Kara and Bill,

You can help Maguire with stairs by using a sling. His incision site isn't ready for a harness, but a sling will help. You can buy them, but you can also make them because you won't use it for long. Some people take a reusable grocery bag and cut it so they have a handle on each side. Others use a folded towel under the belly. I had a sling already from another dog that needed help as she aged. I did put Dakota into a Ruffwear harness within a week, though. I made the straps loose and tucked a rag in between the strap and the incision. That allowed me to hoist him, which was wonderful. He cannot get into or out of the car without the harness. It's an essential part of his life now.

I don't think you need to become basement hermits. What is the layout in the main part of the  house? How many steps would Maguire have to go up and down? Dakota surprised the heck out of me within a few days of his surgery when he went out the dog door (that required a step up) and navigated our uneven terrain. He had to go down a hillside and off a short retaining wall. I remember watching him, stunned. I was afraid to say anything for fear he might go "oh yeah, I can't do this" and fall over. But he did. Then he hopped up the 3 steps into the house.

Underestimating the dog's ability is easy to do but not terribly fair. I'm not saying you're doing that, just cautioning you that the day may come when you realize you're still holding your breath all the time. But write back regarding your house's layout and number of steps and others can advise you how to reclaim your home. And try the sling. It'll help a lot.

Shari

Kara and Bill,

Before the surgery, where did Maguire spend most of his time? Wherever that was, you may want to consider just biting the bullet and making that home now. Where did he sleep? Did he sleep upstairs with you or on the main level, or did he choose? And what are your floor surfaces? On the main level with the deck, is the deck elevated off the ground? If he were to go onto the deck, how many steps to the yard? How was he getting outside to toilet before?

My house is 2-story. There are 13 steps and only bedrooms and a loft are up the stairs. Dakota quit coming upstairs on his own after surgery; it wasn't my idea, but he limited himself. Now he only comes up when there is a thunderstorm and I am up there. He really has no difficulty getting up or down, but it's just not worth it to him. And that's fine. If I were to call him, he'd come up there. He's capable.

My floors are mainly carpeted. My kitchen is a rough stone surface, the entryway is wood and the laundry room right off the entry is vinyl. I have put rugs in the entry so Dakota can easily move from carpet across that area without slipping. I put down yoga mats in the laundry room so he has footing there. The dog door is in there, so it is imperative that he not slip in that room. That area is now a tacky mess of rugs and yoga mats. Oh well. I'm not Martha Stewart. The kitchen I've not touched, and he loves to go in there on his own and sleep. That hard stone seems incredibly uncomfortable to me, but he loves the cool floor.

Dogs make their own adjustments after their surgery. For instance, Dakota not going upstairs much. And he quit sleeping in his bed and started sleeping on the rug at the front door. That rug is really large, but it's not padded. I've heard other people say their dogs gave up cushy beds for hard areas. You may make all these wonderful arrangements for Maguire and he may thumb his nose at them. He will certainly have his own agenda.

Stairs are definitely hard, but they are definitely possible. I think it may be more important to Maguire to try to get him back to his known routine--wherever in the house that was--than to try to give him a bunch of accommodations that he may reject. He will let you know if he can't handle it. I may be completely wrong; I'm wrong 99% of the time according to my kid. Where has Maguire been most comfortable? That  may be where he wants to be now.

Shari