Stairs

I have the same problem with Tilly although she only goes upstairs at weekends ...
I started road walking her as she was struggling to get into the back of my car but she seemed so miserable not being offlead that I am taking her back to the woods ...she does get stiff after her morning offlead walk /run at the woods but her overall quality is much better....

 

The stairs thing is a moot point, but sooner or later, there comes a time when stairs aren't a great idea, especially with long-backed dogs. Apart from my current lurch - who was never allowed upstairs anyway - they have all made the transition from sleeping upstairs to staying downstairs remarkably easily. I suspect a big part of an easy changeover is in doing what you have done and supplying a super-comfy alternative. Too many people expect a dog to change to a lesser situation. Also our home is not centrally heated, so changing over as winter approaches is a great incentive to remain in the only warm room.

 

So glad Jasper has a spring in his step.
Roxy doesn't climb stairs at all and hasn't for a good 8 years, she gets carried up and down the stairs ...and she knows this, if she's going upstairs/downstairs with me she'll wait at the top/bottom for me to pick her up.
I think it is a good thing to consider no matter what age the dog is as like Hemlock said there comes a time when they may not be able to do them anymore and trying to adjust them when they get to that stage can be more complicated than limiting it to start with. I've known dogs that have got to that stage and then would cry at the bottom/top of the stairs whenever they wanted to go up/down haha maybe not something you want.