<Rodney D.> I tell ya, I don't get no respect.... </Rodney D.>

[ReSSurrected]

A while back, like a few weeks ago, I noticed that my older dog who is going on 16 years old was having trouble climbing the 3 steps to come in the house from "doggie time". So for a temporary solution, I had a piece of 18"X48" plywood I set up on the side of the porch as a ramp for him. He uses it, but it's plain plywood, so his paws sometimes slip on it.

So today, I decide I'm gonna build him a better ramp. He's my little buddy, and gosh darn it, nothin's too good for him. I go to Lowe's and pick up a 2"X12"X10' treated, a 2"X4"X8' treated, and a roll textured rubber matting. About thirty bucks, not bad at all.

I cut the 2X12 in half, and cut two 2 foot pieces off the 2X4. I laid the 2"X12"X5's next to each other, and secured them with the two 2"X4"X2's.

I flipped it over, cut the rubber sheeting to fit the ramp, and used Liquid Nails to glue it down. Did I mention it was treated lumber? This thing weighs about 80 pounds I think.

Turned out pretty good. It's wider and longer than the other one, and has a better surface to it. Should work pretty good.

So the little man was inside when I switched out the "hillbilly ramp" for his new and improved, state of the art canine handicap ramp, so I opened the door and let him out. He looks to his left, sees it, and trots halfway down it, stops...................















































.... and drops a freakin' deuce on it.

 

[IndyBeerman]

Hehe!!

What we as humans will do for our beloved pets!

3 years ago our now departed Woodrow (may he look down from doggie heaven on us) blew out a right rear ACL and because of the step up from the sun room, it made it very difficult for him to get in the house. I made a 3 foot wide, 3.5 foot long ramp out of 2x6's with textured carpet so he could cruise up it and into the house easy.

Well fast forward four months later, and our Border Collie (Ellie) blew out her left rear ACL by stepping in a hole dug by a squirrel to retrieve acorns.

Fast forward another 14 months later and we have to put Woody down due to lymphoid cancer (all the time leaving up the ramp because we had all grown accustomed to it).

Since our BC was grieving him being gone, we adopted a rescued Border Collie in Louisville, KY and brought her home, and that very night Ellie blew out the right rear ACL chasing her.

Thank goodness we liked the ramp as much as the pups did or we would have thrown out the ramp and I would have had to rebuild another one.

Since then I've built a modified step up ramp so Ellie can get up to the cedar chest/bed with out having to jump any more and ease the stress on her rear ACL's.