If you’re a dog person, chances are you’re well aware of why dogs are called man’s (or woman’s) best friend. Sharing your life with a dog is a special experience, and for many folks part of that involves snuggling with your beloved companion on the bed or couch. Trouble is, if your dog is small, has short legs, or is getting on in years, they may find it difficult to climb or jump on furniture, or they may cause pet damage to the furniture by doing so.

That’s where a good set of DIY dog stairs come in. We’ll show you the step-by-step process for building a set of portable dog stairs that will make it easy for your furry friend to climb onto a bed or couch.

Even if your dog is large enough to climb onto furniture without stairs or a pet ramp, bigger dogs can develop joint problems that make this sort of movement painful. That’s why stairs of this sort work great for big dogs (like the one in the photos) as well as small.