Behaviourist rescues ‘petrified’ dog from staircase

Behaviourist Rachel Bean used a special ‘confident handling’ behavioural technique to help a dog come down from the top of a spiral staircase, after a 15-hour stand-off.

Siberian Husky Zoe was on the first floor of a holiday apartment she visited with her owners but then refused to walk back down the stairs.

Ashleigh Hargrave and her husband Paul, both 51, tried to coax her down with treats but she refused to budge.

A local vet then referred the owners to Bean, who arrived at the holiday house and used a behavioural technique to empower the dog to climb down the stairs herself.

Bean said: “Poor Zoe had a complete mental block, and the key was to get her to move forward gently, and do the descent eventually by herself.

“I have worked with dogs in situations like this before, and it’s always scary for both the dog and the owners, as all the usual things that they use to help their dog relax don’t work.”

[Image credit: Animal News Agency]