Senior Dog Comfort & Care

Stairs and high places can stress out a dog who can’t hop up or off like they used to. Stairs require good vision, flexibility, and strength, especially in the back legs. When obstacles like stairs cause pain or anxiety, it affects their quality of life.

The sooner you train your dog to use a ramp, the better. Use ramps for the car, furniture, and your bed.

All dogs benefit, especially puppies, long-backed dogs, and those pre-disposed to Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD) like Frenchies, Corgis, and Dachshunds. If they’re brave enough to leap, they could injure a joint, pull a muscle, or worse, rupture a spinal disc.

You’ll want to teach your dog to navigate a ramp safely and slowly. Use their favorite treats to guide them up and down to get them comfortable with it. Tips for dog ramps:

• Wide enough to suit your dog’s size
• Gentle inclines are safest
• A non-slip, textured surface that is highly visible to help guide your dog up and down. Adding some colored tape provides contrast. Use a color that dogs see very well: yellow or blue.
• Raised edges to prevent slipping off the edge. A reflective edge can help in lower light.
• Stable rubber footing