If you need to give your dog access to his house-or your house-you might consider either dog stairs or a pet ramp to let them in.
Dogs and cats are relatively small, and dog stairs or a pet ramp can give them access to areas they would otherwise have to jump to reach.
There are a number of questions you will need to consider when choosing stairs or a ramp for your pet.
Stairs or Ramp? There are a number of things you must consider when attempting to give your pet access to the places you want to give your pet access to.
Firstly, You must consider whether you would prefer dog stairs or a pet ramp.
Stairs are a good choice for pets familiar with human steps.
Be aware, however, that your dog must be agile enough to use them easily.
They may not be ideal for old pets.
If you have an older pet then, you should consider a pet ramp.
Dog Stairs When you go shopping for stairs for your pet, pay particular attention to the height (rise) of each step.
Normal indoors and outdoors people stairs tend have a rise of 6.
5 Inches to 7.
5 inches; pet steps shouldn't be any higher than that as your pet is considerably shorter than a human and you should not force them to have to jump.
Depth of the dog stairs also matters.
Not to belabor the obvious but your dog has four legs, not two, and may have difficulties with less depth.
A good depth would be ten to twelve inches.
Pet stairs have an advantage over a pet ramp in that they take up less floor or ground space to reach the same height.
They can give your pet safe, compact and convenient access to wherever you want to let them go.
If you are planning to put your pet stairs outside, consider stairs made of sturdier materials than you would for interior use.
Stairs are excellent for giving your pet access to a dog door into your house, and are likely to confuse non-domesticated animals and thus decrease the likelihood your pet will be followed.
If you are considering stairs for an old pet, consider not only their agility right now but their likely health and agility problems in the future.
Very old dogs (eleven or more years) or very old cats (seventeen or more years) may not enjoy climbing stairs and may quickly reach a point where they can't do it at all.
For your old pet you may be better off going with a ramp than buying stairs and having to switch to a ramp at a later date.
This would have the advantage of getting your old dog used to the ramp while they are still agile and healthy.
Dog Ramps Ramps are the best option for older, arthritic or disabled pets as they are gentler than steps and easier to use.
They are also great for dogs or cats that are used to single story homes and don't trust steps.
The key consideration in choosing a pet ramp is the length of the ramp.
The higher you are trying to reach, the longer the ramp needs to be.
The combination of ramp length and height will determine the slope (incline) of the ramp.
Too steep an incline will be discouraging for your dog or cat, especially if they are old.
Too shallow an incline and the ramp will take up a lot of space.
This can be problematic, especially indoors.
Considerations for Dog Owners Cats generally won't need steps or ramps until they get quite old and stiff or arthritic.
Even obese cats tend to have reasonable leaping ability.
Dogs, on the other hand, are not naturally gifted leapers, generally.
Small to medium pets will benefit fromstairs and will be less likely to incur neck, back and leg injuries they may otherwise be prone to jumping on and off furniture.
Larger pets will appreciate the pet stairs for getting in and out of vehicles as well as getting onto and off their grooming tables.
Dogs and cats are relatively small, and dog stairs or a pet ramp can give them access to areas they would otherwise have to jump to reach.
There are a number of questions you will need to consider when choosing stairs or a ramp for your pet.
Stairs or Ramp? There are a number of things you must consider when attempting to give your pet access to the places you want to give your pet access to.
Firstly, You must consider whether you would prefer dog stairs or a pet ramp.
Stairs are a good choice for pets familiar with human steps.
Be aware, however, that your dog must be agile enough to use them easily.
They may not be ideal for old pets.
If you have an older pet then, you should consider a pet ramp.
Dog Stairs When you go shopping for stairs for your pet, pay particular attention to the height (rise) of each step.
Normal indoors and outdoors people stairs tend have a rise of 6.
5 Inches to 7.
5 inches; pet steps shouldn't be any higher than that as your pet is considerably shorter than a human and you should not force them to have to jump.
Depth of the dog stairs also matters.
Not to belabor the obvious but your dog has four legs, not two, and may have difficulties with less depth.
A good depth would be ten to twelve inches.
Pet stairs have an advantage over a pet ramp in that they take up less floor or ground space to reach the same height.
They can give your pet safe, compact and convenient access to wherever you want to let them go.
If you are planning to put your pet stairs outside, consider stairs made of sturdier materials than you would for interior use.
Stairs are excellent for giving your pet access to a dog door into your house, and are likely to confuse non-domesticated animals and thus decrease the likelihood your pet will be followed.
If you are considering stairs for an old pet, consider not only their agility right now but their likely health and agility problems in the future.
Very old dogs (eleven or more years) or very old cats (seventeen or more years) may not enjoy climbing stairs and may quickly reach a point where they can't do it at all.
For your old pet you may be better off going with a ramp than buying stairs and having to switch to a ramp at a later date.
This would have the advantage of getting your old dog used to the ramp while they are still agile and healthy.
Dog Ramps Ramps are the best option for older, arthritic or disabled pets as they are gentler than steps and easier to use.
They are also great for dogs or cats that are used to single story homes and don't trust steps.
The key consideration in choosing a pet ramp is the length of the ramp.
The higher you are trying to reach, the longer the ramp needs to be.
The combination of ramp length and height will determine the slope (incline) of the ramp.
Too steep an incline will be discouraging for your dog or cat, especially if they are old.
Too shallow an incline and the ramp will take up a lot of space.
This can be problematic, especially indoors.
Considerations for Dog Owners Cats generally won't need steps or ramps until they get quite old and stiff or arthritic.
Even obese cats tend to have reasonable leaping ability.
Dogs, on the other hand, are not naturally gifted leapers, generally.
Small to medium pets will benefit fromstairs and will be less likely to incur neck, back and leg injuries they may otherwise be prone to jumping on and off furniture.
Larger pets will appreciate the pet stairs for getting in and out of vehicles as well as getting onto and off their grooming tables.
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