When Cosmic Pet reached out to DogTime to ask if anyone would like to review some products for them, my Maltipoo, Leia, eagerly raised her paw. With that superpower canine nose, Leia can smell quality from miles away.
Cosmic Pet, LLC is the master brand of several subsidiaries, which all have slightly different specialties, from organic pet treats, to ergonomically designed stairs, to ingenious puzzle toys. The PetFusion Foldaway Dog & Cat Steps looked perfect for helping my small, senior dog get up and down from our furniture!
This hybrid product is one part dog stairs, one part ottoman, and one part storage area — pretty impressive! But could it help my sweet senior? Would Leia have a hard time learning how to use them? Here’s how it went!
Helpful Customer Service
First of all, the customer service for these brands is outstanding. I was overwhelmed by the amount of options they offer, and it was hard to pick what would be best for Leia. So I asked for guidance, and I told them about Leia.
Once they knew a bit more about my six-pound, twelve-year-old Maltipoo, Cosmic Pet tailored a list of suggestions from their brands for Leia, which fit her personality, preferences, age, size, and breed perfectly. I really appreciated their attention to detail and genuine care for my darling girl.
The shipping process was very quick, and most of their items are available through Amazon Prime, which adds that extra layer of instant gratification with quick shipping and reassurance that, if you accidentally ordered a different item than you meant to, you could easily ship it back.
The items were securely protected in their boxes, too; it was nice they take the time to ensure your products will arrive in tip-top shape.
Foldaway Dog Stairs, Ottoman, & Storage Space All In One!
I’ve seen stairs for pets before. Their purpose is to help pets ascend and descend to couches, beds, and furniture more gradually than jumping. Some pets suffer from arthritis, weakness, injuries, or just old age, and the kind of sudden impact from jumping off furniture can be very hard on their joints.
Though Leia has been lucky not to show signs of arthritis at her age, which is twelve years old this month, I’ve been thinking about stairs for her as a good option for now, and perhaps an essential for later. She does enjoy her acrobatic feats — such high jumps for such a little girl — but I really liked the option for her to use stairs if she’s feeling tired or sore.
When I saw the PetFusion Hybrid Foldaway Dog Stairs, I was instantly intrigued.
Stairs can take up a big footprint in the home, especially in awkward spots like next to your couch or bed. Well, this product solves that problem!
I love the foldaway feature that makes this piece so versatile! It is rather heavy, so it wouldn’t be easy to move around, but the footprint is small when condensed, and it doubles as an ottoman or side table.
Another very cool feature is that when it’s expanded, it also doubles as storage! The product comes with a very sturdy, collapsible, structured storage tote, which tucks into the empty compartment the stairs would otherwise occupy.
It’s a great hidden storage option for your pet’s toys or other items. The nice rope handles make it easy to pull out the tote when you want to tuck the stairs away, so you don’t have to unpack the entire unit to collapse the stairs; merely move the tote. Great design!
Some Assembly Required, But Not Much
This product came with more assembly required than the brand’s other products. My husband and I couldn’t find any instructions, but we figured it out pretty quickly.
The components that needed assembly were:
- The fabric strips on the stairs. They attach with Velcro. The product comes with both gray and black strips, so you get to choose which color combo you’d like.
- The handle, which we needed to screw in.
- And the feet, which we also needed to screw in.
All in all, the assembly was not bad, especially considering the dimensions and weight of the product. Besides the design choice of the fabric, which is also a nice feature, I’m sure the other elements were left unattached to avoid damage in shipping, as their metal would stick out and could poke either other pieces of the product or pierce the box.
Leia Tries Out The PetFusion Hybrid Foldaway Dog Stairs
Leia is no stranger to stairs, but she has never used any type of assistance in leaping up to the couch, so I was curious to see how she’d react to the new device.
She seemed interested in it, sniffing around it, but she didn’t do anything with it on her own. My husband had the idea to put a treat at the top of the stairs and call her name — and boy, did she come running!
We did a few sessions of “Up!” and “Down!” commands, first with treats, then without.
Leia got the hang of it pretty quickly. Look what a natural she is!
Leia has also enjoyed just hanging out at the top of the stairs, because, true to the description, the top landing is cushioned and comfortable.
Leia’s Verdict
I absolutely love this foldaway stairs and ottoman combo. The quality is top-notch. Every part of the device is sturdy and smooth. I especially love how versatile it is, with its convertible quality and even the storage tote.
Leia loves it, too! What I didn’t anticipate was her using it exactly as we’d hoped to climb onto the couch. We only completed the two steps of training with the stairs — up and down. We hadn’t yet trained her to use the stairs to get onto the couch. Well, this smart pooch, in combination with an intuitive device, has done exactly that many times now.
I don’t have a picture of it, because she does it on her own, without warning, so you’ll just have to take my word for it! To compensate, here’s another picture of her looking proud on the steps.
Although these stairs are a little pricier than some other models, they’re definitely worth the cost. You’re getting more than just stairs here. You’re getting a piece of furniture and a nice storage design, too.
We’ve been using the device in every configuration, both for our dog and our human uses — ottoman, little cocktail table, proud stairs, resting spot. It’s even under warranty for a year after your purchase.
You won’t regret this versatile, extremely useful device and furniture you and your dog will use every day.
You can purchase the PetFusion Hybrid Foldaway Dog Stairs on Amazon here.
Could your dog use some stairs to get up and down from your furniture? Do you think this combination of dog stairs, ottoman, and storage area would help? Let us know in the comments below!
