Whether your dog is small or large, most dogs will need a ramp at least some time in their life. Older dogs often have a harder time with mobility, so they will typically need a ramp of some sort. However, smaller dogs often need a bit of help, as they tend to be a bit vertically challenged. In fact, some dogs absolutely need a ramp, as jumping can injure their back in the long run,
With that said, dog ramps can get expensive. Luckily, it doesn’t take much skill to DIY one if you have a solid plan. There are tons of options on the market that can make mobility much easier for your dog.
Here are some of our favorite outdoor dog ramp plans on the internet.
The 3 DIY Outdoor Dog Ramp Over Stairs Ideas
1. Dog Ramp for Deck
| Materials: | Wood, nails |
| Difficulty: | Easy |
For dogs that have a hard time getting up onto the deck, this innovative ramp is an option. It involves removing some of your deck railings and attaching the ramp to that space. It only utilizes wood and nails, making it easier to make than many other plans out there. However, this also means that it isn’t necessarily as safe. You may want to utilize an anti-skid carpet or something of that sort.
This helps ensure that your dog doesn’t slip and fall. It isn’t absolutely necessary, but many dogs do better with a bit of extra footing.
While this plan is good, it isn’t necessarily as great as other options out there. It is very basic, but that also means that it may not be the best decision for your canine.
2. Inexpensive Dog Ramp
| Materials: | Closet shelves, zip ties, outdoor carpet |
| Difficulty: | Easy |
Compared to other shelves on this list, this option is cheap and very easy to make. However, it can’t hold that much weight, so we only recommend it for smaller dogs. Furthermore, its longevity is a bit suspicious. Since it is only held together by zip ties, we don’t expect it to be particularly durable.
However, if you’re looking for a very cheap ramp, then this may be a great option. Plus, it does work well for some smaller dogs. It may not be the best option for outdoor use, though, as it is very lightweight. It may get moved around a bit too much to be used when it is windy or wet.
3. Boat and Dock Ramp
| Materials: | Pool noodles, floor mats, zip ties, carabiners, rope |
| Difficulty: | Easy |
This boat and dock ramp is a bit different than other options on the internet. For this reason, it is quite useful when you need a ramp for the water. However, it isn’t necessarily useful for all situations, as it can only be used in water. Therefore, we don’t see many people using this ramp.
With that said, we do recommend using this plan if you need a ramp for use in water. It’s very easy to throw together and pretty inexpensive.
Conclusion
There are many ramp options you can build for outdoor use. Whether you need a ramp for your car or one for your pool, we’ve included a ramp above. Often, these are much more expensive than purchasing a ramp, which can easily cost over $100.
Luckily, it isn’t challenging to build any of these. Some of them do require some decision-making, but it usually isn’t very in-depth or complicated.
Featured Image Credit: Switlana Sonyashna, Shutterstock
