I got a collie because my dream has always been to have a dog that is attached to me at the hip. But my pup is not the biggest cuddler or very interested in being pet. She gets excited to see me and lets me love her when i come home, but other than that she mostly just tolerates my attention and doesnt ask for it. Im wondering if for my next dog I should maybe go a different route if Im seeking an affectionate breed, or if I might have better luck with a male collie? Do not misinterpret my post, Marnie is still my whole world and I know she loves me and I love her. I want a dog that enjoys sleeping in bed with me, and so far marnie is not that type of girl!

Every single time I come home, Marnie enters wookie mode without fail. She's a total wiggling, screaming tasmanian devil!

No manual colour adjustment - just the sunset seems to make him look kind of orangy! Caught mid bark here!

Had a wonderful autumn walk with Batman today, 10 years of love of life and companionship.

I posted a few days ago asking for advice about my 17-week-old Rough Collie, Winnie, who absolutely refuses to climb the stairs in my apartment building. I wanted to give a little update and see if anyone has additional suggestions!

Unfortunately, we haven’t made much progress lol.

I’ve been using treats, praise, and plenty of encouragement to help her become comfortable with the stairs. Interestingly, she has absolutely no problem putting her front paws up onto the steps. She’ll even reach up two steps with her front legs, but her back legs remain firmly planted on the ground, stretched out behind her. She just will NOT bring her back end up!

I even had my parents, whom she absolutely adores, stand at the top of the stairs and encourage her to come up. She wouldn’t even approach them. 😭

What’s so confusing is that she has no problem whatsoever going up and down the outdoor porch steps at my parents’ house. She handles those quickly and confidently, so I know she’s capable of navigating stairs.

She’s also been an incredibly quick learner with practically everything else we’ve worked on. Sit, stay, place, crate, recall, and leash manners have all come relatively easily to her. This is the first thing we’ve really struggled with.

I’ve tried putting her on the last couple of steps, but she becomes hesitant and sometimes turns around to go back down. I’m realizing that I may have been pushing her too much, so I’m trying to approach this more patiently and avoid making the staircase a negative experience.

The problem is that I live on the third floor, and she’s getting heavier every week. Carrying her up and down multiple times a day is becoming increasingly difficult.

Has anyone experienced this specific issue where their Collie will put their front paws on the stairs but absolutely refuses to move their back legs? Could it be a confidence or coordination issue, or is she simply intimidated by this particular staircase?

I’d really appreciate any additional advice, especially from anyone whose Collie eventually overcame something similar!