German Shepherd Puppy 'Teaches' Human Baby Sister to Climb Stairs Like a True Pro

When you first bring a puppy home, you’re given all sorts of advice as to its care and keeping. With some larger breeds of dogs like Mastiffs or Great Danes, you are advised to carry them up and down stairs during sensitive puppy months where they risk injury to their hips by careening down stairs meant for humans. And dogs with longer spines like Basset Hounds and Dachshunds are always at risk for injuries on stairs. German Shepherds can handle the climb, and in this video, a juvenile German Shepherd is even showing his younger baby sister how it’s done.

Uh-oh, Momma. I see trouble ahead with these two.

In the video, Oakley, a German Shepherd who still looks very much like a puppy himself, is “teaching” his infant sister Junie how to climb a steep set of stairs at their house. Well, either that or he’s supervising. Either way, it may be time to invest in a baby gate.

Related: German Shepherd Teaching Puppy Brother How to Howl Is the Epitome of Cuteness

German Shepherds As Family Dogs

German Shepherds are among the most immediately identifiable breeds of dogs, and with good reason. They have long been used as working dogs in a variety of industries, from service dogs for the disabled to police guard dogs, and of course (as its name indicates) for herding. German Shepherds are known to be loyal, courageous, and intelligent, which makes them a great dog for families and for complex training regimens required by working dogs like service or police animals.

The dogs were bred primarily for their intelligence, which means that German Shepherds behave best when they have a task to perform for their people. And it’s clear that Oakley here views watching over the courageous Junie when she’s on the mood as something to take very seriously.

Safety on Stairs

For dogs, most of the danger of human staircases come because the structures were designed for bipedalism. Dogs tend to careen down stairs, which can be hard on delicate spines and developing joints. Starts without carpets are especially difficult as their toe pads an slip on slick surfaces. Putting a carpet on a stair case will bake it easier for your dog to navigate—and be softer if your toddler slips and bumps her head as well.

The mom in this video is obviously right here, with her camera, so don’t worry about who is observing these two youths. Still, is this is how exploratory and carefree Junie is before she’s even walking, I bet they are in for some rambunctious toddler years ahead.

As for safety, baby gates are your friends and definitely worth installing for both dog and baby now that she’s getting big enough to try navigating these spaces—that’s a pretty steep set of stairs there.

Of course, when it comes to baby milestones, climbing stairs is one of the early ones. Usually babies start trying to climb up stairs before they even know how to walk—and we do mean climbing up. Getting back down again is far more difficult. Remember how stairs were built for bipedal creatures? Well, a crawling baby isn’t one of those yet. Junie’s going to have the same problems getting down as a dog. Good thing Oakley’s there to teach her.

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