<p>Our almost 13-year-old Labrador retriever has become very reluctant to go down the two outside steps to get from the door to the yard–nor sure if it’s achy joints, poor eyesight, or maybe even a touch of doggie dementia. Today I had to physically force her down, and I felt so cruel. Has anyone ever seen any kind of ramp–perhaps one for use by the wheel-chair bound–that could be used to span the stairs and provide a gentle enough slope that she wouldn’t be scared to go down? I’ve looked in catalogs and online sources for pet products, but all the ramps seem to be pretty steep ones designed for access to a car or a bed, and I don’t think they would even secure safely to the stairs. I can’t carry her–she weighs 85 pounds–so I really need to find a solution. Last resort would be to find a carpenter to rig something up, but a store-bought product would sure be nice. Hopefully some others out there have taken their pooches through the not-so-golden years.</p>
<p>MommaJ, have your dog ever walked on ramps? Our dog refuses to use ANY ramp. When he was recovering from spinal surgery (IVDD), it was a real challenge to get his 110-lb body down a couple of steps!</p>
<p>Google “doggie ramps”, and many, many products will come up.</p>
<p>[Pet</a> Ramps at a Discount - Best Prices, Low Shipping Cost, Quick Delivery](<a href=“http://www.handiramp.com/Dog-Ramps/pet-ramps.htm]Pet”>http://www.handiramp.com/Dog-Ramps/pet-ramps.htm)</p>
<p>I have no experience with these guys, but if I were looking for a ramp, I would consider their products.</p>
<p>Costco sells dog ramps:</p>
<p>[Costco</a> - PetSTEP Pet Ramp](<a href=“http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11337713&whse=BC&Ne=4000000&eCat=BC|90608|90372|48086|55021&N=4047446&Mo=12&pos=5&No=1&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&cat=55021&Ns=P_Price|1||P_SignDesc1&lang=en-US&Sp=C&ec=BC-EC14360-Cat48086&topnav=]Costco”>http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11337713&whse=BC&Ne=4000000&eCat=BC|90608|90372|48086|55021&N=4047446&Mo=12&pos=5&No=1&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&cat=55021&Ns=P_Price|1||P_SignDesc1&lang=en-US&Sp=C&ec=BC-EC14360-Cat48086&topnav=)</p>
<p>The nice thing about Costco is that they will take it back in the store if your dog refuses to use it.</p>
<p>Thanks, BB. No, our girl has never used a ramp, and I’m not surprised a dog would be resistant to the ones you linked to–they all look really steep to me, especially for an elderly dog who doesn’t feel sure-footed, and narrow, too. I think if we hired a carpenter, he could design something that would extend out far enough to make a much gentler slope and a wider surface that a dog would find more acceptable (and maybe not be such an ugly addition to the front entrance–our back door involves an entire flight of stairs, so that’s off the table). But I’m sure that would cost a pretty penny, and to be honest, be a big investment for a dog with, at this point, a fairly short life expectancy. (This was our son’s dog, who became, of course, our dog once he left for college, and will definitely be our last dog.)</p>
<p>Our dog got like this when he got old, and we laid a rug down on the stairs when we wanted him to go down, and then he was more willing. He just needed more traction. We made him a ramp and he would not use it. He was blind so I wonder if it just confused him too much.</p>
<p>I have a ramp that is lightweight, but will hold about 200 lbs. It’s got a slip resistant surface and I use it for in and out of the back of the small SUV. My dog are very comfortable on it.</p>
<p>Another solution is a lift harness – although I like lifejackets better. They are also lift harnesses. Look for these products in your local INDEPENDENT pet store. A good one will either stock them or be able to order them. I actually take customers out to my car to see my ramp!</p>
<p>Thirdly, I would suggest a vet visit and have your dog tested for Lyme and other tick borne disease. I recently had 2 of my dogs tested – an older very arthritic dog that I suspected of Lyme was indeed quite positive. The puppy, totally asymptomatic, was positive for both Lyme and Erlichia. Can I describe the joys of Pill Pockets for delivering antibiotic pills for the next 6 weeks!</p>
<p>(ps. Just looked at the site for doggie ramps. don’t be fooled by the discount claims. Just sayin’. I know what wholesale is on most of those products, as well as what I sell them for. One item, the one I personally own actually, is priced on the site at $10 more than I retail it for … and then they want you to pay shipping.)</p>
<p>My husband will be building a ramp for our St. Bernard this spring. She has never liked stairs (couldn’t seem to get the combo on which legs go where and when), but we know she is getting sore behind which is making it even more difficult. He will build it with as gentle a slope as he can and probably attach some indoor/outdoor carpeting for traction. Next time I am getting a dog I can pick up!</p>
<p>We had a Catahoula Leopard Hound who also refused stairs as he got older. He weighed in at 125lbs, so lifting him was out of the question. We also used rugs on the steps and that did the trick for him.</p>
<p>probably cheaper to hire a carpenter than buy stuff online…</p>
<p>I wonder if your vet might be able to either prescribe a mild pain pill, or suggest an aspirin a day for your dog. It may help her feel well enough to continue to use the stairs.</p>
<p>I missed the fact that it is your front stairs, in which case I think you might need a custom removable ramp. If your H is somewhat handy, he can build one out of sturdy plywood and two by fours, and cover it with a remnat of carpet for traction. It will not look pretty, (neither will any other ramp), but you can remove it out of sight when not in use. I would try a homemade solution first. Hiring a carpenter to make a ramp will probably cost several hundred dollars, and there are no guarantees that the dog will use the ramp.</p>
<p>Until you come up with a more permanent solution, are your steps wide enough to help your dog go down the steps at an angle? My dog is 17, and in the last six months, going down steps solo has become a bit of a challenge for him. He can go down just fine with a little help though. </p>
