A ramp or other solution to difficulty getting in the car.

Kash

Hi A&PI peeps,

My eldest dog (11 year old cane corso x) is finding it increasingly difficult to get into the car. She usually travels in the boot of a Ford Focus Estate twice a day. She has missed a number of jumps recently, and seems a bit wary of trying since. On our last few trips, after a lot of encouragement, she will put her front legs up and either tries to drag her self up (which doesn't work) or more often, waits for me to lift her tail end. I

I'm putting it down to her increased age, and that she simply doesn't have the spring in her step that she would have had. She is active otherwise and doesn't show any signs of pain. But bodily lifting her in isn't always ideal and she is unhappy with being left behind, so I'm looking for a better solution.

Has anyone experience of ramps etc. for large dogs? She's 14kg and there's no way I'll convince her to get on something that wobbles Is there anything else I could do?

seamus

http://www.zooplus.ie/shop/dogs/dog_cages_carriers/dog_car_travel_products/ramps/146413

Folds up so it can be kept in the boot and just folded out when she needs to get in.

tk123

I started using a ramp for Bailey before his operations after he got hurt jumping out of the car Anyways I got a wooden ramp off ebay and found it way too heavy and it didn't sit right on the edge of the boot so got this Trixie one on Amazon - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Trixie-Pet-Ramp-Black-156/dp/B001RLU772/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1457092944&sr=8-2&keywords=trixie+pet+walk Lovely and light so easy to get in and out. I have a brilliant photo of pup Lucy going down the ramp at 8 weeks lol

THEN I downsized the car and added another dog.. the ramp was kind of getting in the way so I had a look online and went for an Otto Step. I was able to get the step and hitch on ebay US and it was cheaper than getting a standard tow bar here! http://www.ottostep.com/ (I know this may be madness/overkill to some but I got a great deal on the car lol so had money left for the dog budget )

I much prefer the step because it's so light and quick to get in and out. It's also a handy cup holder for my coffee while I put my shopping in the back of the car lol!! People are always pulling up in the park carpark to ask about the step and watch the dogs jumping in and out. My friend's dog even uses it lol

Just to add - for training her to use a ramp start off with it on the ground and use a clicker and treats to get her comfortable with one paw on it and build up to her waking across it etc before you even attempt to put it near the car.

aonb

I mind a retreiver when its humans are away. She has a lovely ramp that she trots up/down on quite happily. The brand of hers is PET GEAR - theres a website, or I think on AMAZON too. My old boy 'fell' out of the car one day, and was very reluctant about jumping in/out after that. My younger dog had his cruciate replaced, so has been lifted in/out since then too - luckily he is small enough to pick up. We had this one on loan til Pepper passed away:

Edited to fix broken link - thanks tk123! - we both liked the SOLVIT ramp then 8-)

http://www.easyanimal.co.uk/dogs/dog-ramps/

tk123

^ Link is broken but the Trixie one I linked too says Trixie on the box but it's a Solvit ramp.

When I ordered mine years ago it came unwrapped to work with no name... Call from reception 'eh are you waiting for a pet walk ramp?!' Dog on the box and hundreds working there but must be for TK

Tranceypoo

Just be careful which one you get, I got the one from Zooplus posted above and it was very unstable, took me ages to get my boy to walk up it and halfway up it sort of wobbled and he lost his footing (paw-ing?) and fell half off, wouldn't go near it after that, not even for cheese, so I sent it back! At the mo he's actually fine jumping in but he's a staffy mix so he's very strong in his front part and his back leg is the part that gives him a bit of gyp

peasant

Another thumbs up for the Solvit telescopic ramp from me

http://www.zooplus.ie/shop/dogs/dog_cages_carriers/dog_car_travel_products/ramps/184579

Got it when Benno was a pup (big puppies shouldn't jump) and 60 kg and two years later it is still working fine

(can also serve as emergency stretcher for a big dog if needs be)


BTW ...14 kg for a Cane Corso cross?
typo perhaps

Kash

Tranceypoo wrote: »

Just be careful which one you get, I got the one from Zooplus posted above and it was very unstable,

This is something I need to get right, she's very nervous when it comes to wobbly things so thanks for that.

peasant wrote: »

BTW ...14 kg for a Cane Corso cross?
typo perhaps

Can't even blame a typo - more like a brain blip She was 38kg at her last check up!

I'll look for the Solvit, thanks all!

tk123

You might need a bumper guard depending on the bumper you have now/how much you like the paintwork. The bumper in my old jeep got really scratched up from the ramp even though it had rubber 'feet' to sit on the bumper.. but the car was OLD and I didn't really car. When I got the newer car I got a plastic guard thing that sticks on the bumper to protect it.

We went from practising on the floor to moving it onto the couch and didn't try it near the car before he was very comfortable with it.

Kash

Scratches on the back bumper would just mean that it matches the rest of the car - if you could see them under the dirt

aonb

If 'rattling' is going to be an issue for your dog - my old collie gave something a try after MUCH coaxing just ONCE, and if anything 'scary' happened, that was it forever, so I know what you mean - but if you have a person who could make you a good old solid wooden ramp - it could be in 2 parts with two hinges in the middle so it can fold to go in the boot - my husband did this for our old guy. (I gave it away, so cant take a photo) - the advantage of the wooden one is that its solid enough not to rattle when climbing in, especially for such a big dog...

tk123

Depending on how often the dog is going in and out of the car a heavy ramp could be a pain though. That's why I got the plastic one.

puppieperson1

I bought a small trampoline and put it on the ground at the passenger door of my jeep she is 16 and losing her power on the back legs but when she sees the trampoline she makes a run and spring and happily sits on the floor for our journey on a rug of course ! thirty quid in argos had a timber ramp home made for her she hated it. loves the spring in the trampoline.

snoman

I bought a set of caravan steps in Aldi which are cheap, light and fit in the car. Mind you I think they only sell them in the summer.

aonb

puppieperson1 wrote: »

I bought a small trampoline and put it on the ground at the passenger door of my jeep she is 16 and losing her power on the back legs but when she sees the trampoline she makes a run and spring and happily sits on the floor for our journey on a rug of course ! thirty quid in argos had a timber ramp home made for her she hated it. loves the spring in the trampoline.

This sounds so cute - a 16 year old bouncing onto a trampoline

Kash

My youngest dog would be on that in a flash, but the old madam wouldn't be caught dead bouncing around like a pup

Kash

UPDATE: I bought the trixie pet ramp as recommended on here, and set it up (read: unfolded it).
Once I could get my toddler off it for long enough, I tried old Gaby on it and she gave me that 'what are you at you foolish human?!' look that she does so well.
So out came the schmackos... and then she was happily sitting on it flat on the ground, trotting up it at a slight incline into the house, and then up into the boot - all within five minutes. Delighted!

tk123

Well done!