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Archive for 'pet stairs'

Getting Your Dog to Use Dog Stairs

Tuesday, March 16th, 2010 at 11:09 am  
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If you haven’t bought your dog a sturdy set of pet stairs, you should seriously consider doing so. Dog stairs not only help your pooch get where he needs to go (be it the sofa or the bed), but it also helps to save his joints and the tissues around them from becoming damaged from the daily impact of leaps and descends. Dog steps come in a variety of heights and sizes, but you must make sure that the steps you choose aren’t too tall or too short as this could cause him to trip.

If you already have a set of pet stairs—good for you!! This is an important tool to make your dog’s everyday activity easier and safer. The next step is teaching your pet how to use them. Some owners struggle with convincing their stubborn pet to use the steps, especially if the dog is a little older and is “set in his way” of doing things. The best way to convince your pet to use pet stairs is to show him how it can be worth his while.

Showing your dog “what’s in it for him” isn’t nearly as hard as it sounds. One way you can do this is by positioning the stairs where they will be used most and dangling your dog’s favourite toy or snack to lure him up. This may not work the first couple of attempts, but perseverance really does pay off. If your dog tends to be easily excitable, dangling his toy or a treat in front of him may not be the best trick. Instead, try sitting on the bed or sofa—or wherever you plan to position the stairs—and call to your dog. If he tries to climb up without the stairs, give him a gentle scolding and place him in front of the stairs, repeating the process over until he uses the dog stairs correctly.

We’ve also heard of dog owners who have denied their dog access to the bed unless the dog steps were used. This was done by either verbally dismissing the dog from the bed or bodily removing him from the bed onto the floor in front of the steps. This tactic is quite successful, as is high praise. Anytime your dog uses the stairs to get onto the furniture, make a big deal about it. Give him a cheery “good boy!” or any other phrase of praise you commonly use. This not only lets him know that you prefer for him to use the stairs, but also that it pleases you—and that’s what dogs want to do!

For information about getting your dog a set of pet stairs, visit Help Your Pets.

Preventing Canine Bone and Joint Issues

Saturday, March 13th, 2010 at 11:14 pm  
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You might notice that your dog appears to put more effort into jumping to and from furniture and vehicles. We often believe that because dogs are animals, they can physically handle the simple act of jumping, but are you aware that repetitive leaping could result in the development of physical health issues later in your dog’s life? That’s why we aim to introduce you to the advantages of steps for dogs.

No matter what breed or size of dog you have, there are certain physical consequences that result from repetitive jumping. Every time your dog jumps down from something, his bones and joints absorb the shock of impact. Granted, he may only be leaping down from the sofa—which isn’t a fair height—but how many times a day does this happen? Multiply this by the number of days in his lifetime, and the result could be quite surprising! Physical hindrances such as arthritis and hip dysplasia can crop up earlier on in a dog’s life if his joints aren’t properly maintained.

You may be wondering if you should simply aid your dog onto the furniture by lifting him. This is not advisable, as lifting a dog repetitively can also result in spinal issues. Carrying a dog while he is a puppy isn’t really an issue, but as your dog grows and his bones have matured into the position they will be for the rest of his life, his body can’t cope as well with repetitive “unnatural” positioning.

The best alternative is to purchase some sturdy steps for dogs. Pet stairs allow your dog to disperse his weight over a series of steps rather than one jolting movement. The impact of walking down stairs is only slightly more than that of normal walking, and a great deal less than jumping from the full height of the furniture or vehicle. You will find that a lot of dog steps have a carpeted finish. This is a huge advantage for a dog as it minimizes his risk of slipping, especially if the floor (which he would normally jump onto) has a hard or slick finish.

You may wonder why you should opt for “made-for-dogs” stairs, rather than a normal step-stool. Dog steps are specifically designed to accommodate the size of your dog both in terms of weight as well as his stride. Small dogs take smaller steps, therefore the width of their stair steps shouldn’t be any greater than 12 inches. Medium dogs should have a stair step width of 14 inches, and large dogs—with consider strides—should have at least 16 inch-wide steps. Providing your dog with steps that are either too large or too small could result in your dog tripping or falling off the stairs.

Some breeds of dog are especially prone to joint issues later in life, but that doesn’t mean that these breeds are the only ones needing preventative care. Young dogs whose bones are still developing as well as older or special-needs dogs can too benefit from pet stairs. While there are many factors that contribute to your dog’s bone and joint health, dog stairs can certainly play a major role in staving off joint problems in your dog’s future.

A Guide to Purchasing Pet Stairs Online

Sunday, February 21st, 2010 at 7:16 am  
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The effort you put into choosing the right set of pet stairs doesn’t have to feel like a burden; it could really be seen as an investment of sorts. To continuously reap the health benefits and sheer convenience that dog stairs offer, it’s wise to make sure that your purchase is well thought out and thoroughly researched. Luckily, technology has ensured that we are no longer limited to the wares offered in local retail shops—though that’s not to say that they should be excluded from your consideration altogether. There are pros and cons to both shopping experiences, which we’re going to discuss in this article.

Your Budget

The amount that you have to spend will ultimately determine where you make your dog stair purchase. Unless you have a pet furniture store in your hometown, you might be surprised that any pet stairs you run across in a local shop will probably cost a bit more than you were expecting to spend. This is because traditional retail stores–especially those that aren’t of the “chain” variety–can only afford to keep stock of the things that their local consumers purchase regularly. Unfortunately, pet stairs haven’t become quite that popular yet. Thank goodness for the Internet, which allows businesses to offer a niche product and still make money because their “local customer base” include every continent with Internet access. You can browse online and compare prices of several stores in minutes. Not bad!

Decisions, Decisions…

The beauty of shopping online for your pet stairs is that you have a large selection right at your fingertips. This is especially helpful if you are looking for something out of the ordinary–a particular finish, color, weight capacity, etc. You can use a search query on most sites to instantly weed out the steps that don’t meet your needs. If you’re looking for large dog stairs, your search for such will pull up only the products that match that criteria. You might not be in the market for cherry wood steps with a weight capacity of 300 pounds, but the option is likely out there on the Internet somewhere. The variety offered in your local pet shops is likely to be very limited, unless you’re lucky enough to find a shop that takes custom orders–which is not unheard of.

Assembly?

If you aren’t very handy with building things, you might want to consider something pre-assembled. This is something that neither the Internet-based nor traditional shops particularly surpass one another in. Some local shops might have pre-assembled “display” steps–which is good because you can get an idea of the sturdiness and overall quality before you buy them–but the steps for purchase will likely be boxed and require assembly. The same goes for buying online. Because online purchases require a shipment through the mail, the business will save on postage if the item is sent in pieces in a small box. There are still online companies who ship their pet stairs fully assembled–such as HelpYourPets.com–so don’t feel as though assembly is a definite in your future. Just dig around either online or in local shops and see if you can obtain something pre-built.

Budget, availability, and assembly requirements aren’t the only factors to keep in mind when searching for a pet stair supplier, but it’s definitely a start. Don’t be afraid to browse a bit before making your purchase—and good luck!

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