<p>I have him go down the steps by starting him off slightly sideways, and helping him get his front legs on the top step and then bringing his rump around and helping him get his hind legs on the same step. There’s only three or four steps depending on which door we exit, so it’s a pretty quick process. He has learned to go down that way pretty much on his own now, but I still stand by him to make sure he doesn’t stumble. Old dogs can learn new tricks. :)</p>
<p>We have used the double telescoping from dogramp dot com for many years. It’s lightweight and has a handle on the side which makes it easy to move around. Friend got the triple, and it’s not as easy to use. If you get a ramp, put it flat on the floor and teach your dog to go across it that way first. Also think the web master harness from ruffwear dot com might work for you since you only have two steps to go down. It has a handle on the top so you could lift your dog slightly to get him moving down the steps. My lab was 75 lbs, and it was not hard to do. Think of it like lifting a heavy suitcase.</p>
<p>I am glad ours is a mini poodle. He is mostly blind and refusing the stairs so we just pick him up.</p>
<p>Both of my labs use a ramp to get onto suv.They didn’t like it at first but due to shoulder surgery on one of them there was no option.Now they don’t even attempt to get in the car or out without it they sit and wait till it is set up.Did build ramp in family room so dog could come up with the rest of us during recovery.Just made a frame and but reinforced plywood and carpeted.It was long but we could move it when needed and it only took up half the stairway so we could walk up or down with him leashed so as not to have him going to quick.I didn’t care what it looked like as long as it helped the dog.Sounds like dog is at the end stage of life why not make it easier for him or her.</p>
<p>Have you seen the vet? Both Rimadyl and prednisone can really make a huge difference with an old dog. Rimadyl has a lot of side effects and sounds very alarming when you google it, but when it works, it works well. (One of my dogs has been on it for her hip dysplasia for 9 months now with no issues at all.)</p>
<p>Also, a mobility sling might help you with the stairs and be easier than a ramp for the dog: [Guardian</a> Gear Lift & Lead 4-In-1 Dog Harness | PetEdge.com](<a href=“http://www.petedge.com/product/Guardian-Gear-Lift-Lead-4-In-1-Dog-Harness/47578.uts]Guardian”>http://www.petedge.com/product/Guardian-Gear-Lift-Lead-4-In-1-Dog-Harness/47578.uts)</p>
<p>I built a ramp for our collie when she got arthritic, and it was pretty simple. The key is making it feel stable to them. I used 2 1x6 boards side by side, and just screwed them to some narrow strips of wood underneath to stabilize the whole thing. Then I got a big old hinge and screwed the hinge part to the rise on the top stair - so the 1st step from the top was only an inch or so down, and the angle was really gradual. Then I stapled outdoor carpet onto the top. It isn’t gorgeous, but the dog and her offspring were both happy to use it (after a few treat incentives). Oddly, though, they were more likely to use it going down than up. I think the down part is hardest for them.</p>
<p>Pay attention to her eyesight. My last dog went totally blind very quickly, probably in a matter of days, or a few weeks at most, and the first sign was reluctance to move around in some familiar areas (like not being willing to go through a door). She had a condition called sudden acquired retinal deterioration syndrome (SARDS), and I always felt kind of bad for not noticing her failing eyesight sooner than I did – thinking that maybe there was something that could have been done to prevent the loss of vision. (Probably not, because the condition has no known cure or treatment… but at least I could have been more sensitive to her needs). We didn’t realize that she was blind until my son had taken her out walking and let her off leash, and she walked right into a pond instead of staying by him on the pathway. (She did NOT like getting wet, so she never would have done that on purpose).</p>
<p>I know it is tough with an older dog, because my dog also clearly was slowing down and probably had achy joints, but the loss of vision was hardest.</p>
<p>SARDS is more common for older, female dogs – so it is definitely something to look out for at your dog’s age.</p>
<p>Our senior citizen dog has issues with steps now too. His back legs just don’t work like they used to. He is also partially blind. Most of the time he can make it on his own, albeit very slowly hopping sort of sideways one step at a time. He has tumbled down the last few steps (carpeted indoor stairs) a few times. Sometimes he justs get stuck halfway down. It seems to help him if we sort of put our arms under his front legs and sort of support/guide him down. He weighs over 50 lbs. so carrying him is not an option.
He was on Prednisone for years (for allergies which seem to have gotten much better since he spends all his time sleeping inside now) but we’ve taken him off of that because of bladder issues.</p>
<p>Our elderly lab had a sturdy tail, it was really more like a baseball bat…He was fine with our grabbing onto his tail and helping him with a lift as he navigated down the stairs. Seriously, he would wait at the top of the stairs, looking backward at us until we took his tail and have him a hand.</p>
<p>FauxNom, can you come over and build my ramp??? I will provide cookies! Neither H nor I are remotely handy (hanging picture and curtain rods pose a challenge…), so nothing is “pretty simple” to us–we’d definitely have to hire someone to do it. The stairs are bluestone, probably over concrete, so it’s not as if we could secure a ramp by throwing a few nails in. I’m considering getting the (returnable!) ramp from Costco, just to give it a try, though I fear the angle would be unpleasantly steep.</p>
<p>My girl is heading to the vet in a few days, and I’ll see if he recommends something for her aches and pains and also can determine if her sight is an issue. It’s hard to believe that just a year ago she was happily scrambling up and down an entire flight of deck stairs to get to her dog run in the back yard. </p>
<p>Thanks to all for the replies.</p>