If you have a small dog

[Bernadine]

Do you have dog steps for your bed?  We have an ottoman right now, but it's been ripped to shreds by the cat and we're not taking it with us when we move.  I'm thinking about getting a chest for the bottom of the bed that Manny can jump on to get on the bed, but I'm not sure there's enough room.

[5hole]

We did the ottoman thing instead of steps when our small dog started getting arthritic. Our bedroom was tiny, but it actually served as a storage space for out of season clothes, so it worked.

[picaflora]

We had a chest he could jump on to get on the taller bed... but he much prefers to get a running start from the hall and fly up onto the bed. (He also likes to "Superman" jump off). He's a jack russell mix though, so jumping is kind of his thing. When he gets older we're going to have to make him start using something

[speckledfrog]

We have an ottoman for him.

[winnied]

He either jumps up on his own or we pick him up. He couldn't quite get the hang of the steps. We should try again.

[missuselmore]

ummm.... my dog isnt allowed in my bed... I love her dearly, but thats my space. She has her own bed, but gets in bed with my 7 year old often.

[miss1991]

Yes. They are wooden my fil made them.

[ElizabethBennet]

Our dog doesn't go on the bed. She would hog all of it, even though she's small, and I'd never get any sleep lol.

[alare]

We have dog stairs, too. Our pug is predisposed to knee/hip issues. She gave me a heart attack every time she'd jump down from the bed. It took her about a day to get used to them.

The jerk still sometimes comes to the edge of the bed and looks at me with such a pitiful expression that I pick her up and put her down on the floor so her little precious princess legs don't have to use the stairs lol.

[FastHands]

We trained our last dog to use them, so we have them, but our new monsters have springs in their legs.

If you try steps and your pup is resistant, just make sure to be gradual and positive about it. Put pup on the top step and put something completely totally awesome and delicious on the bed. When they go get it, then praise like crazy. Just do this a couple of times, then go about your day. When pup is comfortable at that step, put him/her on the middle step and put treats on the top step and on the bed. And so on.. My dog was a super scaredy cat, so I think this is extreme. A lot of dogs figure it out easier and are like "sweet, easy bed access!"

[Jalapeñomel]

We had stairs, but since I am pregnant, we decided to make the bed off limits to her for now. She doesn't seem to care.

[crispnclean]

Yes. We have these: www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/PupStep-Plus-Dog-Stairs/1015078499?Keyword=dog+steps

It took some coaxing to get her to use them, and she still sometimes tries to get us to pick her up, but they have been great to have. She still jumps off the bed though, which I worry is hard on her joints.

[SKP82]

Hell no. The dogs are only allowed on our bed with our permission.

[leeann]

We have stairs that lead to an ottoman for the bed and staris for the couch, as well. Our chihuahua is a chubby runt, so she needs them. The ottoman looks like crap because the dogs eat treats on it and stuff, so I am not sure what I'm going to do in the new house. I may slip cover the ottoman so that I can at least take it off and launder it occasionally.

[isabel]

We've been using an ottoman recently. She's pretty good about using it. I was concerned about back issues since she's had them previously and our bed is fairly high off the ground.

[lolly]

My dogs don't need them but I had them for our old cat when he was 19 and couldn't jump anymore.

[celeste]

I bought a wooden step stool from Ikea for my old, arthritic cat. She was shredding the duvet cover clawing her way up the bed. I like that the stool can serve a dual purpose.

[jennifertx]

We have a bench/ottoman at the foot of our bed for our Yorkie. We tried the steps, but he is terrified of them. I think it's a texture thing or something because he uses the real stairs to get to our second floor. He's a crazy little thing though.

[redheadk]

We have an elderly dog that can't jump much anymore. He won't use steps (too narrow for his comfort...he's a huge wuss) so we shoved the IKEA Poang ottoman from DH's home office up the bed and it works perfectly.

[dirtyred]

My dog can jump 4 feet in the air, so we don't have to worry about dog stairs (at least at this time. we'll see when she gets older).

[sweetminnesnowtan]

My parents bed is really high, and my mom is short (also has a mild disability) so she has steps to make it a little easier on her- and the dog has been trained to use them. She's young right now though, so she doesn't have to use it, but once she gets older I'm sure it will be nice since I know little dogs can get arthritis and joint problems as they age.

[snickers]

Nope.
We put her up and take her back down.

[Booze Raccoon]

Get the stairs!  I think they are so friggin' cute!  I'm not even a dog person but when I see them I say "awwww" out loud.