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Built a ramp for my dog today (with pics)

GKL

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Joined
Jul 22, 2016
Messages
8,544
Location
Winnsboro, South Carolina
My dog started having more trouble hopping up on our bed, she is only about 6 years old but I need to exercise her more as she has a little extra weight.

Anyhow the bed is quite high (about 20 inches) off the floor for her as she is only a medium size dog, it was a little high for her even with a step, so I looked online at "do-it-yourself" dog ramp ideas.

What was really neat was when I got outdoor carpet for the wheelchair ramp for my mother-in-law they sent it way longer than what I paid for (on purpose since they shorted the previous order and had to resend it) and the leftover carpet was just long enough for the dog ramp.

Anyhow, I used 2x4s for the horizontal support pieces, I already had some 3/4 inch plywood for the side walls and 3/8 inch plywood for the surface which the carpet went on.

I used decking type screws to ensure it was solid and very stable, and used roofing nails underneath and in the back to attach the carpet after it was pulled snug. I used one roofing nail in either side where the carpet folded over from going from the top flat surface to a slant as I wanted to keep the carpet all in one piece instead of sections as it was large enough to cover both sides too.

I have the finished ramp along the end of the bed so she walks up and makes a right turn onto the bed at the top.

Some online examples include a railing to keep the dog from going off the edge of the ramp too high up, but I have some heavy cardboard I set in place to guide her to stay on the ramp.

Even when your dog is young it might be better to avoid them jumping down from high surfaces so as to help keep their joints in better shape for when they get older.

The flat top of the ramp 17x17 inches and it is 17 inches high off the floor, the ramp is also 17 inches wide, the overall length of the ramp at the bottom is 5 feet 8 inches. (our bed is 6 feet wide)

dogramp1.jpgdogramp2.jpgdogramp4.jpgdogramp3.jpg
 
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Dog ramp

My dog started having more trouble hopping up on our bed, she is only about 6 years old but I need to exercise her more as she has a little extra weight.

Anyhow the bed is quite high (about 20 inches) off the floor for her as she is only a medium size dog, it was a little high for her even with a step, so I looked online at "do-it-yourself" dog ramp ideas.

What was really neat was when I got outdoor carpet for the wheelchair ramp for my mother-in-law they sent it way longer than what I paid for (on purpose since they shorted the previous order and had to resend it) and the leftover carpet was just long enough for the dog ramp.

Anyhow, I used 2x4s for the horizontal support pieces, I already had some 3/4 inch plywood for the side walls and 3/8 inch plywood for the surface which the carpet went on.

I used decking type screws to ensure it was solid and very stable, and used roofing nails underneath and in the back to attach the carpet after it was pulled snug. I used one roofing nail in either side where the carpet folded over from going from the top flat surface to a slant as I wanted to keep the carpet all in one piece instead of sections as it was large enough to cover both sides too.

I have the finished ramp along the end of the bed so she walks up and makes a right turn onto the bed at the top.

Some online examples include a railing to keep the dog from going off the edge of the ramp too high up, but I have some heavy cardboard I set in place to guide her to stay on the ramp.

Even when your dog is young it might be better to avoid them jumping down from high surfaces so as to help keep their joints in better shape for when they get older.

View attachment 415395View attachment 415396View attachment 415398View attachment 415397
So the question is what does your dog think of it ?
 
So the question is what does your dog think of it ?

Well, as many things that are new to dogs it will take her a little while to feel more comfortable using it.

I had her harness on her that I use to walk her outside so I could help guide her up the ramp the first time as she was hesitant to try it on her own (the harness has a tough cloth handle on the back for when needed as well as a leash attachment on the back), I had to hold her harness to guide her up but I think once she uses it a few days she'll hopefully just use it on her own without even thinking about it.
 
Quick fix for training him for the ramp

Well, as many things that are new to dogs it will take her a little while to feel more comfortable using it.

I had her harness on her that I use to walk her outside so I could help guide her up the ramp the first time as she was hesitant to try it on her own (the harness has a tough cloth handle on the back for when needed as well as a leash attachment on the back), I had to hold her harness to guide her up but I think once she uses it a few days she'll hopefully just use it on her own without even thinking about it.

