The senior dog setup: ramps, stairs and zero more couch leaps

The jump onto the couch gets a little shorter every year, then one day there is a hesitation before it. That hesitation is your cue, not the injury after it.

Indoors: soft stairs to the good spots

The Foam Pet Stairs ($79) park against the couch or bed. High-density foam, so landings are gentle in both directions, with a washable cover for the inevitable. Dachshunds, corgis and every senior dog with long-suffering hips take to them in about a day of treats-on-the-steps.

The car: a ramp beats a lift

A 30kg dog that will not jump into the boot is a chiropractic event for both of you. The Fold-Flat Travel Ramp ($69) folds flat in the boot, opens in two seconds, and has a ribbed non-slip surface that holds steady on wet driveways. Ships from our Australian warehouse.

Round it out

A supportive bed matters more each year: the extra large calming bed ($69) gives old joints somewhere plush to land. And shorter, more frequent walks beat one long haul.

Free shipping over $79 Australia wide. See beds & comfort and travel & car.