Pet steps for dogs come in a variety of sizes, fabrics, and constructions. If your dog needs pet steps to reach high areas or because of a medical condition, then you will undoubtedly have several options to choose from. The key to finding the best pet steps for your dog is to review all options and determine which will suit the needs of your dog the best.
Reasons to Use Pet Steps
At first, you may be contemplating whether or not your dog is medically in need of pet steps. However, pet steps for dogs can be beneficial even if your dog does not have hip or joint problems. Because pet steps reduce weightbearing on the hips and joints by displacing that weight onto the steps, using pet steps for dogs from the beginning of life can significantly reduce the likelihood of your dog ever developing a debilitating hip or joint condition later in life
Another circumstance that would warrant the use of pet steps for dogs would be after surgery. Every type of surgery requires a certain amount of healing time, and once your dog gets back to feeling normal, it is likely that he or she will be attempting to jump onto things as it normally would. However, if there are any stitches in place or downtime has been recommended, it is important that pet steps be used to avoid the rupture of stitches or interruption of the healing process
Furthermore, if your dog is dealing with weight issues, it may be a good time to consider purchasing some pet steps. While a healthy diet and regular exercise definitely need to be implemented to control the weight problem, the pet steps can help to keep the bones and joints healthy by reducing the load that they carry
Pet Step Sizes
When picking out pet steps for dogs, the first thing to determine is that the size of steps the dog will need. For this, you will be looking at height and width. The height is determined by the height needed for the dog to reach certain areas, such as the bed or the inside of a car. The width is determined by the size of the dog, and you will want to ensure that the steps are wide enough for the dog to walk on. Smaller dogs weighing less than 30 pounds should be able to use pet steps with a 7-inch width. However, dogs weighing more than 50 pounds would probably be more suited to a 17-inch width step
Construction and Style
The next step when purchasing pet steps for dogs is to choose a construction and a style. Most pet steps are available with 3, 4, 5 or 6 steps, but some products are available through special order and can be designed specifically for your dog
Most pet steps for dogs are made from either solid wood or plywood, and they are typically upholstered with plush carpeting. Pet steps for dogs also come without carpeting, but because the carpeting acts as a shock absorber for your pet’s weight, it is best to purchase a design that incorporates carpeting.