Best Dog Ramp and Pet Stairs: Car Ramps, Bed Ramps and Steps

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A dog ramp or a set of pet stairs lets a dog get into the car, onto the bed or up to the couch without a big jump, and saves you lifting a heavy dog. We did not test these ramps and stairs ourselves. The test results on this page come from Whole Dog Journal, where a certified dog trainer tested six ramps and steps with their own dogs in the car and around the house, and from an earlier Whole Dog Journal test of pet steps with four dogs, including a senior Australian Shepherd. Size, weight limit and tread facts come from the makers.

The short answer: for a sedan, hatchback or lower SUV, Whole Dog Journal’s tester picked the PetSafe Happy Ride Folding Dog Ramp, a 10 pound ramp that folds in half. For taller SUVs and trucks you need a longer ramp, and for beds and couches an indoor ramp or steps; the testers’ picks for those are below, with notes on where to find them.

How we chose: a product gets a page in our catalog only if it is current on the maker’s own site and we can match it to the version a review site covered. Several of the testers’ picks did not meet that bar today, so we name them without a link. We did not test anything ourselves, and we do not list prices or star ratings.

Ramps, stairs and your dog’s health

Whole Dog Journal’s reviewer says their dog’s veterinary physical therapist advises teaching a dog to use a ramp before it needs one. The reviewer lists puppies, long-backed breeds, small dogs, aging dogs and dogs too big to lift safely among the dogs ramps can help. In the pet steps test, a veterinary pain specialist explained that repeated jumping down puts jarring force on a dog’s front legs and neck, which is why inclines or steps are used as prevention.

A ramp or stairs is a way to get on and off things, not a treatment. If your dog is stiff, limping, slow to get up, avoids jumping or has back or joint problems, ask your vet what kind of help suits them before you buy. A vet or veterinary physical therapist can also tell you whether a ramp or steps is better for your dog.

Ramp or stairs?

• Car ramp: folding or telescoping, for the back of an SUV or a car’s side door. Longer ramps make a gentler slope. Whole Dog Journal suggests aiming for an incline between 18 and 27 degrees for the height you need.
• Indoor ramp: for beds and couches. Best for dogs that should not climb, but it takes floor space. A long, wide ramp suits big and heavy dogs.
• Pet stairs: more compact, and many dogs find them natural. Each step still takes some lift, so very stiff dogs may prefer a ramp. In Whole Dog Journal’s steps test, a senior dog with pain still chose to jump rather than walk down several steps.
• Single step: a halfway boost for active dogs that only need a little help, such as onto a couch.

The picks

Best car ramp for smaller vehicles: PetSafe Happy Ride Folding Dog Ramp

The Happy Ride Folding Dog Ramp is 62 inches long and 16 inches wide and weighs 10 pounds. PetSafe says it is independently tested and rated for pets up to 150 pounds, has a high-traction tread, side rails and rubber feet, and folds in half and locks with a latch. Replacement treads are sold separately (PetSafe). PetSafe’s guide says it suits vehicles up to 24 inches tall (PetSafe).

Whole Dog Journal’s tester found it lighter and easier to carry than its top car ramp, and narrow enough to sit on the seat for side-door use in lower cars. It was slightly too steep for the side door of a Ford Bronco Sport, and its 62 inch length makes it too steep for most full-size SUVs and trucks. The tread is harder and thinner than carpeted ramps, with a sandpaper-like feel, and at steep angles dogs splayed their toes on the way down; going up was no problem. The tester also suggests it as a ramp over a short flight of steps.

For tall SUVs and trucks: a longer ramp

Whole Dog Journal’s best car ramp was the EveryYay Portable Pet Ramp, a 72 inch, 17.6 pound folding ramp rated to 200 pounds, with a safety tether that clips to the rear latch of an SUV and a grippy carpet and plastic surface. It is too wide for most side doors. EveryYay is a Chewy brand, so it is not in our Amazon catalog. The Drive‘s writer, whose three-legged golden retriever needed a ramp, picked the WeatherTech PetRamp as its best overall car ramp; we could not check WeatherTech’s own page today, so we have not added it.

