Dogs often encounter obstacles that seem big to them, yet they usually manage to figure things out in one way or another. Sometimes their people step in to help, and other times they slowly find their own method.
Either way, moments like these make it clear how flexible and determined our canine friends can be.
Not every difficulty involves safety or survival. Some problems are smaller and more lighthearted, yet they still reveal how dogs react with caution or uncertainty when they run into something unfamiliar.
This story fits that idea perfectly. A woman in Florida realized her Golden Retrievers were uneasy about a spiral staircase, and she came up with a clever way to guide them through it.
A Vacation With A Surprising Challenge
When Ellie Shcraft and her family took a trip to a vacation house in New Jersey, she looked forward to relaxing with her loved ones, including their dogs.
Her plans suddenly felt complicated once she noticed that her Goldens had no idea how to deal with the spiral staircase in the house.
They could race upward without hesitation. The real problem appeared when it was time to come back down.
Ellie spent two hours trying to convince them to walk down the steps, but they would not move. Picking them up was out of the question too, because they were clearly unsettled and unsure.
Ellie decided to try something different. She placed a blanket along the railing and gently guided them downward one step at a time.
She suspected the open style of the stairs and the view below made them uneasy, and the blanket helped block what they could see.
By showing the path first and staying calm, she encouraged them to follow her, and to her relief, they finally listened.
Teaching Through Creativity And Patience
After spending hours building their confidence, the family from Florida filmed their Goldens slowly making their way down the spiral staircase. They later posted the moment on TikTok, and the video quickly drew attention.
Commenters began sharing similar experiences with their own pets.
One person wrote, “I have had a lot of dogs and none of them liked any stairs being open in the back like those stairs and especially our golden.”
This made it clear that the fear does not belong to only one breed. Many dogs seem cautious around heights, and stairs that reveal the space underneath can feel even more intimidating.
Another comment read, “Our neighbors dogs can go up their spiral staircase, but not down!! They always want to go upstairs but then have to be escorted down.”
It almost feels like dogs forget the difficulty of descending and remain happy to climb, even though they still need guidance to return to the floor below.
One more viewer added, “My boy only does carpeted stairs. No wood ones and for sure no open back ones.”
That approach makes sense, since carpeting provides more traction and comfort, which can reduce anxiety for pets that need extra security.
Spiral stairs do not only unsettle animals. Many people feel uneasy about them too, and it takes time to adjust to their narrow steps and unusual design.
For dog owners, small adjustments like laying down a blanket, choosing carpeting, or simply offering calm encouragement can make overcoming these fears much easier.
Ellie’s creative idea helped her Goldens gain confidence, and her experience encouraged many others to look for simple solutions when their dogs face everyday obstacles.
@winstonandbenny Not Winston in a life vest😭 #goldenretriever #goldenretrieverpuppy ♬ original sound – evey 🎀⭐️🍓