Small piece of hot dog , he will follow it right up there if he is anything like my dog.
 
Small piece of hot dog , he will follow it right up there if he is anything like my dog.

neat idea :lol:

When our dog first gets up on the bed for the evening I give her some (just a little) peanut butter in a "Kong", and she really looks forward to it, maybe I should just have it on the bed and see if she gets hungry enough for it to come up the ramp on her own.
 
Found a bunch of different designs for dog steps and ramps.https://www.pinterest.com/search/pi...ps for bed&eq=dog ramps&etslf=25425&term_meta[]=dog%20ramps%20for%20bed%7Cautocomplete%7Cundefined

Thanks for sharing that, some people might need or prefer a different design, the important thing is that you reduce the stress on your dog's joints.

Nice work, i hope you dog appreciates your effort!

Thanks zeemang, I think she appreciates not having to jump up on the bed, even with the step I had she got to where she was backing up a bunch of times trying to get enough momentum to jump up, where when she was younger she did it easily. Sometimes I even had to help her up, so now being able to just walk up and down a ramp is so much better.

So even though she is still getting used to using a ramp I feel she has to appreciate not having to jump up like she used to.
 
diffrent ramp designs

Thanks for sharing that, some people might need or prefer a different design, the important thing is that you reduce the stress on your dog's joints.



Thanks zeemang, I think she appreciates not having to jump up on the bed, even with the step I had she got to where she was backing up a bunch of times trying to get enough momentum to jump up, where when she was younger she did it easily. Sometimes I even had to help her up, so now being able to just walk up and down a ramp is so much better.

So even though she is still getting used to using a ramp I feel she has to appreciate not having to jump up like she used to.

Figured some people might need different designs due to space available.
 
Admit it Gary, you picked-up some garage sale Hot Wheels :laughing:

:laughing:

No, but now that you mention it, it reminded me of some of the homemade stuff like that I used to make as a kid to use as or with toys :lol:

Wouldn't be surprised if you see a picture of it in the future with either hot wheel cars or dog toys rolling down it. :laughing:

Maybe adult size hot wheel cars you could ride down a dirt hill into an open field :laughing:
 
Nice work on the ramp. I love my dog but she does not sleep on the bed. Have enough issues trying to get to sleep with my wife snoring, I sure don't need the dog snoring and farting all night next to me and her. I'd never get any sleep. :lol:
 
Dog sleeping in bed

Nice work on the ramp. I love my dog but she does not sleep on the bed. Have enough issues trying to get to sleep with my wife snoring, I sure don't need the dog snoring and farting all night next to me and her. I'd never get any sleep. :lol:

Our dog sleeps right in there with us , some times I turn over and he has his face on the pillow. I won't complain about his snoring if he don't complain about mine. :laughing::laughing:
 
Nice work on the ramp. I love my dog but she does not sleep on the bed. Have enough issues trying to get to sleep with my wife snoring, I sure don't need the dog snoring and farting all night next to me and her. I'd never get any sleep. :lol:

:laughing::laughing::laughing:

Thanks !

Our dog relaxes on the bed with us in the evening till we are ready to go to sleep then she sleeps in her crate in our bedroom, that is like her little bedroom within our bedroom :lol:
 
We'll see a youtube video of it setting in the road, and watch Gary come flying up to it on his bike...... and catches some air :laughing:

:laughing::laughing::laughing:

Funny you should say that, when I was a kid we would try stuff like that with our bikes, not only with homemade ramps but dirt hills in an unused area a few blocks away. :lol:

(but that ramp is our dog's, I would not want to mess up her nice carpet covered ramp, I'd make a plain wood one if needed for stunts, but I think my wife might kinda frown on it knowing my tendency to be a little clumsy sometimes :lol:)
 
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:shock: :lol:

.....obviously if that kid would have really thought it thru he would have only used one ramp at first and had a buddy make a chalk mark of where the back tire landed on about 6 or 7 tries, that way he would have known how far to place the second ramp, and even allowed a margin for error if he went slower.
 
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