Belle is pretty short. She’s just slightly shorter than a beagle. It must be the corgi genes in her. When I bought my new car – a hatchback – I realized that she isn’t going to be able to get into it all by herself. Georgia can jump in by herself, since she is about 8-10 inches taller than Belle.
She and Georgia ride in the back when they are going to the vet and to the groomers, so it’s important that I don’t have to lift her up all of the time. I once used a bale of hay as a stepstool, but that isn’t a practical or portable solution.
Dog Ramp Review
I recently discovered the portable folding plastic dog ramps. I have one that folds up into thirds and then closes with a latch so you can store it easily in your car. It’s light-weight, opens and closes easily, and my dog is pretty used to it now.
Cons
There are two small complaints I have with this ramp. One, it can get kind of slick when wet. I might try adding some grit tape on it to try and fix that. Two, if you aren’t careful, you can pinch a finger or hand when putting it together. That is mainly a human error. I did it once on the palm of my hand by pushing it together right at the break. Not a good idea.
Pros
Overall though, this works for me. I love that it stores easily, it’s easy to lift, I can put it together with one hand (and foot), and my dog is comfortable using it. I just take the leash and lead her up the ramp. It works out very well.