stairmaster

It was a lazy Sunday afternoon.  NewMama had come home from working overnight and the three of us were snuggled on the sofa in the basement watching some TV show that we had DVR'd.  As per our tradition we all promptly fell asleep, only to awaken with dogbert missing.  I vaguely remembered hearing a rumbling shortly before I awoke.  Could that be what roused me from sleep?  I wasn't sure, but I got up to look for Ramsay.  I found him, not anywhere in the basement, but staring at me from the top of the staircase - head tilted to the side as if to ask, "What are you doing up, Dad?".  He bolted as I ascended the staircase, but after some "encouragement" I was able to corral dogbert and return him to the basement with us.  

Several nights before, we had allowed Ramsay to come up the staircase (two flights of 8 carpeted steps separated by a landing) and in so doing, had inadvertently taught him a new trick.  With a short running start he could run up the steps!  He had become - "The Stairmaster"!

top gate closed?!  foiled again!
now how do i get back downstairs?  daaaaaaaaaaaaad!

Luckily, Mr. Stairmaster realizes that his front legs are too short to support his body going DOWN a standard staircase (though he IS able to descend the stairs of human Gramma and Pappy's back porch, as they  are wide and not very steeply-pitched). 

Needless to say, we've had to close the gate at the top of the steps and buy a simple baby gate for the foot of the staircase!  So far, so good - no more strange rumbling sounds!