Pet Gear Easy Step II Pet Stairs, 2 Step For Cats/Dogs Up To 75-Pounds, Portable, Removable Washable Carpet Tread, No Tools Required, Available In 4 Colors,Light Cocoa

These little stairs are the perfect size and weight for my 13 lb shih poo puppy, but it took him about three weeks to figure that out! The stairs are great, but I'm glad I didn't expect my puppy to get the hang of them right away based on his ability to use stairs otherwise.THE PRODUCT:This is a small set of two steps that help my puppy get on and off the couch. My cat, who utterly refuses to let me trim her claws, hates these stairs because her claws get caught on the carpeting covering each tread. If I had bought this item for her, I might remove the covering. For the puppy, the traction is appreciated. And the cat doesn't need the assistance the puppy does. 😁The steps are slanted, not level, which encourages my puppy to go up and down rather than hanging out on each stair. I found this to be a useful feature. It assisted in training him to use the stairs.THE TRAINING:For those who are saying their dogs wouldn't use these stairs, please know that it did take three weeks to get my six month old puppy accustomed to them. He's able to take full flights of stairs just fine, but these were new to him and not the same. When treats to lure him up and down didn't do the job, I realized the issue was education, not motivation.I used the same tactics to train him to use these stairs that I did when teaching him to use stairs originally.If he wanted up, I would lift him so his hind legs were on the top stair and his front legs were on the couch. He had no trouble moving his hind legs onto the couch, too. After doing that for a few days, I started putting his hind legs on the bottom stair and his front legs on the top stair. Again, he was easily able to jump onto the couch from that position.Unfortunately, that's where our progress stalled, but I let him take it at his own pace. After a few weeks, seemingly out of nowhere, he ran up the stairs onto the couch all by himself one day. From that point on, he didn't need assistance anymore.I used the same strategy to teach him how to go down the stairs. I placed his hind legs on the bottom step and his front legs on the floor. Once he seemed comfortable and confident with that, I started putting his hind legs on the top step and his front legs on the bottom step. He picked up how to get down much faster than how to get up; it only took a day or so for him to have mastered it.(I found it amusing that this was the opposite of how things went when I needed to teach him how to use "real" stairs.)Anyway, I hope that helps someone get their dog used to these. These are great little stairs and for the price, worth a small amount of work!

This is what I like about the steps:1. They don't stick out too far into the middle of the room.2. They are acceptable as furniture (yes, plastic but not cheap-junk-looking) with a neutral color (well... ideally, I'd like color choices).3. Even I could put them together, although I had to examine the picture very closely.This is what my toy poodle likes about them:1. Even when she hits them at a run (which she does) they don't skitter across the floor. As a matter of fact, the steps have not moved at all since I placed them.2. The steps have backs, so you don't see scary empty space when you are learning to use them.3. The steps have some depth and are surprisingly broad so you don't have to tiptoe up and down. They are slightly tilted backward for a feeling of security.4. The carpet treads give your paws good purchase and that mean no scary slipping on the steps.I did have to take time to teach my very timid dog how to use them. First going up, by placing her back feet on the bottom step and her front paws on the top. Then I could just put her front feet on the bottom step and let her scramble up. Down was the same--shaping behavior while giving reassurance by keeping my hands gently around her. It only took 3 or 4 days and then she could go up and down with confidence and pride. Even that, I think, happened only because I'd had cheaper steps in the past that had frightened her because they moved and wobbled so easily. These steps look and feel safe to a dog. I'd recommend them to anyone with a small dog who needs some independence getting on and off bed or couch.One warning: This size is not tall enough for most beds (although just right for a couch). I chose this size for the compactness and because I could place the steps against one end of the chest at the foot of my bed. The dog climbs to the blanket chest and then to the bed (kind of like one more step). It's perfect for my needs, but I did measure first to be sure.

I was in need of steps for a 23ish lb Pug/Pek with stumpy legs to get on/off our couch safely, since he has a trick knee and tends to dive off.There are a couple things I'd like to clarify for others overwhelmed by all the reviews. Some mentioned 1- the instructions not being user-friendly, 2- the pieces not being labeled and 3- having difficulty assembling the pieces. 1- If you can't put this together by looking at the photos, you should be studied. It's that simple. 2- My pieces weren't labeled by those stickers on most ready-to-assemble furniture, but the actual plastic was stamped with the corresponding letters. Not as obvious, but better than having stickers fall off in shipping. 3- It all snapped together quickly, but on one of the rise panels there was an extra nub of plastic that kept the male pieces next to it from snapping into the female ones flushly. A minute with a small saw blade, and no more problem nub.So far these steps are working just fine. The other set he had were plastic, and so lightweight that he didn't trust how they flexed and shifted, even when he used them slowly. These are heavy enough to stay put on a rug, but I haven't tried them on the laminate floors. (The 4 rubber feet are maybe only 1" little squares, which I'd add onto for use on hard floors.) He's even come at them from both sides at a run and no worries. I definitely suggest putting this against an additional surface on one side, like an ottoman or wall, to make your pet feel safer until they get the hang of it. :3