Thanks for posting this... I was embarassed about my dog's and the stairs!!!
My hobby is home remodeling. I just bought a house and had decided to rip out the carpeting on the stairs. The carpet was making the stairs impossible to keep clean and they would spread the fleas. After removing the carpet the stair routine is nearly impossible. The poor dogs are having a terrible time.
Half of my dogs are physically handicapped. Scooby had a stroke and is partially paralyzed on his entire right side and Dirtnap is old, partially blind, and has arthritis. I don't expect them to go upstairs but they do.
This is the funny part. EVERY morning it is a Horrible pain staking routine with the stairs to go to the bathroom. Benji is the Big dog (Border Collie) She barrells down the stairs smacking everyone with her tail. Shaggy has to stop at the landing and get a "Hug"if she is going UP the stairs. Scooby hobbles down the stair and refuses help. It pains me to see him but he insist on doing it himself! Dirtnap it take a few minutes to get him TO the stairs! THEN he slowly makes his way down. He stops at the landing and waits another few minutes. THEN he usually falls down the stairs the rest of the way. If I try to help him he will freak and NOT move at all. I usually have to pick him up, dust him off, and give him some loving.
I am looking into putting a runner on the stairs to help them out. Their claws are doing a number on the new paint job. However, after awhile I have gotten used to our little routine and can tell each dog apart. I am just waiting to be the first to take a header out the window at the end of the stairwell! Oh and I haven't mentioned what happens if the dogs see the cat on the stairs!!!