# Does anyone use dog ramps for vehicle?



## 1sttimeforgsd (Jul 29, 2010)

Today Ace is 7 mo old so I thought I would take him to the vet to see how much he weighs. I just got a Jeep Grand Cherokee and he has not been anywhere in it yet. I could not get him in the cargo area, I got him to put his front feet on the bumper and when I tried to lift his rear end up to put in there he would get down.

Needless to say we did not go to the vet, my back hurts from trying to lift on him and I still don't know how much he weighs.

Does anyone use the ramps for their suv's or vans and are they worth the investment?


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

We always lifted puppies in and out of the SUV until they were old enough to jump up on their own. For a senior dog we used a ramp. But there's no reason why you couldn't get one for your puppy. This is the one we got: Dog Ramp.com - Pioneers of the First Telescoping Dog Ramp. Double Telescoping 70" Model Information. Buy Direct and Save!

It's very sturdy, and the carpeted surface is nice, much better than the plastic ones I've seen at pet stores. It comes with instructions on how to get your dog to use it.


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## rvadog (Dec 9, 2010)

Take him by the collar and flanks if you have to and throw his butt in the car. 

Better yet take the next two weeks and teach him "car" so he has a desire to go in it on his own.

Either way will work fine.


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

rvadog said:


> Take him by the collar and flanks if you have to and throw his butt in the car.


He's too heavy for her to pick up. And the back of a SUV is pretty high for a 7 month old puppy to jump into. Keefer was able to do it by then because he followed his big sister in, but Dena, who was an only dog for a year, took longer to do it on her own.


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## rvadog (Dec 9, 2010)

Cassidy's Mom said:


> And the back of a SUV is pretty high for a 7 month old puppy to jump into.


Take his favorite, favorite treat, right before dinner and put it on the floor of the car where he can reach it. Walk him over to the treat and let him smell it, pull him backwards all the while talking to him and getting him super excited for the treat. Get 10 feet away, say "car" and release him. Do this 3-4 times. Move the treat so he can just barely reach it or has to put his front paws in the car to reach it. Repeat the steps above. Move the treat so he has to be completely in the car to reach it. Repeat 3-4 times. Feed him his morning and afternoon meal in the car for a week. 

I bet after doing this you'd be hard pressed to keep him out of the car.


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## CassandGunnar (Jan 3, 2011)

Cassidy's Mom said:


> He's too heavy for her to pick up. And the back of a SUV is pretty high for a 7 month old puppy to jump into. Keefer was able to do it by then because he followed his big sister in, but Dena, who was an only dog for a year, took longer to do it on her own.


With my younger dogs, I'd have them get into the back seat by jumping on the floor first. Much lower and they can do it at a younger age. We had a Ford Expedition which is pretty high.
Put the rear seat all the way back and the front seat all the way up. At 7 months your dog should be able to get up on the floor in the back seat.


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## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

Put a raw hot dog or a pupperoni in the bed of the Jeep, then you will find out if he can jump in.
At 7 months he should be able to jump in ... or darn near close to it.


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## bocron (Mar 15, 2009)

1sttimeforgsd said:


> Today Ace is 7 mo old so I thought I would take him to the vet to see how much he weighs. I just got a Jeep Grand Cherokee and he has not been anywhere in it yet. I could not get him in the cargo area, I got him to put his front feet on the bumper and when I tried to lift his rear end up to put in there he would get down.
> 
> Needless to say we did not go to the vet, my back hurts from trying to lift on him and I still don't know how much he weighs.


Well, first off, how much can a 7 month old puppy weigh that an adult can't get him in the car??? I am 5'4" and weigh 125 and can lift my daughters dog into the car without a problem. (He is 10yo male GSD and had a neck/back injury this past summer so has trouble with some vehicles). The rest of my dogs are taught to get into the vehicle as a command, it is no different than teaching them to get in a crate or sit on command. If need be, get him good and hungry and then make him hop into the car for food.

There is also this, which is good to have regardless.
http://www.twistep.com/


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## smdaigle (Mar 14, 2008)

Feeding in the car helps. My 10 month old was scared of the car and that's what we did to get him used to it (we got him at 9 months). Now that he's not as scared and he's jumping in by himself we're trying to take him for rides as often as possible and he's already starting to show signs of liking the car. 

For what it's worth, my puppy is only about 60 pounds but if he doesn't want to get in the car he makes it very difficult for me to pick him up. I can do it but it's not easy so that's why we wanted to teach him to jump in by himself. I'd definately get a ramp for an older dog or if Ridley had continued to refuse to jump in.

Our other dogs LOVE(d) the car so much that you have to keep them away from the garage whenever someone opens a car door because they'll jump in and don't want to get out until they've been for a ride (even just around the block).


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

I have a bad back. I've injured it sneezing, leaning over after a shower to put a towel on my head, picking up a ball off the ground, lifting a 33 pound bag of kibble, hopping off a curb.....

No way am I going to pick up a 7 month old dog and heave it into the back of an SUV - not worth the risk of tweaking my back and not being able to do anything much for a few days or a week.


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## warpwr (Jan 13, 2011)

Kazar weighed 120 and eventually he became too weak to jump in my truck and it was too hard on him to jump out. Spinal degeneration.
I bought this pet loader but I think a ramp is just as good and maybe easier for the dog to get used to.


