I'm thinking of getting Ben a ramp to get in and out of the car, he's never mastered the art of jumping in his 7 years on this earth ( which given TM's reputation for escapology I'm thankful for ) and now we have the CRV which is a bit higher he's making a bit of drama of getting into the car, at the moment I'm hoiking his front end in and then he skips the back end in but I don't know how long my back will be able to accomadate humfing his lardy butt into the boot lol, I've looked at a few ramps on-line and seen a huge heavy plastic one in the flesh, which looked to be far to much of a faff for my liking, I like the look of the Trixi telescoping one which is supposedly the lightest on the market yet takes 120 Kg, so, anyone out there use a ramp and would recommend it ?.
Jane

I bought one but none of the dogs keen on using it,they prefer to lift their front legs and I humph them in if required.  The one I have is a wooden one with black gripper on it and it folds in half.  Despite folding in half it is still quite bulky and if the dogs are in the boot it has to go on the back seat.  It now lives in the shed.

We have one, 'Solvit UltraLite Bi-fold'. Light it is not, heavy and cumbersome would not be a good selling pitch. Bought with all good intentions, as BH's should not be jumping in or out of the car. I have used it but it spent most of the time taking up the back seats, as by the time I got it out, set it up, got both dogs out, folded it back up whilst holding on to two dogs and got it back in the car I had lost the will to live and it was always raining. It now lives in the utility room gathering dust but also reassuring that it's there. Younger of the two, can't jump up, so lift him in, the older puts his front feet up and then hoisted up, to get out both have to sit until I lift them. At 30+ kilos, I realise I'm not doing my back any favours but it's preferable to a ramp that's as cumbersome to use as lifting the dogs.

I do have a ramp, was using it for an injured dog, which was fine, but it was very heavy and cumbersome and tbh was hefty to lug in and out of a vehicle when you needed to use it. It is a Trixie telescopic one as well.
I don't like it but well worth having if you do need to get an injured dog in and out of a vehicle.

Lol, I'm so glad I asked here before I coughed up the cash !, I had a suspicion it would end up living in the cellar, I'm sure as Ben gets older a ramp will become a necessity, I'll leave the ramp idea on the shelf for the moment.

I've seen this bi fold plastic ramp in the flesh and the GR was using it easily enough.  It doesn't weigh much either.  I'd guess the only issue with a bi fold is that on a car with a high boot the angle might be too steep?

I quite like the idea for heavy dogs or those with mobility issues but ramps are a faff, whichever way you look at it, and I can see it being ignored if it proves quicker to lift your dog!

I have two 30kg dogs who will get their front ends in then wait for me to lift their back legs in :)

>> I have two 30kg dogs who will get their front ends in then wait for me to lift their back legs in

I had to laugh at this, my Rottie boy does this and he's about 45kg. It just amazes me that he can't (or won't) jump into the car, but can clear a 4ft fence when he thinks there's a rogue cat or fox (or even pigeon) in "his" garden.

The best idea is to make a step. Just make 2 sturdy boxes of descending size that can be put side by side to use in the way of steps. They need to be wide enough in case an elderly dog splays its legs. Made carefully, they can be stored one inside the other & taken with you on the front seat. I have had 2 pairs made for my girls: one "pair" stays permanently in the driveway & I can back up to the steps & the others are slightly smaller & more portable. An older dog will not often use a ramp unless taught to do so as a puppy, then when the dog no longer needs restricting, the ramp can be put away until they are getting older & the dogs will remember the ramp & be fine with it.

I used to keep a beach towel in the boot for that exact reason.  My dogs would rest their front paws on the boot awaiting the 'lift in' which I struggled with so I got them to wait and made a sling with the towel under their tums and lifted that way.  Much easier and no problems with storage!!

Thanks for the link Dogs a Babe, I think your right, it looks way to short, the one I looked at was the plastic tri-fold one on the same page, t'was bloomin' huge.
Not sure if Ben would use steps, I had thought of them, he's such a big heifer I'd need something pretty sizable to accomodate him but thanks for the suggestion.
I already use a towel to cover the boot lip until the new Hatchbag arrives so I'll see if hoiking his bum up with the towel is acceptable to HRH.

> the one I looked at was the plastic tri-fold one on the same page

I have that ramp,  it carries up to 200lb. Buster is roughly that weight so we now have to put something under the ramp to support it (I will take more weight that that, my OH & I have got on it together and jumped around to check it's safe for the dog, LOL, but it bends with Buster on it and he's not happy with it feeling so unstable under him).

