Doggy Steps

It's been a very long time since we've needed a baby gate at the bottom or top of the stairs, to prevent a toddler from tumbling. But now, the college boy is lobbying hard for one.  "Ma!  We need a gate!" he yelled again yesterday.  "He's going to get hurt!" And by "he," he means the puppy.  Dusty acts like a puppy, jumps around like a puppy, steals food like a puppy.  Therefore, he's a puppy.  A nearly 10-year-old puppy with some eye issues.  His vision is cloudy, his depth perception is off.  He has no problem going up the stairs.  It's coming down that freaks him out.  He hovers at the top, scared to take a step. Sometimes the hall light helps.  Sometimes it doesn't.  "Come on, puppy," I said yesterday.  "It's okay.  I'll help you."  He didn't want help.  He wanted to stay there a few days, building his courage.  So I grabbed hold of his collar and helped/forced him down.  He didn't like that at all.  Neither did the rapper known as Scott D.  "Ma!  He needs glasses."  "First you want a baby gate, now glasses.  Anything else?"  "An elevator."  "You want us to put in an elevator for a dog?"  "Yes."  "That's not going to happen."  "Then get one of those old people stair lifts, but for dogs.  Do they make those?" "I'll look into it."  "This is serious, Ma!  He's going to fall."  "Okay, okay!" I promised to look into doggy gates and doggy stair lifts, but just between us, I'm not ready to take that doggy step.  I'm in doggy denial.