25 replies to this topic

[bc4ever]

I've been asked to bring Daniel, my ten year old rough collie, to one of the local hospitals for therapy visits. We would have to take an elevator to get to the correct floor.

Do dogs have problems with ears, etc. when riding in an elevator, like some people do? Is it likely to cause balance issues, CVD or nausea?

Pam

[Cyberdog]

I took my dog, for the first time, in an elevator last week. The elevator had a window, and she didn't seem to like the moving landscape. Otherwise, I don't think she would've had any idea we were going up. She did not seem to have balance issues; just didn't want to be by the window.

[airbear]

Mine all ride in elevators. Probably the highest floor they've gone is maybe 20. Wick hates it, but that's her motion phobia. Rex isn't thrilled with the movement, but he's tolerable. Lou is chill. None seems to indicate any type of ear issue or nausea. Sorry, I don't know what CVD is.

Maybe try it out first on just a one-floor trip to see how he does?

[bc4ever]

Mine all ride in elevators. Probably the highest floor they've gone is maybe 20. Wick hates it, but that's her motion phobia. Rex isn't thrilled with the movement, but he's tolerable. Lou is chill. None seems to indicate any type of ear issue or nausea. Sorry, I don't know what CVD is.

Maybe try it out first on just a one-floor trip to see how he does?

Sorry. Canine vestibular syndrome. I thought it was canine vestibular disorder.

[emilyfalk]

My first border collie lived in a high-rise apartment building with me in West Philly. Ella rode the elevator multiple times a day, every day, for years with no incident whatsoever. And it was a small, old, bumpy one, not like a fancy hospital elevator. My other dogs have done hotel elevators fine. You could try having him lie down if he seems unsteady.

[Rave]

None of my dogs initially liked it, so we had to work through it with cookies and such. I would not assume a dog will like or tolerate it unless you've worked on it.

[Nellie's Dad]

Nellie has been fine with most elevators, and we have stayed in places where she is riding the elevator multiple times a day and to some pretty high floors. The only time I have noticed a problem was in Kansas City and it was a glass elevator. Once it started moving that really freaked her out, but she seems fine with the others.

Good luck and I am sure he will be fine.

[PSmitty]

Alex is quite the scaredy cat and he rides in elevators fine. He's not comfortable, but it's not an issue otherwise. Although we've never been more than 3-5 floors...

[Jake&Tex]

I bring my Lab on a couple of different therapy visits where we have to ride in an elevator 3-4 floors. He has never seemed to experience a problem with it, but I have seen a couple of dogs in the group who will crouch or lay down on the floor when the elevator is in motion... I guess they are uncomfortable with the movement? Most dogs I have seen, however, have no issues.

[diane allen]

I had one BC mix who absolutely hated elevators. That said, she probably never rode in one until she was 8 or 9 years old. My now-oldster never really liked them, but tolerated them. She didn't like the unsettling "stop" - so I just make her lie down when she gets in. I was determined my youngster, now almost 6, was going to LIKE them! So, I found what I believe is the ONLY elevator in my small town. When he was about 4 months old, he ate lunch in that elevator every day for about a week. He hasn't been in one in awhile, but I think he'd at least be OK with it.

A vet once told me that dogs don't have the same inner ear configuration that we do, so they don't suffer that "popping" that we do, either in elevators, driving over high elevation passes or flying. Just what I heard....

diane

[airbear]

Now for an extra degree of difficulty - who has dogs that can ride an escalator?

[Gloria Atwater]

My two will tolerate an elevator, but they don't like 'em. They feel the floor pressing up as it rises and they don't like the sense of unseen movement. They look pretty pathetic during the ride and are VERY glad to get off.

Never tried an escalator, but I think my two would leave the country if I even thought of it!

~ Gloria

[Maralynn]

Now for an extra degree of difficulty - who has dogs that can ride an escalator?

ME!! Well, I actually don't know for certain, but Kenzi has no issues balancing on moving stuff (she'll have her back feet on the arm of the couch and front on the arm of a rocking chair ) so I'm assuming that she'd just go with the flow. Kipp would probably wonder why I'm subjecting him to such a slow and painful death at first but there is a good chance he'd get over that if steak was involved.

As far as first elevator rides went for my dogs - Missy wasn't at all fazed. Kipp flattened himself to the floor. Kenzi had the whole "what's this, what's this, what's this" expression all over her face, but was otherwise fine.

[diane allen]

Escalators???
Not with my dogs' hairy feet!!
They may be able to do it, but I'd be way too worried about a slight misstep.
We'd do stairs before escalators.
YMMV, of course....
diane

[Donald McCaig]

Dear Doggers,

I've never had trouble with my dogs on elevators though the first ride spooks them. Sometimes I have a luggage cart two dogs and other guests in a motel elevator. BUT: I have read of inattentive people who had the elevator door close with them outside and their leashed dog inside (or vice versa). Dead dog.

Donald McCaig

[bc4ever]

Well, it sounds encouraging. Daniel is pretty unfazed by most things. The one thing I forgot to mention is that there are actually two elevators; the first one being a glass enclosed one to get to the entrance of the hospital. As some have mentioned, that might be more of a problem. I'm not terribly fond of it myself.

[bn_here_b4]

Elevators don't bother Jody one bit, not even the very first time. He was fine with the movement. It didn't even bother him that everything changed on the other side of the door when it opened at the end of the ride. He took it like it was no big deal.

[ejano]

Well, it sounds encouraging. Daniel is pretty unfazed by most things. The one thing I forgot to mention is that there are actually two elevators; the first one being a glass enclosed one to get to the entrance of the hospital. As some have mentioned, that might be more of a problem. I'm not terribly fond of it myself.

I tried Robin out when he was about five months old - there are only two buildings with public elevators in our town (guess you can tell how small we are!)- in the library and the court house. As the one in the courthouse is only used for handicapped people getting to the second floor courtroom, we opted for the library. Up wasn't a problem, but down was a distinctly different story. He splayed out on the floor and stayed there. We've returned now and again to brush up on our elevator skills, but he's still not comfortable with "down". He'd rather not go in the elevator at all, but he does so because I ask him.

So glad you and Danial are going on therapy visits! You are going to be a great team and will really lift people's spirits!

Liz

[Sue R]

Why do you "have" to take an elevator to get to the correct floor? I would think that, by safety regulations, all floors and areas would have to have access by stairs as well as elevators.

I think most dogs adapt pretty well to the unsettling movements of the elevator if you make it pleasant - treats!

[Pam Wolf]

glass elevators bother some of my dogs a bit but cookies fixes the problem. Escalators are OK, not great but just OK in their opinion

In Germany we saw dogs riding in elevators and escalators allthe time, it is necessity for many city bound dogs. Althought the one Border Collie we saw in the German subway had bolted up the escalator and took a rather large 'dump' at the top-guess that was his opinion of the escalator!