Today was ‘introduce stairs’ day. The weather was not cooperating with my plans this morning.

But it did give us some time to think about how we wanted to introduce the outside stairs to the puppies, that would give them an additional area to romp in during the day.

We fenced in the side railings, fenced in the patio, and we considered this good, safe, and puppy proof. No lemmings hurling themselves off the side of the staircase. Done and done.

When they woke up from their nap, we opened the door, and the gate to their upstairs patio was folded back, with new possibilities, stairs.

Skye went first, slow and steady, but with a total look of ‘GOT THIS!’ on her face. Then Massimo beat feet down, then the girls, and it took Pork Chop a while to come out of his ‘den’ but he did and did great on his first go.

Skye went up and down, just because she could, about eight or nine times.

Pork Chop went up and down once, and then on his second lap down, where I was sitting and taking photos, the goblins in his head decided that flying off the last four steps would be awesome. I was there to catch him, and then Beetz, and then Seiche.

We closed this little amusement park temporarily for a re-build of sorts.

We needed a way to slow them down and prevent launching. ‘Spill-way fish ladder’ is what my husband and I said almost at the same time.

So the puppies, whether to go up or down stream now, had to figure out how to go in and around the boards, slow down, and problem solve. That took them all of three seconds, but now we have safe steps.

With all of the climbing, running and playing outside, and chomping on turkey necks, we have seriously tired puppies, and sated I might add – Nancy

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