Dog Staircase

I took my GSD to the vet and she was diagnosed with Hip Dysplasia.

After the Diagnoses I knew what to do. I built a staircase the length of our queen size bed. When I built a 3 foot wide ramp my GSD would not use it.

Step 1: I Used a 4 FT X 4 FT 3 Quarter Inch Red Oak Plywood.

1. I cut the sheet into four pieces with a table saw 23.5” wide and 24” tall.

On the right I cut a piece out 14.5” tall and 4.5” wide to go over the bed railing.

I used a T-Square to measure the stairs 6” tall and 6” wide.

Step 2: First Frame Piece

2. Here is the photo of the first frame piece.

Step 3: Dry Fit

Dry Fit on Bed.

Step 4: Cut With Jigsaw

Turned the board upside down to cut with a jigsaw.

Step 5: Turn Board 90 Degrees

Turn the board 90 degrees and cut the other side.

Step 6: Repeat 4 Times

Duplicate four more times. Dry fit the boards.

Step 7: Stain Outer Boards

Stain the outer boards. I used Gunstock Wood Finish.

Step 8: Cut Pine Boards

Cut 1X6X6 pine board for stairs to 59.5” I used 72” boards and cut 12.5” off each one.

Step 9: Install Pine Boards

I used a fence nail gun to tack the boards to the three quarter inch frame and used 1.5” pocket screws to make the boards more secure.

Step 10: Carpet Tacking Strips

Install Carpet tacking strips on both the bottom boards and side boards. Note the arrows on the tacking boards are facing towards the boards.

Step 11: Cut to Size

I used a tree trimmer to cut the tacking strip boards.

Step 12: Carpeting

Went to Lowes and picked up a roll of remnant carpet for $10

Step 13: Install Carpet

My wife used a rubber mallet to get the carpet to go onto the carpet tacking strips.

Step 14: Add Second Roll of Carpet

My wife added the remaining carpet. We used a Utility knife to cut the back side of the carpet to fit.

Step 15: Happy Dog

My GSD is now happy that the stairs are going up to the bed where she takes her naps.

The final touches will be adding trim to the sides of the 1X6s

Comments

[d1no]

From one dog lover to another, EXCELLENT!

[clark77494]

Thank you. Only the best for our pets! :-)

[DIY Hacks and How Tos]

This would actually be really good for cats too. I had an elderly cat with hip problems and something like this would have been really helpful.

[clark77494]

The main thing is to keep the steps consistent height and depth so as not to trip the dog or in your case your cat. In the original design I was going to use the entire 4 foot by 8 foot 3/4 inch plywood board, except the steps would not be long enough for the build. When I went to Loews they had carpet as cheap as 48 cents per square foot. Since I used remnant it was only 4 feet wide. We wanted a higher grade carpet which was $1.19 per Square foot at 48 square feet, which would have cost $57.12 if we purchased an 8 foot wide roll. Since it was remnant carpet we got it for 21 cents per square foot or $10.00 for the roll. Carpet comes in 64 foot rolls, the remnant is the remaining carpet in the roll that can't be sold to carpet contractors who are installing carpet in an entire house.

[mtairymd]

Awesome! Cute dog BTW!

[clark77494]

Thank you. Ginger is a rescue dog. Part Alsatian Dog and part GSD. The nice part is she does not bark much and fireworks don't scare her. I have trained her not to be startled when children or other dogs run up to her. She is very aloof to strangers even when being petted.