Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I have an aging English Mastiff who weighs a little over 150 lbs and its getting to hard for her to get in and out of our SUV, 2007 Nissan Murano. I bought this ramp due to the 4 star rating, but I confess I didn't read the negative reviews until after I placed the order. I read a few things that truly concerned me, so much so, that I almost decided to cancel the order. The ramp arrived today and I was so pleased to find that almost all the negative aspects of the ramp that I read about have been updated. Below I outline the complaints I found in the reviews, some from as far back as 2008. 1. The box its delivered in. One review said the packaging wasn't sturdy enough and the ramp arrived damaged. Mine arrived in a nondescript cardboard box that was in fine and acceptable shape for any normal non-fragile item. 2. "The grip tape on the walking surface of the ramp is poor quality and too rough." I agree the grip tape is pretty course, but I didn't find it to be a negative. I think if the grit of the surface was finer, the dog would not be able to ascend the ramp as their feet would slip. I also saw a review that said the grit paper or tape was peeling off. I didn't see that anywhere on the ramp, but time will tell. I think this could be dealt with pretty easily if it did. 3. "The sides of the top of the ramp have sharp edges that could cut your dogs paw pads." The manufacturer has updated the ramp design to include plastic guards or coverings in this area and the aforementioned sharp areas completely resolving this issue. 4. "The underside of the ramp that comes in contact with the ground and the vehicle has no padding or protection". The Manufacturer has added rubber feet to the underside of both ends. I did find, however, that when my dog descended the ramp her front paws exerted force against the ramp as her back paws pushed against the SUV and if I hadn't been holding the ramp in place it would have definitely slipped off and fallen taking the dog with it. I plan to devise an anchoring system that tethers the ramp to the car while in use. It think it will be pretty easy to use some cable and a carabiner to attach it to the metal loop that the hatch door locks to when closed. I may have to drill a hole in the ramp, but that would the the most complicated part of it. 5. "Not wide enough or sturdy enough for big dogs.". My Mastiff weighs 150 lbs. and the ramp seemed to have no problem sustaining her weight and girth. I do however completely disagree with the claim that this ramp will sustain a load of 400 lbs. I weigh 295 and I put one foot on the ramp and push down and it felt as spongy and pliable as a mattress. I could see a Mastiff closer to 200 or larger really giving this ramp some problems. I also believe it would be too narrow for dogs at the top end of the size spectrum among larger breeds such as Mastiffs, Danes, etc. 6. "My dogs won't use the ramp". My Mastiff Maggie is pretty reluctant and timid when approaching new situations especially stairs and the like. In about 5 minutes I was able to coax her up the ramp with some treats and a little guidance of her paws. The return trip down the ramp went even smoother. I immediately took her back up and down, again with treats, and it was as natural as walking up and down stairs. I don't the ramp is the ramp problem, I think its lazy or inexperienced dog owners. 7. "The ramp is too steep for my SUV" My Murano is a mid-size SUV and this ramp seems to be the perfect size. If I owned a Suburban or Explorer or something in the full size SUV category I door think this ramp would be way too small and potentially dangerous for a larger dog. I think if you have a larger or higher SUV, you should probably look into stairs as you are unlikely to find a ramp longer than this one. In conclusion, I think this ramp is great, although not perfect. It appears the manufacturer has listened to their customer base and corrected many of the imperfections in their previous designs. It certainly meets my needs and expectations. I would be happy to recommend it to others with certain caveats. Good luck in your search for an easier way to get your pets in and out of cars!!!