Stairs

Kearney - A long time ago, when I was a puppy, my Aunt Dora was very sick.  She got all of TM's attention.  As a consequence, I got to jump out of chairs and run down the 15 steps at PR's place.  I did a lot of stairs and as a result of all that pounding as a puppy, I turn out too much in my front pasterns.  Once TM realized what happened, she did a lot of work on my front legs and helped them.  I was able to finish my championship, but TM won't let me learn Agility because she doesn't want to risk me getting hurt with all the jumping.  Actually, she says she would let me jump, I just am not allowed to land.  That makes it difficult to do <G>

Lowri - When I came to live with TM, she saw what a beautiful front I have.  She told PR that I was NOT to jump out of chairs nor could I go down stairs by myself until I was a year old.  Since PR has a bad back (just had surgery a couple of months ago), TM gets to carry me.  Every time I need to go outside when we are at PR's place, TM carries me down the stairs.

Usually, when we are ready to go out, I jump into PR's lap, so TM doesn't have to bend over as far to pick me up.  Sometimes I go running to the door with the other dogs, and they go right down the stairs.  I wait, sort of patiently, for TM.  The last two nights, I have "helped" TM.  I wait until she is ready and then I sort of lift up and twist so I end up in the right direction as she picks me up.  It makes TM's job a little easier.  TM laughs and gives me a hug.  I make TM happy.