When the dog stands, walks, and goes up and down the stairs, these grips with high friction will replace the dog’s fingernails on the ground, preventing the dog from slipping even if the dog’s pads lose friction or the ground is smooth and hard.
According to user feedback, there are several details to keep in mind while using this product:
Solution 2: Anti-slip paw wax/spray
This is a classic product that applies or sprays friction-increasing wax onto the dog’s paw pads to give them a tacky feel. Typically, these products are water resistant and inexpensive, and they are simple to use. According to actual user feedback, there are several details that must be considered when using this product:
Solution 3: PawFriction Kit
This is a blue rubber powder that sticks to the dog’s paw pads with medical glue to provide extra friction. According to user feedback, each adhesion can last for 7-10 days. When replacing new rubber powder, scrape off the residual rubber powder on the dog’s paw pads with your fingernails, and then re-apply medical glue and adhesive rubber powder. Each PawFriction Kit includes the following items:
Is PawFriction safe for dogs? The PawFriction product description states that its rubber powder and medical glue are non-toxic. According to user feedback, there are several details to keep in mind while using this product:
Relief the joint pain
Even if the dog’s paw pads restore friction, he will refuse to go up and down the stairs if he is in pain from arthritis. Arthritis is a common chronic condition in older dogs, particularly in medium and large breeds such as German Shepherds, Labrador Retrievers, and Golden Retrievers.
Don’t expect your dog’s arthritis away overnight, which is a chronic disease that requires long-term medication to control its progression.
A large number of dog owners have found Glucosamine, Chondroitin Sulfate, and Omega-3 (fish oil) to be effective in relieving arthritis pain over time. Please refer to this blog post for the dosage (at the end of the blog post).