However, even with a ramp, does not mean you will be able to get a large dog up the ramp if it has a bad leg :( We needed to get the vet out to Buster, he had hurt his leg, there was no way we would even let him attempt to get up the ramp the way he was limping, too much of a risk of him falling off it, or getting half way up and refusing to move.

Ramps are great, but they are not an easy solution.
As a pup, due to his breed Buster wasn't allowed to jump in/out of the car, so thats why we got the ramp. Unfortunately he has elbow displasia so he still can not jump in/out of the car. He can get in without the ramp (once his front feet are up I can just about heave his rear end in, if I had too), but he can not be allowed to jump out himself, that would be far too much stress for his elbows. A step wouldn't be much good for him either as it would still mean him haivng to put a lot of weight on his front legs to go down the step - with the ramp, they can stand on all legs and walk as they normally would.

So for anybody considering a ramp - a ramp is a solution for the DOG, LOL, not an easy option for the owner! They are heavy, hurt when you drop them on your feet! take up a lot of space and are a complete faff, but if a dog has mobility issues they can help the dog in the car or even up steps that it can no longer cimb ie. maybe steps in/out the door.

While we're on the subject of ramps, if you don't think your dog will happily walk up one, simply leave it folded up, in sight, in the house for a little while (a couple of days maybe). Let the dog get used to the sight/smell of it and in that time it will also start to take on the smell of your home (all in all it will smell/appear less 'strange').
Next, open ramp out, lay flat on floor (in the house), let dog investigate, praise & treat if dog steps on. If dog is not worried, encourage onto ramp, then praise & treat.
Once dog will happliy walk along flat ramp, put it on a slight incline (wedge some books under one end). Once dog is used to that, try having the ramp going out a door with a step. Etc...
Get the dog used the ramp in stages (if it needs it).

If you are worried that you will struggle to help your dog in/out the car, a ramp will help your dog, but it is a faff.

Oh, while I rememebr, the tri-fold ramp in the link dogs-a-babe put up, is the one I have and use it to get the dog in/out the back of a 4x4

I bought one to take down to the caravan, when one of my terrier cross breeds was getting elderly and losing her sight.

It cost me over £100 and resides under one of the beds in the caravan.  I hadn't factored in just how high the reach was from ground to doorway, it was far too steep and my girl panicked.  Of course, a car wouldn't be so high.

I find it very heavy and cumbersome, and it takes up humungous amounts of space in my car.  Not my best buy.  :-(

>While we're on the subject of ramps, if you don't think your dog will happily walk up one, simply leave it folded up, in sight, in the house for a little while (a couple of days maybe). Let the dog get used to the sight/smell of it and in that time it will also start to take on the smell of your home (all in all it will smell/appear less 'strange').<br />Next, open ramp out, lay flat on floor (in the house), let dog investigate, praise & treat if dog steps on. If dog is not worried, encourage onto ramp, then praise & treat.<br />Once dog will happliy walk along flat ramp, put it on a slight incline (wedge some books under one end). Once dog is used to that, try having the ramp going out a door with a step. Etc...<br />Get the dog used the ramp in stages (if it needs it).

This is what I had to do.  My dogs originally looked at the ramp at the car and jumped up the side of it rather than walk up it.  I endedc up using the ramp to get my boy used to some of the things he did at agility including walking along something slightly raised, doing a 'down' in a specific place etc.  It has been no use as a ramp for the car but has been put to use for other things.  When my staff had her patella op I used it folded down to bridge the gap between the back door and the ground so it has had some use...

We use a Saunders dog ramp that folds in half.  It is a subtantial bit of kit but fits neatly between the tailgate guard and tailgate itself so no issue with transportation and storage.  I can also list it out fo the car, unfold it and put it in place whilst holding onto 2 dogs on lead. 

We boughht the ramp when my Rottie X had his first cruciate op 5 years ago. Although he's still fit and agile now, aged 7, he likes to use the ramp to get in and out of the car.  My Newfie, however, has never really liked using it and will usually wait until it's in place and then hop in past it without putting a foot on it.  That said, we drive a Doblo which isn't that high...she might use it more if the tailgate was higher off the ground.

We have the one doghealth sells, it slides in half and does not need to be fully extended to be safe meaning if someone parks too close I can still get her in. She was not keen when we got it in March but as I have a bad back we have had to keep trying and she will now use it to get in and out of the car.
I thought it would be a waste of money and end up in the outhouse but with a little effort we have made it work for us saving her joints and my back