Puli dementia?

OK, so our dog, Bela, a Puli--Hungarian Sheep Dog--who is a bad dog but we love him so, suddenly has trouble going up and down stairs--which is a problem in our house because we have front and back stairs.

Bern thought it was because he slipped on the bare wood front steps so she got treads from Amazon and put them down. He can't slip on the back steps which have carpet but he seems cowered by them as well.

The treads work great for me and if I make him come up first he comes up fine.

Like most dogs, he likes to be around humans and if we both go downstairs he barks for a while and then we have to go coax him.

Bern wondered tonight when we were out on the back porch smoking (I know! I know! Get over it!) if he was coming down with senility. He's almost 12, pretty much the beginning of the end for his breed. But he is very energetic, goes for long walks, eats like a pig, barks like a nut case, sees well, sleeps well--seems very healthy.

Then there are the stairs....

I just don't get it. We thought it was an injury or something but took him to the vet and he's on condrotian (sp) and Dr. Matz said he was fine, very fine muscles from all his walking.

So, we'll see. He is an odd dog and this may just be to get us to coax him. We have to tell him several times, "go look in your bowl" when we feed him. He likes interaction. I hope that's it instead of dementia....

There aren't any Alzheimer's hospitals for dogs that I know of.

I dread his death. Bern will be inconsolable and I won't be in any shape to even try to console her.

We love this stupid dog so, so much....