Anybody Use A Dog Ramp?

I "tried" to use a dog ramp. Thunder and Bud wanted NOTHING to do with it. Simba would use it if I coaxed her. The boys would jump in from the side and almost hurt themselves a couple of times, so I got rid of it. Now they all jump in just fine. I do worry about their joints, so we try to back into somewhere where they don't have a high jump down.

I have a dog ramp which I used for my last lab. She hated it but I would hold a cookie in front of her and she used it. Nellie rides in the back seat of my SUV and has learned to step up into the car rather than jump.

Since my two are getting older I was thinking of buying one. I'm interested to see everyone's replies. Doesn't sound good so far.

I bought one of the telescoping ramps when Gus had ACL surgery since I knew I would never be able to get him in and out of the Jeep without help. I also used it at my door while he was recovering to go in and out of the house and still use it for car rides. I also use it occasionally at the lake by placing it over the steps to the porch. I got it about a week before his surgery and used baby carrots to lure him in and out of the car so that he would be used to it before the surgery. He took to it right away and I have never had a problem getting him to use it. Zeke, however.......no matter what I tried to lure him with he hates to use the ramp. He will, but he is not happy! My ramp has safety rails on the sides and I believe that helps make the dog feel a little more secure. I bought mine on eBay, but this is the website for the one I have, dogramp.com.

I bought one of the telescoping ramps this past summer for Kody. I had similar concerns about his joints when jumping out of our Tahoe. Like many others, he wanted nothing to do with it. He won't go near it even for his favorite treats. It also doesn't fit well in the back doors of the Tahoe. They don't open enough to allow the ramp to be positioned where I would like it for him. If he rode in the cargo area it wouldn't be a problem, but he rides in the back seat.

I have found that it is easier for me to use his seatbelt harness to support his weight as he jumps down out of the vehicle. I just hold the back of the harness and let him jump as usual to a soft landing. I am probably supporting 80% of his weight when he lands. This works surprisingly well and is not very difficult.

If your anywhere near southeastern PA your welcome to try out the ramp we have before you buy. I'd give you a good deal on it if it worked for you.

I bought one on Ebay and use it all the time for my two. I bought it 3 yrs. ago when Kona had ACL surgery and I just taught Bo (my younger lab) to use it from day one. It is from dogramp also.

I have one from dogramp.com. They were located within 15 minutes of my home when I bought it so I lucked out and was able to save the shipping. It was $60 at the time and it does not telescope. It worked great when I had a 4-door car but when I got my small Hyundai Tucson (suv) it didn't seem to fit in the door frame as well. Buddy always used it without a problem with the car.
What I use now is a small set of steps that I got from Drs. F&S. I think they were $49 or 59. It's small and very lightweight. I can lift it with one finger and stick it in the back or leave it on the seat with him once he's in. We use it every time he goes in or out of the vehicle. It holds him with no problem and he's just about 100 lbs.

I got a ramp after my last Lab blew out a disc from jumping into my SUV. The neurologist told me that it's much harder on their backs to jump IN than out, as they're compressing their spine to make that kind of jump. When I got Jed as a puppy I started him on the ramp when I couldn't lift him any longer. It just rides in the back of the SUV all the time. He's good about it, but there was a time when I had to really bribe him -- don't know why, but for about 2 months it was a battle to get him in. And ... he won't jump out of the SUV, either. Guess my picking him up & setting him on the ground conditioned him to wait for me to hoist him out. I don't mind. Back surgery on a Lab is expensive.

I don't think people realize how hard it is on a dog's back to make those kind of jumps. They're athletic dogs, but that's a huge jump. I don't mind the raised eyebrows when I'm hauling out the ramp for such a big dog. He's worth more than the looks I get.