[Dailydrool] advice

[Nicole Haase]

Hoping some of you might have suggestions for dealing with stairs and an
older dog who can't/shouldn't do them.

We are looking to buy our first home and my Flash is 14 andhas gone down in
the rear once already. We are very definitely in the twilight years and
living out his time til happy and pain-free are no longer options. Because
I can't imagine there are too many of those twilight years left, I really
haven't been taking him much into account in the houses we look at in terms
of whether they're one level or two. I love my hound, but I'm going to have
this house much longer than he'll be around and I just can't justify not
taking this house we love because it's two levels. The house also has a
fenced in yard, which we dont currently have, meaning he and my other
basset will have a much better outside life than they do now on their
20-foot leads. The house is an upgrade for both us and the hounds in all
the ways expcept this dreaded staircase.

That being said, I want Flash to be as happy and comfortable as possible in
this new place. He isn't going to like us going upstairs to go to bed and
leaving him downstairs. We already have plans to buy a baby monitor -
especially because he tends to cry and wake us up around 4 am to go
outside. But other than just letting him cry  himself out in the first few
days (weeks) when we head upstairs, do any of you have suggestions for how
to handle the transition? He already has a dog bed and multiple blankets
that are usually in the bedroom with us - I'll make him a cozy spot
downstairs.

I'm also planning to put a baby gate at the bottom of the stairs so he
doesn't try to come up and injure himself in the process. Im considering
puppy pee pads, too, in case he finds he cant wake us. My younger hound
tends to mark, so I do not want Flash to pee because he can't wake us and
then entice the younger hound once the smell is in the house.

I'm pretty much willing to accommodate the old guy in any way I can that
doesn't mean not getting this house. Any suggestions you folks have would
be appreciated.

Thanks
Nicole
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