The jump down is worse than the jump up. A small or ageing dog launching off a sofa lands with several times their body weight going through the front legs and shoulders, and doing that a dozen times a day for years is how a great deal of joint trouble begins. Steps remove the impact entirely, which is why vets suggest them for dachshunds and other long-backed breeds long before anything has gone wrong.

These are foam rather than moulded plastic, built from high-resilience sponge under a wear-resistant fabric cover, and that matters in two separate ways. There is nothing hard for an unsteady dog to bark a leg against, and there is nothing to topple, because a foam block is heavy and low enough to stay where you put it while a lightweight plastic frame slides on a wooden floor. The cover comes off for machine washing.

• High-resilience foam under a wear-resistant fabric cover
• Removable, machine-washable cover
• Choice of two, three or four steps
• Khaki, grey or white
• Listed at 50 x 50 x 50cm
• Suitable for dogs and cats

About that measurement. One thing matters more than the numbers: set the top step level with the surface, not below it, or your dog still jumps the last bit.

Who it's for: Senior dogs and cats, short-legged and long-backed breeds, and anyone who would rather prevent joint wear than treat it later.