4 Reasons Why Pet Ramps For Dogs Are Beneficial

Your dog absolutely loves to go on weekend adventures with you. He can hardly contain himself when he sees you coming with his leash and collar. Jumping and spinning in circles with excitement, he almost knocks you over as you snap on his collar. Both you and your dog hastily head for the front door, then down the driveway towards the back of your SUV. As the tailgate begins to open, your dog prepares himself to jump into the vehicle. Only this time he doesn’t quite make it and tumbles back down onto the driveway. You attempt to lift your 150 lb., overly excited dog into the vehicle and quickly realize that your back is objecting quite loudly. Both of you look so defeated at the thought of not being able to go for a fun car ride.

Sound familiar? Many large and senior dogs along with their pet parents have struggled with this same scenario. That’s why pet ramps for dogs are so beneficial. Here are four advantages to using a ramp:

1. Less stress on joints.  Jumping out of a vehicle puts a lot of unnecessary pressure on a dog’s joints. Senior dogs have stressed their joints for years and are no longer as limber as they use to be. Their joints are more fragile, so extra care should be taken not to cause further damage and undo pain. Overweight dogs already have compromised joints due to excess weight, so having them jump out of a vehicle could potentially cause permanent joint damage. Giant breed puppies should also have assistance entering and existing a vehicle. Because they are still growing, taking extra caution to lessen stress on their joints could potentially prevent structural issues as adults.

2. Reduce the risk of injury to your dog.  Any time that your dog attempts to jump into or out of a vehicle, he could misjudge and get hurt. This is especially true of dogs with age related eye issues that affect their depth perception. Once injured, your dog might be hesitant to jump up the next time. Also, rainy or snowy weather creates slippery conditions that makes jumping in and out of a vehicle hazardous. Pet ramps for dogs have been designed to help avoid injuries that could result in unnecessary and expensive vet bills.

3. Reduce the risk of injury to you.  Attempting to lift a large dog into the back of a vehicle can most certainly result in injuries to you. No one enjoys hurting their back and being laid up in bed for a week.  To make matters worse, a large dog that struggles while being lifted could cause you to lose your balance and fall. What do you do if you are home alone or live alone and your dog becomes sick? How do you get him to the vet when you cannot physically lift him into your vehicle? How helpless would you feel?

4. Multiple uses.  Pet ramps for dogs are great for safely assisting your dog into an SUV, van or car. But, many more uses exist. If your dog needs to get onto or into anything, a ramp is a must have. How about getting up a small flight of steps, onto a grooming table or into the bath tub? Every dog loves to sleep in bed with their pet parent and now they can. Indoor ramps are available and they compliment most decors.

Dog ramps are manufactured in a variety of materials from plastic and metal to wood. Different lengths, widths and various features are all designed to help your dog get to where he needs to go.