How do you teach your dog with arthritis to walk up a ramp when she is so traumatized by stairs?
Shе іѕ absolutely mу baby, bυt weighs nearly 50 pounds. I dο know nοt tο force hеr, especially ѕіnсе ѕhе іѕ ѕο confused bу thе pain οf thе arthritis. Medication tο bе prescribed tomorrow ad diagnosis fοr hеr ѕtrаngе behavior wаѕ јυѕt mаdе. Oh yes…ѕhе іѕ mу furry child!
you don’t, carry her/him…lol. If she/he is your baby, then you would. Or you can try placing treats to the top of the ramp, until they get comfortable with walking up. Whatever you do, don’t force, this can hurt on the dog and also break the trust that you will let him/her do it on their own.
If at all possible, first place the ramp flat on the ground. This is a non-threatening way to first introduce your baby to walking over it. Use treats and lots of encouragement at this phase to help make walking over the ramp a pleasant experience. If there is a special toy your baby likes, try using it to get her attention. If you are having a LOT of difficulty even at this stage, try blocking off a path around the ramp (for example, put it between the couch and a wall), and placing her food bowl at the other end. Let her go to it on her own, when she decides the time is right.
Over time (and the time will depend on how quickly she adjusts), you can gradually increase the incline by one step at first, and then adding more and more of an angle until practical purposes have been served.
Remember to keep it a pleasant experience, and also make sure the ramp is perfectly STEADY! Any accidents could ruin all of your hard work!
Good luck!