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Old 05-08-2018, 12:58 PM   #1
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Really dumb question

First let me begin by saying this is our first experience with a motorhome. We have camped for years, the last 20 we camped in a pop up. Age and health has required some changes in order to keep camping. So here is my really dumb question. We have a 6 month old black lab puppy. She has no problem walking up the 6 steps into our house, nor does she have a problem getting in and out of our cars. However, no matter what we do we cannot get her up into the camper. We have tried everything that we can think of all to no avail. How do we get her in the camper? I can lift her in and out for now, but that will change as she gets bigger. We never had this problem with our other dog and the popup. Any ideas, tips, suggestions(short of boarding) will be appreciated. Please don't laugh too hard at me when you read this posting.
Fred
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Old 05-08-2018, 01:22 PM   #2
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There are no "dumb questions", Fred. Congrats on the new puppy and your new motorhome. My thoughts are that your pup will eventually get used to the new camper and the problem will resolve itself. Just give her some time and don't scold. Have you tried tempting her with a favorite treat? Good luck, and have patience.
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Old 05-08-2018, 02:15 PM   #3
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Try laying some kind of "runner" over the steps so the pup can't see thru them. An old sheet may work.
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Old 05-08-2018, 03:00 PM   #4
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I have a micro Minnie camper. We are 1st time camper owners. We have a small. Dog. He would not go up and down the steel steps until I put covers on them..
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Old 05-08-2018, 03:54 PM   #5
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I have a micro Minnie camper. We are 1st time camper owners. We have a small. Dog. He would not go up and down the steel steps until I put covers on them..
That's a good idea. The steps may seem slippery to the puppy and the covers add traction.
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Old 05-08-2018, 04:30 PM   #6
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Liverwurst and tease them up the steps.
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Old 05-09-2018, 05:04 AM   #7
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Great idea. We will try a runner/cover for the steps. I never would have thought of that. Probably try the liverwurst and the runner. Thanks everyone.
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Old 05-16-2018, 05:21 PM   #8
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Many dogs are scared of the motorized steps going in and out. My Lab was same way at first till I shut them off once parked and she got use to seeing them not move and would go in and out. A treat always helps once she gets in.
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Old 05-16-2018, 08:04 PM   #9
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Try laying some kind of "runner" over the steps so the pup can't see thru them. An old sheet may work.
If the steps are the type that have holes in them, the dog's nails can get caught.
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Old 06-03-2018, 05:40 AM   #10
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still no luck

Well we leave this morning on our first camping trip of the season, and we still cannot get the dog up the steps into the camper. We tried small pieces of breakfast sausage links that she loves. She will not even take the treats off the bottom step. We had to resort to lifting her up into the camper. She is fine once she is inside, but then will not get out either without help. She has no problem walking up 6 steps into our home or the 3 steps covered with no slip treads at the back porch, but the camper is another matter. Could be a long trip. Thanks again for all of your suggestions.
Fred
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Old 06-03-2018, 01:50 PM   #11
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The cover idea expressed by many is a good one.
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Old 06-03-2018, 05:22 PM   #12
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My ten year old chocolate lab doesn’t like going up the trailer steps either. I think it’s because they are open and he can see through them. Once I pushed him up, he got the hang of it. I see that he hesitates until he gets his nerve up before he goes. Your dog is still little, so this may really look scary to her.
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Old 06-03-2018, 08:17 PM   #13
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Patience Grasshopper :-)
Give the puppy some time - keep encouraging her to follow you up/down the steps, I'll bet after a while she'll get the idea and then you'll be wishing she didn't know how to get up/down the steps. Have you tried standing her on the steps and calling her to come up or down? We have 6 little dogs that travel with us and most of them do not like the bare metal steps. I put step covers on and no problems, they all happily go up/down the steps.

Good luck,
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Old 09-27-2018, 06:12 PM   #14
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I'm with Albert, she'll figure it out as long as you've taken care of the cover issue. At some point she's going to figure out she can make it all the way in one big leap and you'll long for her more timid days.

Years ago I was struggling to get my 6 mo old Border Collie mix puppy from our 30' sailboat into our inflatable dinghy which was tied up alongside. Eventually, all it took was for some friends to go by in their dinghy and all of a sudden he made the leap into ours all by himself. This was about a 3' 1/2" vertical leap into a 4' x 8' inflatable boat surrounded by water.

You didn't say if she'll go down the steps or not. If not, I'd suggest you start with training her to go down first. I think she'll catch on pretty quickly, especially if you're outside and she's not. If she already goes down the steps, you're half-way there. Encouragement is good but, if that doesn't work, try ignoring her. If she wants in to join you bad enough she'll overcome her timidity.
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Old 09-29-2018, 06:54 AM   #15
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Had the same problem with both my dogs at first. Carpet the steps and let them watch everyone else going in and out for a while. Sit on the bottom step for a while and hold the puppy in your lap to raise their confidence. Many do not like that the first step is not attached to the ground and that the rest of it is like a hanging ladder however once they get used to looking out the front window of a Class A you may find them knocking you down to get in first.
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Old 09-29-2018, 10:59 AM   #16
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Camping World sells some folding pet ramps that might help if the grade isn't too steep.
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Old 09-29-2018, 02:02 PM   #17
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Success!

Well we tried all of the suggestions posted here with no success. We had to lift her into the camper all summer. She would jump out OK, but would not get in on her own. This August we were camping in Marquette with our daughter and her two girls. I warned everyone that the dog would not get in the camper on her own. Five minutes later the grand daughters had her running in and out like there was nothing to it. She was so excited to be with the grand daughters that she did not even think about going into the camper. Since then she has had no problems either getting in or out of the camper.
Go figure. Thanks again everyone for your help.
Fred
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Old 09-30-2018, 04:45 PM   #18
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Five minutes later the grand daughters had her running in and out like there was nothing to it. She was so excited to be with the grand daughters that she did not even think about going into the camper. Since then she has had no problems either getting in or out of the camper.
Go figure. Thanks again everyone for your help.
Fred
I knew that was going to be the case and I almost asked you about grandchildren. This is exactly like my experience with my puppy and the boat.
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Old 03-25-2019, 10:10 PM   #19
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We were all newbies to camping at one time. So it seems your puppy is too. Lots of love and patience and practice with solve the problem eventually. So keep at it. God bless.
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