The dog appears to have developed stair anxiety. If there’s such a thing.

She loves stairs and takes every opportunity to climb new heights. However, around a week ago, she refused to use the stairs. In an upward direction, that is.

Since she sleeps upstairs, that means I need to carry her upstairs each evening. She’s not a large dog, but is very heavy for her size.

I’ve tried leaving her, but she simply lies at the bottom of the stairs, looking miserable (of course, that’s a human interpretation of her feelings). The same happens during the day. Since (almost) leaving the Pub, the hound and I have been spending a lot more time together. Before her sudden change in behaviour, she’d follow me everywhere. But now she only follows me as far as the bottom of the stairs.

Meanwhile, the outcome is that, while I continue to encourage her to use the stairs again, I continue to carry her upstairs each evening. With some difficulty.