Pat, Cat & Dog

Posts Tagged ‘doggy steps’

Have you noticed that your dog seems to be struggling to get on and off of furniture or other high-up places? As flexible as dogs are, we often overestimate their ability to cope with the impact of leaping to and fro areas. To help prevent long term damage, we’re going to talk about the benefits of using steps for dogs.

Jumping, while a very natural movement for dogs, can encourage bone and joint problems if performed in excess. How often does your dog jump on and off of your bed, a chair, or the car? Say he does this three times a day. In just one week you dog’s joints will have absorbed the shock of 21 impacts. Imagine the effect this has over a lifetime? It’s no wonder that many dogs develop health issues such as hip dysplasia (arthritis targeting the hip region) and even scoliosis or other back problems. Preventative maintenance is the best way to reduce your dog’s likelihood of suffering from one of these physical issues.

Of course, you could incorporate certain limitations to your dog, such as not allowing him onto the furniture anymore—but does that really seem fair to him? When a dog leaps onto to the sofa for a cuddle, he isn’t simply trying to find a comfortable place. It’s natural for dogs to want to be with their owners—they love us and seek our companionship. To suddenly cut that sort of contact off with your dog could result in behavior issues.

An alternative is to simply purchase a good set of steps for dogs. With dog stairs, your pet has the option to efficiently distribute his weight smoothly—as if walking—so the issue of shock absorption is completely done away with. Many dog steps are carpeted, which allows your dog the safety of extra grip and comfort while descending. This is especially helpful if your dog is descending onto a hard surface such as wood or tile.

You may wonder why you should opt for “made-for-dogs” stairs, rather than a normal step-stool. Dog steps are specifically designed to accommodate the size of your dog both in terms of weight as well as his stride. Small dogs take smaller steps, therefore the width of their stair steps shouldn’t be any greater than 12 inches. Medium dogs should have a stair step width of 14 inches, and large dogs—with consider strides—should have at least 16 inch-wide steps. Providing your dog with steps that are either too large or too small could result in your dog tripping or falling off the stairs.

Some breeds of dog are especially prone to joint issues later in life, but that doesn’t mean that these breeds are the only ones needing preventative care. Young dogs whose bones are still developing as well as older or special-needs dogs can too benefit from pet stairs. While there are many factors that contribute to your dog’s bone and joint health, dog stairs can certainly play a major role in staving off joint problems in your dog’s future.