What do you like to see in a dog ramp?

Hello everyone,

I hope this post is okay, especially as a first post, but here goes.

The company I work for makes a dog ramp that has been geared towards the field trial/hunt test world thus far. We're starting to branch out into the rest of the working dog world as well as the pet world. I've been tasked with determining what people are really looking for in a ramp, specifically one that is used for loading/unloading from vehicles during travel. If anyone wouldn't mind taking the time to give me your input it would be greatly appreciated.

Specifically it would be great to know what you prefer when it comes to length, weight, folding/unfolding, and etc. Really, any input at all would be wonderful.

Thank you for your time, I'm looking forward to being a part of the forum!
Jennifer

Folding/breaking down as small as possible for stowing, long enough to ease the slope from the back of an SUV, all-weather traction that holds up in rain and a wet dog, wide enough for a big excited dog, preferably with slightly raised edges to help them keep their feet.

I have 2 ramps, one is an older model, for large dogs, heavy plastic with molded ridges on the ramp. It folds in two with handles on the sides that hold it closed. It's heavy, unwieldy and folding it is a pain because of the weight and getting the handles to line up with the holders. The surface can be slippery when wet, even with the molded ridges and lightly textured surface. Don't use it very often, it's more of a back up ramp if I need it.

Bought a telescoping ramp (for large dogs) a few years later, it's much lighter (aluminum with a gritty surface for the footing). I like the lighter weight and the telescoping factor for convenience, since I can regulate the length if I'm in a parking lot without a lot of room on whichever side of the truck the dogs exit. The gritty non-slip surface is great but it did get scratched after years of being thrown into the back of the truck and van. Not sure how to patch it or if the few scratches will keep chipping, so far they haven't. On the minus side, one of the rivets attaching the carrying strap to the side of the ramp broke, making it hard to hang onto the ramp while extending it. I finally used a zip tie to fix that side.

Bottom line - I would look for telescoping over folding, long enough to reach the floor of a 3/4 ton pickup without too steep an angle, light weight (think 5'2" middle-aged woman having to haul the ramp in and out of the bed of a truck and/or wrestle it open while hanging onto a dog), sturdy enough to hold 80+ lb dogs galloping up or leaping down, better quality for the carrying/hold strap and its fasteners (it gets a lot of use) and a non-slip surface, maybe with some sort of patching kit for scratches/dings(?)

P.S. I also wouldn't want to have to mortgage the farm to buy the ramp.

What I look for is the following.

Lightweight and either folding flat or near flat.

A texture that is easy to clean and not disgusting/cold/slippery to open using one's hand but also not slippery or shiny for the dog's ease of walking.

Can be deployed onto uneven ground.

Durable with no sharp edges

Thank you all for your input! It's very helpful and I'll definitely pass it on.

I feel that we've managed to meet most of the criteria that seems to be important to people. The big one we are working on is the folding while still keeping the lightweight (8.4lbs), sturdy constructions without increasing the price point to unattainable. The folding deal is a non-issue with the field trial/hunt test world for the most part, so it was originally developed without that in mind. Most of the ramps are between 60" and 72" long and are either stored in the truck bed or the breezeway. Big space difference when you're talking about storing it in the back seat of a car or SUV!

Thank you!