Her frail 16-year-old senior dog could no longer climb the stairs — so this mom built a clever fix with simple gardening tools
A dog mom watched her senior dog grow weaker with age as she limped around the house. It pained her every time her old pup climbed up and down the patio stairs at her parents’ home, so she finally decided to do something about it. While she could not instantly renovate the house to accommodate her ageing pup, Lexi, now 16 years old, Frankie Wright (@frankiemariewright) built something practical to help her pet avoid the steps. Though a newbie in the woodwork realm, the dog mom beat the odds to ensure her creation served its purpose for her pet.
In a heartwarming clip shared on TikTok, Wright documented her journey building a ramp for her senior dog. Returning home after six months of traveling, she was surprised to see how much her senior dog had aged. “She’s doing so well, but getting up and down the steps, I can see that her back legs are really struggling, and she’s sleeping quite a lot more now,” the dog mom pointed out. So, she got to work using her amateur carpentry skills to saw a plank of wood in her parents’ yard. Wright had the “bright idea” to replace the garden steps with a ramp that would allow Lexi to walk up and down the patio easily. Moreover, she decided to build it herself to make her dog's life easier.
Wright admitted it was the first time she had ever sawed anything in her life, but felt reassured by her mom’s support. “This saw is about as flimsy as a bit of spaghetti,” she laughed as she struggled with the piece of wood. It turned out her passionate endeavor was hampered by incorrect technique. Eventually, Wright’s father came to the rescue, pointing out she was sawing the wood the wrong way. “You’re meant to say longer, and here is my dad coming over,” she mused. A moment of crisis followed when she tried to get sawdust out of her eyes and carelessly dropped the tool on the floor, potentially injuring herself and her dad.
“Almost chopped my toe off. So, then my dad decided to take over,” she said. Taking charge, her dad effortlessly chopped the plank in seconds. Humbled by his skill, Wright asked him to cut all the remaining pieces for the ramp. Even her mom contributed with extra help. The creator showcased the final result: a neat wooden ramp for Lexi, complete with turf grass for traction. Initially, Lexi avoided it altogether but soon began using it. “It’s definitely a work in progress, and it helps her leg a bit,” Wright concluded, proud of her “deed.”
@frankiemariewright Building a ramp for my senior doggo ✨ After 6 months away I noticed how much she has aged and how at times she struggles getting up and down the patio steps of my parents home so I wanted to make a ramp for her - it was a joint effort all round 😂 #seniordogsoftiktok #seniordog #dogramp #dogsoftiktok #mybaby ♬ オリジナル楽曲 - ライディーン
People acknowledged the dog owner’s hard work and determination. “Great idea. Beautiful that you do things like that for your baby. I will do it for my Ballie when she grows older,” penned an inspired viewer (@david.allan33). Another person (@trackingtourtravels) joked, “My heart jumped into my mouth when you dropped the saw.”
You can follow @frankiemariewright on TikTok for more videos.