Despite metal ones being overall the better choice, plastic ones offer the added benefit of being easier on your hands to carry and move around in the wet as it won’t slip. There’s also much less likely to damage vehicle interiors if it’s moved incorrectly – if that’s one of your worries then this one might be the one for you.

For a load of reasons, we wouldn’t recommend not using a proper ramp with anti slip material when it comes to marine transport. To help get around indoors The anti-slip material feels like sandpaper which is pretty much the same thing that most of these dog ramps use but has drawn a little bit of criticism. It goes up to 90kg which is great but not spectacular. The materials feel sturdy and high quality but because it’s rubber it definitely isn’t the sturdiest and would not recommend over the more expensive ramps if you have multiple energetic dogs or larger breeds. The Petstep Original Folding Ramp folds in half for storage in small places and sports non-slip stabilizers on each end to grip steadily to most surfaces. Made of easy-clean plastic, you can use it inside or outside your home with no worries of moisture retention, which can weaken the construction. The PetSafe Solvit telescopic dog ramp extends from its default length of 99cm to 182 cm which is just under double. It comes in two “halves” obviously and can take some chunk out of your boot’s real estate but not that much. It slides out and in effortlessly and you can go from stop to go in well under 1 minute. It has a hook grip on one of the sides which the image doesn’t quite show but it is there. It is suitable for even the bigger SUVs like your Land Rovers or Volvos. It’s a brilliant product and we always thing a ramp is better than steps, even for indoor use as steps aren’t the most natural thing a dog would need to climb and over time can actually contribute to arthrosis and arthritis and other joint problems.A folding dog ramp is one where there are two or four hinges in the ramp to allow it to fold together to save space. When it’s needed to be used it just uncurls into position. These are some of the most common types of ramps as well as the most reliable provided the hinges are sturdy and made of rust resistant materials. Dog ramps only allow a dog to get to and fro from two places of different heights, true, but there are a few different places and situations where being able to do just that can be extremely handy and if you’re on the fence about committing to buying one or not then hearing all about them may help you make that decision. Below are just some of the most common places dog ramps have been used effectively. Getting in and out of a car

Aside from the surface, it is also a normal dog ramp underneath which folds onto itself once. It weighs 7.7kg which is slightly heavier than usual. It has rubber grips to grab onto the desired surfaces as well as protect them from damage when engaged. It’s fully extended size is 42″/106cm which is standard and we have no complaints – it’s suitable for cars, estates, SUVs, crossovers and boats. It can hold dogs up to 113 kg which is decent. You can, however, find some stairs which are long enough to get out of cars, boats and SUVs if you really wanted to just be aware that they are not very portable, not nearly as strong and still give your dog a lot of work to do to get up and down. We can’t think of many reasons you’d ever go for stairs over ramps for outdoor use to be honest. Places where dog ramps can be usedManufacturers of dog ramps will have a tried and tested blueprint which has been field tested and reviewed extensively over the years making them superior to anything you may be able to make yourself, probably. Like we mentioned previously, jumping in and out of a car or a boat or whatever can cause stress on the joints that can lead to problems. If you have an elderly dog with joint and muscle problems then they may really struggle to get out of a car, especially if it’s an SUV. A ramp makes it virtually pain free and they will thank you for it. The alternative obviously is for you to physically carry them but that’s not practical and good for your joints either! A telescopic dog ramp is a type of ramp which is built like a russian doll with other segments of the ramp inside the ramp which slide out and fully extend into the full size product. Telescopic dog ramps tend to be lightweight, convenient and extremely portable which has led them to become one of the bestelling types of ramps on the UK market. To be fair, this is the kind of dog ramp you will likely end up buying for a car. We’re not gonna lie, the Gen7 Natural -Step dog and cat ramp is straight off the bat not the best performing dog ramp on our curated list. It is most definitely not a bad product as it does exactly what you need it to do but the high cost and below exemplary performance means that there are a couple which are better, overall. From a product only point of view it is an excellent dog ramp which has been well designed, made and uses quality metal and plastic to provide a sturdy solution to get your dog in and out of the car. It has guiderails on the side to help nervous or elderly dogs stay on the path and it has a really good “Suregrip” cover which makes it non slip even in the wet conditions (don’t underestimate how important this is). It is a telescopic dog ramp if you haven’t been able to tell from the screenshots which folds neatly in the boot. It weights 6.3kg which isn’t the lightest option but not the heaviest either. Dogs up to 110kg are safe to use so although it’s been labelled as heavy duty, we have reviewed others which go up a lot more.

On the face of it, a dog ramp is a seriously simple product with little differences between one product and another. However, there is a difference between a good and a great dog ramp and the focus of this buyer’s guide is to help you separate the wheat from the chaff so that the dog ramp you end up buying is the best for your needs, the dog’s needs, your budget and the purpose you need it for. A dog ramp made for boats is not going to be the best dog ramp for SUVs and so on. We’ll look at the ramps first, then a ramp buying guide with the most common ramp questions so you decide which ramp is best for you and your furry friend. If you’re a pet parent wondering whether your dog will willingly accept the ramp, here is a video that explains how to teach your pooch to safely use one.

This guide is specifically for dog ramps and not steps so if you’re looking for steps only then you’re going to be disappointed. However, we still wanted to add some information to help distinguish between the two and why someone may want one over the other. Anyway, what you’ve got here is a dog ramp that doesn’t have any metal in it whatsoever and made using only plastic. It feels very rubbery but it is quite strong and can handle most breeds of dog up to perhaps Labradors. Much larger ‘giant’ breeds should not be using this.