Steps and rotties

[Jango]

Okay,
I have a back porch that has two steps that goes down to the back yard. Have a front porch as well. Same size steps. Is there a certain height that rotties can/should be allowed to go up and down? I had researched agility training and they had said no big jumps until the dog was 2-3 years old. Wait until the joint fully form which makes sense. The steps are about 6-7in. tall. He surprised me the other day and jumped up on a two foot bench and jumped off. Then he did it with my wife and crashed. Hasn't touched the bench since. Bech is in fixed position (Cemented into the ground) I am thinking about making a ramp to go up and down the stairs with. Don't want him to hurt his hips and joints. Anyone else do something like this?

[Patty1231]

I never made a ramp for my steps but I believe I've read they are not to jump anything more than 10-12 inches as pups and not do stairs until they're around 7 months. I just carried Rocco down my front steps and there was only 1 step to my back porch which is only about 7" high so I didn't worry about it for the most part. Although sometimes he would try to do a swan dive off the porch and crash face first into the grass. He's 20 months old now and no problems; has been doing jump work in OB class at about 24" but I don't push much on this at class because we haven't been able to practice this at home due to the snow (only go to class one a week). I want to get him in agility, too, but there are no classes open right now in my area.

[babybluetx23]

OH NO! We have beel allowing harley up on the bed for a visit every night and then he jumps off the bed to the floor! Thanks for the heads up. I wont allow him to do that anymore!

[lblax]

your all being just a little obsessively over protective.....although i wouldnt be practicing jumps and such or jogging or biking with one until they are around 16 to 18 months old every thing else such as omg dont let them climb stairs---dont let them walk on tile hardwood floors dont let them run on wet grass are nothing more than myths....let them be dogs they really dont break that easily

[damp]

I agree with Larry here!

Look at pups when they play. They run, they jump, they climb small hurtles... just don't force them, and they will know much better than us, what they are capable for.

In fact (since we don't have stairs in the house) I have taking 10-12 weeks old pups to several places to climb stairs as a part of the socialization.

(Regarding jumping, I am only aware they don't jumb on the bed and furnitures ;) )

[Patty1231]

Sorry, protective mother here - guilty as charged! It just wasn't worth the risk to me and I didn't know of this forum when Rocco was that young. Probably won't have to worry about it with another puppy because I plan on adopting older rotties from here on out. But, if I do, I'll try not to be so over-
protective next time. ;)

[babybluetx23]

Then let me ask this.....we allow him on the bed for a visit every night before I crate him. When he goes to jump down he whines and crys and then makes the leap. Is that his way of trying to tell us something? Should I be concerned about letting him jump off the bed? Or should i just pick him up and put him back on the floor.

[Brooke&Ryan]

We didn't worry about it with Julius either. We don't have steps in the house (we only have a one story house). When we went to my parents house for dinner & brought Julius we was usually leashed & when he went up and down the stairs we made sure that he didn't barrel up or down them. Now he does zoom up & down them sometimes but he's usually pretty good about using a decent speed.

:)
Brooke

[damp]

Originally Posted by babybluetx23

Then let me ask this.....we allow him on the bed for a visit every night before I crate him. When he goes to jump down he whines and crys and then makes the leap. Is that his way of trying to tell us something? Should I be concerned about letting him jump off the bed? Or should i just pick him up and put him back on the floor.

If a pup (dog) whines when he jumps off the bed (if not a bunk bed ;) ) I would have him checked by the vet. If it’s coursed something physical, don’t allow him on the bed… if not… don’t allow him on the bed. Problem solved ;)

(I was trying to make a joke in my above post...my dogs are never and never will be allowed on beds and furniteures)

[babybluetx23]

Originally Posted by damp

If a pup (dog) whines when he jumps off the bed (if not a bunk bed ;) ) I would have him checked by the vet. If it’s coursed something physical, don’t allow him on the bed… if not… don’t allow him on the bed. Problem solved ;)

(I was trying to make a joke in my above post...my dogs are never and never will beallowed on beds and furniteures)

Im sorry I misrepresented the situation....He whines JUST BEFORE he jumps off the bed, as if he is trying to tell us he is scared to jump.....He stops whining and then he jumps and he is fine after that.

We dont mind our animals visiting us on the bed. We have a Cat, a GSD, and the Rottie. We dont allow them to sleep there, we just allow them to come up for a five minute visit. He is very good about WAITING on his Invitation on to the bed. He will sit quietly and patiently looking at you as if to ask for permission. If we tell him no, he will go to his crate and lay on his bed. No big deal.......But the bed visit is not even an issue in our home.

Just so I dont get yelled at, back to the topic at hand.......
I just didnt know if I should allow him to jump off the bed or if I should just lower him back on to the floor. The bed is only knee hight and I am only 5' 6". So it isnt that far off the floor. (DEF. NOT a bunk bed hehe)