For beds and couches

For big dogs, Whole Dog Journal’s tester liked the DoggoRamps Large Bed Ramp: 70 inches of walkway, 18 inches wide, rated to 200 pounds, with safety rails, a rubbery grip surface and a rope to stop it sliding. On October 31, 2026, DoggoRamps showed every size of it as sold out. For small dogs and low furniture, the tester picked the EveryYay Rise and Climb Indoor Pet Ramp, which folds for storage but let heavier dogs slip a little. For a single boost onto the couch, the Frisco Plastic Easy Step has a 50 pound limit and a washable carpet top. EveryYay and Frisco are Chewy brands.

Pet stairs the testers tried

In Whole Dog Journal’s older steps test, all four dogs managed the PetStudio RampStairs and the Petsfit Wooden Pet Stairs. The tester’s senior dog preferred stairs over a ramp, and slipped a little coming down the ramp. Petsfit’s steps have solid sides, so a dog cannot see the drop. The Pet Gear Easy Step III was light and had a washable tread, but its high first step put off two of the dogs. Petsfit lists its wooden stairs on its own site for dogs up to 100 pounds, with rubber grippers underneath; we could not find a review-site Amazon link to match, so they are not in our catalog yet.

What to look for

• Length and incline: longer means gentler. Measure the height of your car floor, bed or couch, then pick a ramp that gives roughly 18 to 27 degrees (Whole Dog Journal). Check the maker’s height limit; PetSafe’s is 24 inches.
• Width: a few inches wider than your dog’s shoulders and hips, so they can walk normally (Whole Dog Journal).
• Weight limit: above your dog’s weight. A ramp that flexes or wobbles can put a dog off for good.
• Tread: rubber, textured carpet or another grippy surface. A slippery ramp can cause the injuries it is meant to prevent (Whole Dog Journal).
• Stability: rubber feet, a tether or a rope that keeps the ramp from sliding away.
• Folded size and weight: for a car ramp, you have to lift it in and out every trip.

How to teach your dog to use a ramp or stairs

1. Start with the ramp flat on the ground. PetSafe’s guide says to lead your dog across it with rewards until they walk over it calmly (PetSafe).
2. Raise it to the car or bed only when your dog is relaxed on it. If your dog will not use it, go back to the ground or set a gentler incline (PetSafe).
3. For stairs, Whole Dog Journal suggests putting them where your dog already spends time, then rewarding one paw on the first step, then two, and moving up one step at a time.
4. Going down is often harder than going up. Go at your dog’s pace and keep sessions short.
5. Stay beside your dog for the first trips, and never push or pull a dog up a ramp.

Need wheels for a pet who cannot walk far? See our best pet stroller for dogs and cats picks, with maker weight limits and why to ask your vet first.

FAQ

Is a ramp or stairs better for an older dog?

It depends on the dog. Stairs take less space, but each step needs some lift; a long ramp makes a gentler slope. In Whole Dog Journal’s test a senior dog preferred stairs, yet still jumped rather than walk down. Ask your vet which suits your dog, especially if they have pain or a back or joint condition.

What incline is safe for a dog ramp?

Whole Dog Journal suggests between 18 and 27 degrees. A steeper ramp is harder to climb and makes dogs grip with their toes on the way down. Measure your height and choose the ramp length to match.

How do I get my dog to use a ramp?

Lay it flat and reward your dog for walking across, then raise it slowly. PetSafe says it may take several tries, and to go back to the ground or a gentler slope if your dog refuses.

Can I use a dog ramp at a car side door?

Only a narrow ramp fits. Whole Dog Journal found the PetSafe Happy Ride narrow enough for side doors on lower cars, up to 24 inches, while wider ramps did not fit.

Do puppies need a ramp?

Whole Dog Journal lists young puppies among the dogs ramps can help, and its reviewer’s physical therapist advises teaching a ramp before a dog needs it. Ask your vet about jumping limits for your puppy.

For more, read how to travel with a dog in the car, our best dog car seat cover and best dog car harness picks, the dog beds and crates buying guide and the best dog bed for senior dogs.