7-week-old Puppy Walks Down Stairs

As a 7-week-old puppy, Kahlua was an incredibly smart, strong, and dominate Labrador Retriever. He showcased a stout body with huge paws and a fluffy full coat. We knew at first sight that Kahlua was the perfect puppy and we were so excited to scoop him up and bring him home so we could spoil him with lots of love, toys, treats, and more.

Typically, there are a lot of checkboxes that must be satisfied prior to choosing a puppy from a breeder, but Kahlua is our second Lab from the breeder so the decision-making process was a lot less time consuming. Kahlua is also the cousin to our yellow Lab, Hunter, so we were blessed to find him.

Kahlua is a purebred yellow Labrador, but unlike traditional Labs, his body features a combination of both English and American characteristics. If you are unfamiliar with the two types of Labs then allow me to explain. English and American Labs are actually the same breed, but they have different features and temperaments. English Labradors (show dogs) are stocky-looking with block heads, thick necks, barrel chests, and short legs while American Labradors (fields dogs) have a slimmer build with narrow heads, long muzzles, and long legs. They are both beautiful Labs, but once mixed with each other they produce the best of both worlds. The breed will remain the same even after an English and American Labrador mix so the offspring would still be considered purebred and recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) as such.

Shortly after arriving home we knew that we had our hands full with Kahlua. Like any puppy, they are a lot to handle and must be monitored at all times – similar to a newborn baby. However, Kahlua was extra animated and full of incredible energy. Nap time was not a priority for him as he always wanted to be involved with everything around him. While this behavior may sound similar to puppy owners, Kahlua was on an entirely different level than most puppies his age. Kahlua always had a habit of jumping gates, stealing toilet paper, diving in to food containers, pulling toy baskets, and pawing at his sister, Chloe. He simply enjoyed creating excitement in our home. However, let me be clear, we absolutely loved Kahlua’s antics – even though it was exhausting at times.

A few days after Kahlua settled in at home we noticed that he was attracted to the staircases. We have two long staircases in our 3-story home that we barricade in an effort to prevent Kahlua from going up or down the stairs. He seemed hyper-focused on the staircase leading upstairs though because that is where he slept. Regardless of our efforts, Kahlua always found a way to circumvent the barricade.

On February 18, 2016 Kahlua was determined to make it to the third floor of our home. He worked hard to navigate through the barricade. I watched his every move from a distance to ensure he was not struggling as he traveled up the stairs. Once he reached the top he delivered several high-pitch barks. Oh, he was definitely gloating!

I eventually met Kahlua at the top and decided to help him down. He was already used to me carrying him down the stairs multiple times a day so I felt this was a good opportunity for me to teach him how to walk down on his own. I understood that the move could backfire since our house rules do not allow our Labs to navigate stairs on their own until they are 4 months old. However, I believed Kahlua could handle the task nicely without him making it a habit. As you will see in the video below, Kahlua conquered the stairs handsomely and I was very proud to witness his accomplishment.

As of this writing, Kahlua’s adventure has already amassed 650,000+ views and received lots of warm comments. Enjoy the video!

NOTE: It is not recommended to allow your puppy to go up or down stairs until he/she is at least 4-6 months old – sometimes even longer with other breeds. That said, Kahlua was only allowed to go down the stairs for this video so it wasn’t an everyday occurrence. Also, while hardwood floors are not an ideal surface for dogs, our other fur babies have mastered them for years without any issues whatsoever. Therefore, Kahlua will be perfectly fine walking on them, but you should always evaluate your own dog in an effort to avoid potential issues.

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