ramp good for something after all

Our house has several steps at various points to get in. The lowest is just two steps up to the front door. I made a ramp to help Buddy get in and out of the house. But he wanted nothing to do with it. After a great deal of frustration and tears,  someone on the forum here said that this was a common reaction with dogs to freak out about ramps, and the two steps really weren’t a problem – it’s the flight of stairs that he should avoid after surgery.

But I found the ramp does work for something else. Our front yard is raised about a foot from the driveways on either side. I can drive close to the raised yard and run the ramp across into the back door of the car, supported by two long 1X4 planks. And with the anticipation of getting into the car, Buddy has been willing to use it.

This has been a huge help for me to get him into the car from the house and get him out of the car at the house on my own. At the vet’s office I get someone to come out and help me unload and re-load him in the car.

You can see the ramp and planks leaning against the tree in the pictures of Buddy and the cats.

Author: mardi

I've had dogs and cats since I was 3. Currently my husband and I have 4 dogs and 5 cats. Dogs range from Buddy the 100-pound Golden, to Bella the 60-pound hound to Stubby the 40-pound Chow mix to Precie the overweight 20-pound mystery dog with the face of a Shitzu and the hair of a Yorkie or Schnauzer and the temperament of Attila the Hun! The cats rule indoors, the dogs own the back yard with a sleeping porch in the house at night. Buddy is 10 and in spite of our hopes that he could avoid this Golden trait, has started getting sarcomas and just had his front left leg removed. We have had many pets die over the years - lovingly buried and remembered. But Buddy going to 3 legs is a new world for us. thank you all for helping us in this difficult journey. View all posts by mardi