Monday, September 29, 2008

Dog Stairs are Useful for Small Dogs

By Johnathan Livingston

Do you have an older dog? Are you worried about your favorite pet getting injured making a jump they are too old to make? Consider dog stairs or a pet ramp to give them areas they'd need to jump to.

There are a number of questions you will need to consider when choosing dog stairs or a pet ramp for your pet.

Choosing: Dog Stairs or Pet 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.

Dog stairs are good if your pet knows people steps, but they may not like them otherwise. Also be aware that older pets might not be agile enough to navigate dog stairs and might do better with a ramp.

Some Considerations When Shopping for Dog Stairs

Dog stairs, compared to a pet ramp, take up less floor or ground space in order to reach the same height. Your pet can have safe, compact and easy access to wherever you allow them.

When choosing dog stairs, there are some things to consider. First and foremost is size. Be careful about the height (rise) of each step. Typically human stairs have a rise of six and a half Inches to seven and a half inches; pet steps should not be higher than that.

Dog stairs take up less floor space than ramps that reach the same height. The compactness may be an advantage.

When choosing dog stairs for outside, pick stairs that are made of more durable materials than for interior use as they will face the weather. They can give your dog access to things like a higher dog door in your house, which would be likely to confuse other animals not familiar with stairs.

If your dog is old, think about their agility now, but also about their agility in a few years, before choosing dog stairs. Old dogs of 11 years or old cats of 17 years may have trouble with stairs.

Old pets might be better off with a ramp than with dog stairs. You could always switch to a ramp later but it is better to get your dog or cat comfortable using the ramp while they are still agile and healthy enough to do as they please.

Pet Ramps, Some Considerations

Disabled dogs, arthritic dogs, or just plain old dogs are better off with ramps than stairs. They are also useful if your dog or cat grew up in a single story home and doesn't like stairs.

Consider the length of the ramp. The higher you are trying to reach, the longer the ramp ought to be. Ramp length and height will determine the slope (incline) of the ramp. Too steep will be discouraging, scary and uncomfortable for your older dog or cat. Too shallow and the ramp will take up too much space.

Dog Owners: Special Considerations

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 dogs will benefit from dog stairs and will be less likely to incur neck, back and leg injuries they may otherwise be prone to jumping on and off furniture. Larger dogs will appreciate the dog stairs for getting in and out of vehicles as well as getting onto and off their grooming tables.

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