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So, you have decided that you’d like to purchase a set of pet steps for your dog. Envision the following picture: You’re psyched that the pet stairs you ordered online have finally arrived. Geez, the box is a lot smaller than you expected. You have to assemble the stairs, but you figure it’s a one-time price to pay for the steps. The instructions seem to be written in every language except English, and you certainly won’t make it through with the fragments you retained from high school Spanish. You’ve assembled bits of cheap plastic together—freehand—only to discover that the steps aren’t nearly sturdy enough for your dog, or that they’re too short to be used for your intended purpose (or any purpose at all!). Frankly, I can’t imagine anyone finding this scenario appealing at all. Not only do cheap dog steps result in added hassle and disappointment, but they’re a flat-out waste of money.
The best way to keep this from happening to you is to learn as much as you can about the requirements that your dog’s stairs will need to meet. Throughout this article you will need to ask yourself a few questions. These questions are important in narrowing down the possibilities for your dog based on his (and your) needs.
Question One: How heavy is your dog?
It does no good to purchase dog steps that won’t hold your dog’s weight, therefore you should probably bust out the scale and get your dog’s weight. You have to take into consideration the pressure your dog will put on the stairs isn’t simply his own body weight, but he will have gravity working on his side—especially when descending—which will add on a bit more weight. Therefore, read everything on the box if you’re browsing in the store—or all the “product info” if you’re looking online—and make sure that it clearly states the steps can handle your dog’s weight. If your dog is on the upper end of the limitations, consider going to the next size of steps.
Question Two: How tall/long is your dog?
Height and length has a lot to do with how safe the steps will be for your dog, as these generally determine the overall size of your dog. Could you imagine the result of putting a Great Dane on steps intended for a Chihuahua? Catastrophic! Your dog could stumble or fall from the stairs resulting in a serious injury. Check the width of the steps (from back to front) to make sure that there’s plenty of room for your dog to step. You can’t really get an accurate measure of your dog’s stride, but the general rule is as follows:
Large Breed: 16” Steps or Larger
Medium Breed: 14” Steps
Small Breed: 12” or Smaller
Question Three: What purpose will the steps be used for?
The height of the surface your dog needs to get to and from is a huge factor in obtaining the best stairs for your dog. If you want the stairs to aid your dog in getting in and out of your monster truck, then you might want to look into getting high pet steps. Whatever height your dog’s destination is, you need to get the measurement from floor to surface and try to find stairs with a height as close to that measurement as possible (without going over). Getting steps that are much too small or tall for his destination could result in injury.
Your ultimate goal is to provide your dog with a safe and helpful way to get to and from places. It would be well worth the hassle of spending an extra hour or two searching for just the right steps for your dog.
