The 411 on Choosing Pet Stairs

So, you have decided that you’d like to purchase a set of pet steps for your dog. Envision the following picture: You’re psyched that the pet stairs you ordered online have finally arrived. Geez, the box is a lot smaller than you expected. You have to assemble the stairs, but you figure it’s a one-time price to pay for the steps. The instructions seem to be written in every language except English, and you certainly won’t make it through with the fragments you retained from high school Spanish. You’ve assembled bits of cheap plastic together—freehand—only to discover that the steps aren’t nearly sturdy enough for your dog, or that they’re too short to be used for your intended purpose (or any purpose at all!). Frankly, I can’t imagine anyone finding this scenario appealing at all. Not only do cheap dog steps result in added hassle and disappointment, but they’re a flat-out waste of money.

The best way to keep this from happening to you is to learn as much as you can about the requirements that your dog’s stairs will need to meet. Throughout this article you will need to ask yourself a few questions. These questions are important in narrowing down the possibilities for your dog based on his (and your) needs.

Question One: How heavy is your dog?

It does no good to purchase dog steps that won’t hold your dog’s weight, therefore you should probably bust out the scale and get your dog’s weight. You have to take into consideration the pressure your dog will put on the stairs isn’t simply his own body weight, but he will have gravity working on his side—especially when descending—which will add on a bit more weight. Therefore, read everything on the box if you’re browsing in the store—or all the “product info” if you’re looking online—and make sure that it clearly states the steps can handle your dog’s weight. If your dog is on the upper end of the limitations, consider going to the next size of steps.

Question Two: How tall/long is your dog?

Height and length has a lot to do with how safe the steps will be for your dog, as these generally determine the overall size of your dog. Could you imagine the result of putting a Great Dane on steps intended for a Chihuahua? Catastrophic! Your dog could stumble or fall from the stairs resulting in a serious injury. Check the width of the steps (from back to front) to make sure that there’s plenty of room for your dog to step. You can’t really get an accurate measure of your dog’s stride, but the general rule is as follows:

Large Breed: 16” Steps or Larger
Medium Breed: 14” Steps
Small Breed: 12” or Smaller

Question Three: What purpose will the steps be used for?

The height of the surface your dog needs to get to and from is a huge factor in obtaining the best stairs for your dog. If you want the stairs to aid your dog in getting in and out of your monster truck, then you might want to look into getting high pet steps. Whatever height your dog’s destination is, you need to get the measurement from floor to surface and try to find stairs with a height as close to that measurement as possible (without going over). Getting steps that are much too small or tall for his destination could result in injury.

At the end of the day, the purpose of pet stairs is to safely aid your pet in reaching a destination. If it takes an extra hour of your time to shop around for the perfect steps, it’s well worth the use your dog will receive from this item.

Protect Your Pets By Using Pet Ramps

Your constant travel companion is your pet. You can go to a lot of places with your pet but he has to have to be ready and equipped for it. One of these tools is the pet ramp which any dog owner should not leave without. Why? It is a great help when it comes to getting out of your SUV to the ground, or from the dock to the boat, or even from your tiled floor to the couch, particularly for your dear Chihuahua or your old faithful Labrador. This will be your way of keeping them away from injuries.

Well-known veterinarians advise against having pets jump up or down from heights that are too much for their size, weight, or body structure. Any pet that has long spine and short legs are susceptible to joint and spine injuries when they are made to jump from heights. Fat pets are even more in danger. That is why a pet ramp is considered a necessary preventative instrument for your pet.

There are dog ramps that are meant for pets that are home-based. Most of the pet ramps sold in the market have fixed structures that are intended only for certain heights. If your pet goes to many places with you, you better choose the multi-purpose one, which is expandable and can be used for greater heights. Pet ramps are a great tool for your old, arthritic, and sick pets.

There are ramps that have cushions or foam covered and they are meant for your house cats. Feline pets like to watch out your apartment window or curl up with you on the couch. That is why it is important to choose a lightweight and portable pet ramp that you can easily move from one place to another. You have to choose a pet ramp that has thick cover and cushion to avoid scratching the furniture.
Pet ramps may be made from high quality plastic or aluminum and can either be folding or telescoping. Some of these lightweight ramps can be easily stored and used as half ramps for your pets when they go swimming in the pool. The material these ramps are made up of can withstand a heavy weight of up to 200 lbs. Pool ramps have been popular for their life-saving capacity, allowing access for pets to leave the pool if they inadvertently fell into it.

You can choose any pet ramp you want but make sure that it is firmly attached, which makes it safe to use against slippage and movement. Sometimes you need to support it with your foot for your pet to be able to cross the ramp. Other times nonskid pads should be used for slippery surfaces such as tiled and vinyl floors.

Because of a pet ramp’s significant use, it helps to train your pet in using it while he is still young and highly trainable.