dog is stubborn!

Question
We have a 4 year old lab. She has a nice big backyard to play in and we walk her frequently. She also stays inside some and at night. Usually we put her out back and she comes to the door when she is ready to come in. When it was icy, there was about a week or so that we had to lead her around to the front of the house to avoid the deck stairs. Now she refuses to come up the deck stairs by herself. When we call her, she goes to the gate and sits down. We have to take the leash out and lead her up the stairs. Though she does have some hip dysplagia, she can walk up the stairs with no problem and does frequently inside the house, so we do not think this is from pain. We think she likes to go in the front yard because she can sniff the yard next door. How can we retrain her to come up the stairs when we call her? Thanks!

Answer
Hi, Misty,

Thanks for the question.

I'm sorry your dog has hip dysplasia. I hope that's not a factor.

If I were you I'd find a way to turn coming up the deck stairs into a game, one that satisfies her hunting instincts. If coming in the back way is more fun and exciting, she'll be quite happy to bounce into the house that way. However, the fact that she's showing reluctance (because she likes sniffing the yard next door) is an indicator to me that she might need more play time with you.

Do you play fetch and tug with her outdoors? If so, how long are your play sessions?

LCK