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## Meka09 (Aug 2, 2010)

I use the OTTO-STEP......love it. My sisters bought it for me as a birthday gift. You can find it online for around $70. It just slides into my hitch and Meka uses it to get in and out of my SUV. I figure it's a good idea to help prevent any hip or shoulder problems from jumping in and out. Better to be safe than sorry IMO.


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## JudynRich (Apr 16, 2010)

My husband made a ramp for when the girls had their spay...it felt like we were loading horses. The first time they wanted to just jump in the truck, but we lead them up on a short lead. He made out fairly easily with a narrow piece of metal and some old carpet...so it is pretty light.


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## Good_Karma (Jun 28, 2009)

I agree, a seven month old puppy is often too heavy to pick up, especially if they are struggling. When Niko got to heavy for me to pick up (at around that age, 60 lbs and well over half my weight) DH took to feeding him his dinner in the truck. We have a Silverado 2500, so it was a big jump for him to get in the backseat. We eventually trained him to jump to the floor, then the seat. 

BUT, if you don't mind lugging around the mini-staircase in the above photo, that it probably the best way to go.


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## Anja1Blue (Feb 27, 2008)

Cassidy's Mom said:


> I have a bad back. I've injured it sneezing, leaning over after a shower to put a towel on my head, picking up a ball off the ground, lifting a 33 pound bag of kibble, hopping off a curb.....
> 
> No way am I going to pick up a 7 month old dog and heave it into the back of an SUV - not worth the risk of tweaking my back and not being able to do anything much for a few days or a week.


I feel your pain, I have the same problem. I used a ramp for Conor until I was sure that his growth plates had closed. No sense in having him jump in and out and possibly injure himself. I used it for Anja when she was spayed - didn't want the stitches disturbed. I started using it when my old dog Blue could no longer get into an SUV by himself because of spinal arthritis. So you could say I've had my money's worth out of a ramp! I really like mine, though I don't know if it's around any more - I think it is made by PetStep. I got them used to it (it has a ridged surface) by laying it flat on the ground for a while and with a treat in my hand walked them along it, then back. Didn't take very long for them to get used to the "feel of it" and I could proceed to using it with a vehicle.
____________________________________________
Susan

Anja SchH3 GSD
Conor GSD
Blue BH WH T1 GSD - waiting at the Bridge :angel:


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## 1sttimeforgsd (Jul 29, 2010)

Thanks everyone for your ideas and suggestions, as I am a 60 year old female fighting arthritis there is no way that I can lift him or throw him in the cargo area as someone suggested I do.

I will do some research and check into different ramps and other types of ways for him and my lab to be loaded into my vehicle. I do not want them to be riding in the rear seat I would rather they be in the cargo area.

I do not like the idea of jumping in and out on their own because my shepherd mix that I had that is now deceased got a pinched nerve from doing that. I do not want that to happen to the ones that I have now.


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## Northern GSDs (Oct 30, 2008)

I have a folding Pet Step ramp as well and I really like it, although it is a bit heavier than some of the telescoping ramps. It is still in excellent condition despite heavy use and extremely cold temperatures/wet weather (plastic has not cracked or degraded at all). The traction on it is not bad either (rubbery type stips) and it hasn't worn off at all.


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## Stella's Mom (Mar 8, 2011)

Yes, I have a telescope ramp that I use for the back of my Durango. Sometimes Stella slips off when we are running back in to the car from the Shutzhund field because she is so excited. 

I will continue to use it until she is a few months older. She is almost 11 months now and has already had her first heat.


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

I use a telescoping ramp for my truck after seeing shoulder damage to the old guys from years of jumping. Started Beau with the ramp at 11 weeks and it is second nature to him now.


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## Heidigsd (Sep 4, 2004)

I have a telescoping ramp that is carpeted. I got Nikki used to it when she was a puppy and I prefer for her to use it especially getting out of the SUV. 

She is used to the ramp, jumping in/out on her own and also being lifted without struggling but that's hard on my back too.

Michaela


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

I have a blazer, and have taught all my dogs to put their front feet on the bumper and STAY, either until I boost them up or they jump up on their own..It's 'good' to teach them this for when they get older and BIGGEr and they may be able to not jump in on their own.

BUT, my sister has the telescoping ramp, I've used it a couple times with my senior dogs, and it works well, slides back in on itself and stores right in the back easily..


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## VegasResident (Oct 4, 2006)

We used a ramp for our senior dogs. My current boy, is...well...a klutz....really. He crashes and burns the jump in the car entrance thing unless starting from curb height and then he is fine. I swear he psychs himself out of it since a curb is only 5 inches higher! I don't really lift him He puts his paws up and the rear bumper now and I just put my hand under his butt and he does the rest. I think he feels more secure...go figure. He is 80 pounds. I like ramps, but ramps are a pain in the a** to take places. We slid it along the side inside of the SUV. Takes up room and I have had a couple of excited dogs run right of the side of them if they are not seniors because they go too fast up it


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## Jack's Dad (Jun 7, 2011)

I had a ramp like the one Cassidy's mom provided a link for. I used it when my senior female was alive. They work well but if you have any ortopedic or back problems the ramp itself can be problematic.
The one I had was sturdy but a little heavy. It didn't always slide well. Usually from getting dirt or something on the slides. Then you have to store it while you are driving. For me it was easy because I have a truck. I don't know where you would put it in a SUV.
Overall it worked well for her but those are some other things to think about.


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