Dog ramps for outdoor stairs?

April 27, 2024 9:23 AM

My elderly 20lb dog isn't supposed to go up or down stairs anymore. This means we need a ramp to place over the porch and back stairs, as not everyone in the household can lift him. I'm only finding ramps for cars or to get up on furniture.

Are the ramps sold for car use stable and safe placed over stairs? Is there another alternative that isn't extremely expensive or time consuming (I've been told to hire a local woodworker to make one, I need it ASAP as apparently he isn't safe on stairs at all anymore)

posted by wheatlets to Pets & Animals (18 answers total)

How many steps? And is a semi-permanent solution acceptable? I have no suggestion right now except to note that you (meaning “someone”) can build a ten foot long by one foot wide ramp pretty quickly from plywood and 2x4 lumber. But it won’t be exactly moveable by someone that can’t pick up a twenty pound dog. And it might be a trip hazard for humans using the stairs, so the building inspector might dislike it.
posted by Gilgamesh's Chauffeur at 9:33 AM on April 27 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Front stairs are.. 5-6 steps? Never counted. Back has 3 steps. Semi permanent is fine, and there are people who could pick up the ramp. It's just that someone able to carry the dog isn't always home when he needs to go out. No building inspector, it's our house. It's good to know that that would actually be a quick solution, I'll look into it.
posted by wheatlets at 9:42 AM on April 27

The angle of the stairs may be too steep for a safe ramp, so you’ll have to go long, past the existing landing. If you decide to do this, consider adding carpeting for additional traction, insure the dog cannot fall off the side, and have a soft landing at the bottom.
posted by sageleaf at 9:48 AM on April 27

I've built a ramp from my kitchen to my garage for elderly cats. It only goes down 2 steps, so it's simpler. For 3 steps, I'd probably use the full length of a 4x8 panel, which still probably wouldn't be up to code, but wouldn't be bad for people who are steady on their feet. You might want to use hardipanel for an outdoor ramp surface, as it will hold up to weather better. Definitely prime and paint the exposed wood.
posted by adamrice at 10:06 AM on April 27

I found that the ramps built for cars did not work for my outdoor steps. I hired someone who had simple carpenter skills (not as expensive as an actual carpenter) to build a plank ramp for my elderly 45 pound dog to get in and out of the house. I chose the least steep series of steps into the house even though it was a rarely used side door and just used that from then on with the dog. The plastic ones for the car were not stable for my dog and not long enough to actually cover any staircase.
posted by ojocaliente at 11:28 AM on April 27

The width of the steps will dictate the width of the ramp. If you have five foot steps, two feet is an excellent width for a dog. That leaves three feet for healthy people who can navigate steps easily. A handrail makes things even better for the humans. The dog's feet slipping in adverse weather is an issue. If you add short cleats across the board every foot or than help to prevent slipping, as can carpet, but the carpet can get soggy if not under cover.
posted by BlueHorse at 11:34 AM on April 27

People using the steps dictates a strong and reliable anchor at the bottom and underneath, so the board doesn't slip down. A board is less likely to slip under just the weight of the dog, but still requires something to prevent movement.
posted by BlueHorse at 11:40 AM on April 27

I built one in about 30 minutes a while back. I used 8-foot long 3/4” thick 5” wide cedar fence planks and various strips of wood scrap underneath to hold 2 or 3 side by side to each other, using screws. Also added strips for cleats on top but the angle hardly merited it. Maybe some waterproof glue but don’t recall. Rough side up for grip. The (now late) dog took to it right away. If all else fails it is a pretty simple and satisfying DIY project. If you’re in Seattle feel free to message me.
posted by kiblinger at 12:04 PM on April 27

This site shows strapping used to anchor a ramp to wooden stairs.
Legs on the bottom of the ramp--especially one on each step--would prevent slipping on cement stairs. This AKC pattern for a ramp is a definite no slip and gives the dog a place to stand before he goes down the ramp. Sides can be added if the dog is unstable.
posted by BlueHorse at 12:08 PM on April 27

You might be able to use a small ramp of the kind that people use to load ATVs and motorcycles into the backs of pickup trucks, like these loading ramps. Or along the same lines you could get something like this ramp plate and attach it to a piece of 1x10 or 1x12 lumber (at least 8 feet long).
posted by mskyle at 12:27 PM on April 27 [1 favorite]

This is the go-to homebrew ramp for everyone I know. Most of us use outdoor floor matt type covers.

You can google around for a plan you like. Mind is about 10 feet long and did well with 50 pound dogs.
posted by Lesser Shrew at 12:29 PM on April 27 [2 favorites]

I've had this ramp (which would admittedly be hugely excessive for your purposes) outside all this past icy winter and it's totally fine. It didn't actually occur to me to wonder whether it was okay to use like that so I have no additional citations supporting this plan, but really, I use it sometimes myself and it seems exactly the same as always. I have separately used those wire shelves in the above comment for exterior purposes and they hold up great too, which seems a much more reasonable solution for only twenty pounds of dog.
posted by teremala at 3:36 PM on April 27

Maybe this 62” Tucker Murphy Pet Ramp for back steps, and a Ruff Ramp for front steps.
posted by Iris Gambol at 3:40 PM on April 27

I saw this just the other day and thought that it was a great idea…. Something similar might work for you. Individual Stair Wedges.

I’m not good at linking on my phone so if the above doesn’t work, google ‘stair wedge ramp pets’.
posted by pearlybob at 4:41 AM on April 28

Tangentially related -- if you don't already have a great harness with a handle, your life with your senior buddy might be made easier if you buy one. It may or may not solve the problem that requires ramp-building, but it certainly makes lifting or stabilizing any dog much easier. And our elderly dude who couldn't do stairs anymore learned to LOVE flying. :)

I swear by Ruffwear harnesses. (Not all of them have a handle, but the ones that do make lifting your dog a snap.)
posted by nosila at 6:01 AM on April 28 [1 favorite]

Since it sounds like you need something quickly, is there a back or front porch where you could keep one of those (fake or real) grass pee pads? This depends a bit on whether the main issue is getting your dog outside to use the bathroom or also for walks. But since it sounds like some household members can lift the dog, this might not be a bad temporary solution if you think the dog might be willing to use it.

Also, is there a way to step down from the raised front/back porch without accessing the stairs? B/c a lot of the sturdier ramp options for dogs tend to be the kind made to get a dog up onto a couch or bed - those kinds of ramps are self supporting, as opposed to the ones made for a car.
posted by litera scripta manet at 7:53 AM on April 28

We had three ramps for our elderly, overweight, 45 lb dog. Two Pet Gear Travel Lite Ramps - one 42-71 inch model for the house side door steps and a second one 66 inch long for getting in and out the back of the SUV. Which we then loaded in the back with him to use at the destination - which was normally his vet by that stage. The third one (a PetSafe Happy Ride Telescoping Ramp 47-87 inch) stayed permanently in place at the back door. All three ramps worked very well for about 3 years so went through Texas sun and winter storms. Once he got used to needing a run up for the ramp getting up into the SUV, he was quite happy to use them. At his weight there was a tiny amount of sagging in the middle when he went up/down the PetSafe model but I braced it with some bricks underneath and it didn't bother him. All three were ordered from Amazon.
posted by Zeedog at 9:20 AM on April 28

You might try an online search for wheelchair ramps.
posted by Boogiechild at 5:44 PM on April 28 [1 favorite]