The Advantages of Steps for Dogs
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.
Of course, you could incorporate certain limitations to your dog, such as not allowing him onto the furniture anymore—but does that really seem fair to him? When a dog leaps onto to the sofa for a cuddle, he isn’t simply trying to find a comfortable place. It’s natural for dogs to want to be with their owners—they love us and seek our companionship. To suddenly cut that sort of contact off with your dog could result in behavior issues.
An alternative is to simply purchase a good set of steps for dogs. With dog stairs, your pet has the option to efficiently distribute his weight smoothly—as if walking—so the issue of shock absorption is completely done away with. Many dog steps are carpeted, which allows your dog the safety of extra grip and comfort while descending. This is especially helpful if your dog is descending onto a hard surface such as wood or tile.
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.
