My hunting partner is getting old

[cobb]

My 8 year old black lab Koda has a growth on his left front shoulder, had a biopsy done and it is not cancer. It is causing him some discomfort and is on meds for this. He does have a minor limp when walking, jumps into his kennel in the back of the Tahoe with no problem, but as of late really hesitates when jumping out. You can not see a problem when he retrieves, but he is a lab and all he knows is to get it and bring it back to me, bird or ball. So today is a rainy day Sunday, wife is doing some laundry and watching those home make over shows and I start digging through my scrap in the shed.

This is the materials that I came up with.

A piece of 2" aluminum tube about 16" long that I rounded the edges so that it will fit into my receiver hitch, 1/2 inch plywood about 16" by 18", some old outdoor rubber back rug that I cut to size and stapled and of course I have several cans of bolts, nuts, washers, etc. and a stapler.


The end result.

The step and carpet should make it sure footed, much easier and less painful for him to get out of a vehicle. I just insert the step into the receiver prior to opening the kennel door, after he is on the ground, pull it out and stow next to the kennel, light and simple.

[Mn01r6]

Cobb,

That is really cool. You should sell them. I would buy one for my 8 year old Golden. She was never the hunting dog I hoped, but her low energy is great for the small children I have. She barely had the energy to jump into the back of our SUV when she was 3, and now that she is 8 she needs a lot of persuasion.

[cobb]

You can buy something similar through many sporting or outdoor retailers for a receiver hitch that you pin in like the ball and pivot the step up or down as needed. But those are a bit overpriced, you leave them in the receiver and fold up or down conveniently as needed, but they fold up and cover the vehicle license plate that some LEO's don't like. My scrap material step I put in the receiver when Koda needs to get out, then pull and store next to his kennel in the back of my vehicle. Just slip it in the receiver, the dog uses and pull it out to store, can't be more than a 10 second effort to make it easier for Koda.

But then I am one that believes my dog gets water before I do, he works much harder than I do.

[LePetomane]

It's tougher on us when the dogs get old than it is on them. My dog had a cancerous growth removed a few months ago. It was harder on us than it was on him.

[my1stpistol]

Very cool! I will be making 2 of these. 1 for my parents and there lab with a bad knee and our 11 yr old mutt. Thanks for sharing.

[sawgrass]

That's a great idea.

[hopkins]

your a good dad. Thinking of the old boy like that good on ya.