Customer Reviews

Pet Gear Easy Step III - Chocolate

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

These steps were about the best plastic ones I could find but they are just okay. Other steps commercially available were way too small and narrow and definitely not suitable for our 10-year-old 50lb boxer. These were, at least, easy to assemble. These steps "give" a bit when she steps on them and the lightweight, hollow plastic pieces make the unit feel less-than-sturdy even when placed on a non-slip rug. The steps are are tilted at a slight upward angle which makes them a little awkward for her when decending, a simple right angle step would have been better. Overall, she doesn't really care for them and they are now just taking up space in our closet. For inexpensive plastic steps, these are okay, just not the steps I was hoping for. I guess I'll have to build my own wooden ones to get the quality I really want.

When I received the steps from Amazon, I had the same problem as some others. The holes and dowels didn't line up at all...on the very FIRST piece. I contacted the company who made them, and a rep. named Julie emailed me back. They sent out a replacement - the whole thing - immediately, and sent a prepaid shipping label for me to return the defective one. The replacement was fine..I put it together in 15 minutes (with the help of a rubber hammer) and my 75 pound German Shepherd and 50 pound 14 year old dog had no problems using the steps to get up on the bed.

I bought these after some research, but basically in a rush for steps for an older large dog that had just injured his hip and was in recovery. I need steps for an 80lb Ridgeback that will also hold up to the rest of the pack. I will say this... after 24 hours, the steps are holding up to a variety of dogs in a variety of weights as they try them out and learn to use them. (Meaning that so far the steps have not collapsed or fallen apart) They are NOT all that easy to put together - the so called "Snap together" process isn't quite that simple. They were very wobbly after being "snapped" together, so I took out the hammer and gave several solid whacks on both sides. No more wobbles and there will be no deconstructing these steps either. One note for assembly - none of my pieces were labeled to match the included diagrams in the directions. Not a big deal, the photos were pretty easy to follow and common sense will direct you easily enough, but if you need the literal "Part A attaches to Part B" type directions then be aware that the pieces are NOT MARKED.

The carpet treads on each step do remove and go back into place easily enough with nice wide velcro strips. We have tile floors where these steps are being used and rather than risk any slippage at all, I put a nonslip rug under them before allowing the dogs access. The steps do have little rubber footie things on the underside, but better safe than sorry. It doesn't take up as much floor space as I thought it would and that is a nice plus.

*******************JULY 2011 UPDATE ****************************************************************************************************

These steps have held up really well since I bought them in April of 2010. We've gone through phases of the dogs not using them at all and then every day one or more of the hounds will be using them. The only negative thing I can really say at this point is the angle of the steps is a tad steep for my Dad's Chihuahua. However, 50lb Beagle Mixes and 90lb Rhodesian Ridgebacks don't seem phased at all.

I bought this for our beagles to get up on our high bed. They were easy to assemble and sturdy however the stairs themselves have a downward slant. My dogs are used to a ramp so this wasn't a new concept but they were uncomfortable with the steps...almost like they thought they were going to slide off. We worked with them for quite a while but in the end, returned them for a refund.

I bought this for my 86 pound lab because he injured his knee and I didn't want him jumping on and off my bed. He might have used it if it were steadier, but it wobbles so much that he quite reasonably doesn't trust it to put his weight on it. He would nudge it out of the way rather than try to use it. For the price I paid I expected something made a little better. Very disappointed and am returning it. Might be fine for smaller dogs or cats because it is the right height for a taller bed, but I would not recommend this for big dogs.

I bought the 2 step heavy duty version because of the 12 inch x 12 inch step treads.
If you look at the alternate pictures of this product you can see that the 2
steps are at a noticable downward slant. My chihuahua learned to use the steps going up
but wouldn't go back down due to the downward slant and height of the steps.
This product would have been better if the steps were level. 2 steps that were level
would have worked fine, even though the total height would have been a few inches less.
I returned the product.

I bought this a while ago but never got around to writing a review. We bought this for our 100 lb. Labrador Retriever because our bed is high and he is having some hip problems. It took him a few days to get comfortable with it but now he uses it all the time without a problem and I can tell he's happy about it. Seems expensive but it's worth the money.

My boxspring/mattress/frame make my bed much higher then it use to be back in the day, I needed something to allow my pups(Chorkies) to get off the bed without having to jump from that hieght if they needed to. After much research on similiar products, Pet Gear III seemed to be the most purchased and enjoyed by dog owners. Yes I read there were difficulties in assembly and dogs not wanting to use it but I took the chance.
1)The product is very sturdy and would trust my 90lb dog to use it.
2)The stairs are wide which allows for a small breed puppy to come down one stair at a time and allowing his whole body to fit on the stair itself before taking the next stair down. There is a tilt to the stairs which a pup may feel is wierd but mine got over this real fast.
3)Training, yes this could be an issue for some and one puppy went up and down it like it was nothing, my other puppy would not come back up the stairs. I felt as long as my puppies would go down the stairs they could bark to be brought back up on the bed, the safety issue was getting down off the bed not getting back up. She finally came up herself when one day her brother and I were up on the bed having fun and figured out I was not coming to pick her up.
4)I blocked the one side of the stairs with a desk chair so that they would feel less intimidated by openess of the stairs since there are no sides which could make a stair using dog reluctant.(remember most stairs have a side since they are part of a wall)
5)The best way to train a puppy to use stairs, is you do not start at the top(Lay at the top yourself and look down), you start at the bottom and get them to come down that first single stair then you slowly travel upward. I do not use treats for this, just leave them on that bottom stairs and gently call and slowly walk away, they are not going to want to stay there and miss all the action. If you have to play with a toy in the hall to get them interested in you and off the issue of the scary stair then do it. When you get to a high part you stay below them on the lower stairs to make sure they do not attempt to rush down the stairs possible injuring themselves(esp for people with hardwood stairs) and I always have a rug at the bottom with a non-skid bottom. Going up stairs is always easier then coming down..
6)I would recommend these stairs, they are a life saver for my pups in preventing injury and future joint problems.

I have a medium sized jack russell/pug mix and I worry about him jumping on and off the bed so I bought him these steps. They're great SUPER easy to assemble (takes less than 5 minutes) and study!! I even use it as a step stool at times if I'm too lazy to get the "real" stool - btw I'm 120 lbs. and they don't give at all :)

This product went to together easy. I know others had troubles with this being mis-stamped but the one I got wasn't. I'm sure the company has recalled the defective product. It took less than 5 minutes to assemble after looking at the directions for 2 seconds. Easiest thing I've ever assembled actually. The puppy likes it too.