What to Use Each For

The whole selection process is really pretty simple, the first thing you’ll need to determine is where you’ll want to be using the help.

Stairs

Stairs are generally the best option for getting small dogs into your bed, or even larger ones. As a general rule, they’ll be more compact than ramps and a bit shorter than ladders. They’ll also work for vehicles in a lot of instances, but there are a couple of caveats to the whole thing.

Sized appropriately you might just have a perfect solution for your dog getting into and out of your bed or car.

Older dogs with arthritis or other joint problems may not be stair friendly, and unfortunately, these kinds of problems primarily seem to happen to pets that have been around for a long time and can make them hard to use for replacing leaping ability.

Dog steps are usually convenient for both you and your canine, most will have handles to allow them to be easily moved or even fold up to allow you to take it on the go. Older dogs should be fine as well but look for lower steps.

Ramps

Ramps are best for larger dogs, or those suffering from arthritis. The problem with them is that many of them won’t be of the right size to fit into your bedroom, so they’re primarily used to get canines into vehicles.

If you like taking your dog with you wherever you go and you own a large vehicle, however, they can be absolutely invaluable.

Ladders

While not nearly as common, some people like to use dog ladders for specialized purposes. Mostly they’re used for pets to get into boats so that they too can enjoy a lake or ocean adventure and many canines absolutely love the whole experience.

Most of them will float so your dog can get back into the boat if they decide to get into the water which can make for a good time for both you and them.

What to Look For?

In general, once you’ve decided what you need to get done, there’re just a few things you’ll need to keep an eye on in order to make sure your dog is happy:

Sizing- You’ll need something of the correct size for your dog in order to ensure that they can use it. Particularly large steps will give smaller dogs some trouble, and very small steps will take up more room for the amount of height they allow your animal to climb. It’s a balance thing. The same goes for ramps.

You’ll need something of the correct size for your dog in order to ensure that they can use it. Particularly large steps will give smaller dogs some trouble, and very small steps will take up more room for the amount of height they allow your animal to climb. It’s a balance thing. The same goes for ramps. Durability- Dogs aren’t generally known for being particularly careful with things when they’re climbing and playing, so you’ll need to find something tough enough to take a little bit of roughhousing from your dog. For a terrier this is easy, but for a truly large dog, this might take some thinking.

Dogs aren’t generally known for being particularly careful with things when they’re climbing and playing, so you’ll need to find something tough enough to take a little bit of roughhousing from your dog. For a terrier this is easy, but for a truly large dog, this might take some thinking. Aesthetics- Like anything else we buy for our beloved pets, we like to get them things that are cute. If you’ve narrowed down everything else then picking something based on looks isn’t really a bad thing in and of itself, but don’t short yourself or your dog just for a little bit of visual appeal.

Like anything else we buy for our beloved pets, we like to get them things that are cute. If you’ve narrowed down everything else then picking something based on looks isn’t really a bad thing in and of itself, but don’t short yourself or your dog just for a little bit of visual appeal. Cost- Just like everyone else, dog owners aren’t always made of money. This means that cost will likely be the deciding factor, especially if you absolutely need to have the item. Just remember that with lower costs you’ll often be forced to make other

Conclusion

Whatever you may want to do with your pet, there’s no excuse to leave them at home. Old pets, young pets, small and large, they love to take trips with us and with the right dog steps, dog ramp, or dog ladder you’ll be able to take them virtually anywhere.

Have we piqued your interest? Take a closer look at some of the best around for your home, your automobile, or your boat and you can be sure you’re not being steered the wrong way.