Customer Reviews

Small Skamper Ramp SKR1 Dog Safety Pool / Boat Ladder up to 45 lbs

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

 

 

This item has one of the worst descriptions I have seen. I purchased it based on it and since it was not complete and misleading I now have to send it back and get hit with shipping costs for both the purchase and return. When I called KV Vet Supply, they stated that they are limited by the manufacturer as to what they can put online. After I received the package I went to PetSmart's website and they gave a much clearer description. Why can one company give a clear description and another gives only a limited description? KV Vet Supply uses "high tech".

This is the description from PetSmart:
The perfect escape ramp in the event that a pet falls into your pool or spa. Pet can scamper up the perforated ramp to safety! Simply keep ramp tied it to the side of your pool (hardware and rope included). The lightweight, ribbed plastic ramp floats atop the water until needed. Ramp simply flips out of the water when not needed.
Skamper-Ramp is made from 8mm, chemical- and UV-resistant, recyclable, box-corrugated, PP (polypropylene). For this reason the ramp will not yellow over time. The ramp comes complete with nylon rope, nuts, bolts, and wing strips. Comes complete with installation instructions.
Not recommended for soft-sided-vinyl, above-ground, non-permanent structures.

The customer service person at KV Vet Supply did not care either way. She just told me how to return it in order to get me off the phone. Based on the weak product description and poor customer service, I would not buy from KV Pet Supply again.

This thing is a waste of money- my dog (A feisty Jack Russle, just as is pictured on the box) quite literally couldn't climb up that stupid thing to save his life!!!

DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY- YOU'RE DOG PROBABLY WON'T BE ABLE TO CLIMB UP THIS!!!

We bought this because we have a new puppy. As sent, it was useless. Not even adult dog could get out. The problem is the hard plastic surface. When wet, it's slippery (doh!). The dogs can't get on it to get out of the water, and even when helped, they can't "skamper" out. We ended up buying a rough rubber door mat and lacing it onto the surface. Our pool has the same edge configuration as that in the illustration and promotional sales material doesn't make it clear that you have to drill holes in the concrete deck to place the anchors for the ramp. This product is a bad design poorly executed.

I bought one of these for my 60 pound black lab who loves the water. We tried various installations ("we" are handy people and a carpenter) on our wooden floating platform. We followed the manufacturers instructions, and the ramp definitely had the support that it needed according to those instructions. Our dog was so patient and just kept trying and trying to climb up. However, the ramp would flex and become too steep for her. She had her claws completely out, trying so hard to grip the slick plastic surface. The grip wouldn't have been such a problem if the ramp wouldn't have become too steep. Also, I must note that we got the large model - so it wasn't like we just got one that was too small for her weight. So we returned it, but got stuck with the shipping cost. Overall, it was a very frustrating experience, and now we'll be spending more money on what we hope to be a more sturdy solution...doggydocks. I have been unable to find reviews on any dog water ramp, so hopefully i'll have better luck with this next one. I guess that you get what you pay for in this case. Maybe it would work if you had a very small/light dog that wasn't afraid of slipping.

Very disappointed in this product. My dog could not get out of the pool with this device.

We love this! My little yorkie can't get out of our above ground pool by the stairs, his legs are too short. He walks right our with this ramp! And I've been trying to get my 22 lb cockapoo to jump in and swim and he wouldn't do it before. Now he starts to walk down the ramp & then jumps in! And then swims to the stairs & gets himself out! We love it! We're having a blast!

After one of our pets drowned in the pool, we spoke to our vet and pool contractor and researched ways to prohibit this from happening again. Whether animal or child, pools pose life-threatening risk and no one safety device is 100% effective. The conclusion of all the research was to install at least two or three devices; i.e. water alarm, escape ramp, barrier/fence. We have installed several of these skamper ramps in the pool and adjoining spa. The online description states you need to secure into the pool deck but does not note that you will need screws and anchors. This is, however, noted with the directions in the box. The instructions were simple and we installed the ramp in less than five minutes (not counting trip to hardware store to get the screws and anchors needed). It is very secure and sits at water level. There has not been an incident to test the effectiveness but I have noted that they are visible at night when it is completely dark. Based on the visibility factor, I am hopeful that if an animal fell in it would see the ramp and swim towards it. I think this device is may be most effective for small pets/animals under 25 pounds. I could see it being very effective for dogs is they are trained to go to it in the water. Cats seem to try and get out right where they fall in but if they cannot this ramp could be a life saver. From our perspective, we have more peace of mind knowing that if our pets fall in the pool they now have a way to get out. FYI, I rated 3 stars because the product is what it says it is. If I knew that it worked I would rate 5 stars.

I just got one of these.

I don't have to worry about dogs as I don't have one.

I bought it because small animals like possums and armadillos have fallen into my pool in the past.
Also toads, and frogs.

I agree with other posters that the fact that you are supposed to have to drill holes in your deck and install anchors is not made clear. Likely they realize that if you think you would have to do that, you would shop for another product. I would have. My wife is smarter than I am and she devised a way to tie it to a deck pool drain.

Now I will just have to wonder if a small animal will actually be able to find this ramp and get up on it. It is not overwhelmingly obvious that they would be able to, especially a baby animal. But it is there and we will see.

If anyone is worried about their cats, well, I happened to witness one of my cats get pushed into the pool by a pint sized screech owl (a very audacious act) at dusk. My cat was able to jump right out even though the coping extends as a ledge over the water, as many pools do. But older, fatter cats might be unable.

I am thinking of backing up the scamper ramp with a critter skimmer and/or a frog log. The frog log might be able to save a baby possum or armadillo, and certainly frogs.
I am a born animal lover and it breaks my heart that I cause the drownings of innocent animals and I want to prevent it.

We used to have a scamper ramp, so when we ordered this one we thought it would be the same. We were delighted to find a stronger made ramp...so we were very happy to have ordered this.

Since we installed the Skamper Ramp we haven't come home to anymore suprise visitors floating in the pool skimmer basket. We actually had a frog using it as a beach for a few days until we brought him to a river about a mile from the house. Can't imagine not having one of these to save lives, it's great.