UK delivery typically 7–12 days. Packed foam needs time to expand after it arrives.

One calm step at a time.

The evening they arrive.

Packed foam looks wrong. That is packing. Wait, place, then practise up and down without forcing.

Start with the wait Skip to practise
Evening sofa time, the moment this first-evening guide is for

Leave 24-48 hours

The foam arrives vacuum-packed. A brick on day one is packing, not a defect. Do not invite the dog up while it is still a brick.

Vacuum-packed cream-and-charcoal check stairs as they look when first unpacked
  1. 0 h Open the carton on a flat floor. It will look squashed. That is normal.
  2. 24 h Still filling out. Keep it clear of the dog. Do not sit it against the sofa yet if it is still a slab.
  3. 48 h Ready to place. If a tread still looks uneven, wait a little longer before the first try.

Sit them tight to the sofa

A set that shifts on the first try can put a dog off. Place first. Practise second.

  • Flush to the seat Push the top tread against the sofa so there is no gap to step into. A small gap is how a first try goes wrong.
  • Hard floor Wood, laminate or tile. Press the base with a hand. If the whole set skates, stop and add a rug.
  • A quiet hand test Press the treads. If the whole set skates, stop. A wobbly first try is how a dog decides the stairs are not for them.
Three foam steps sat flush against a sofa seat

Practise up and down

Treats on the first tread. One calm tread at a time. The descent is the part owners worry about. Practise both.

Dachshund paws on the beige suede treads
1

Treat the approach

Scatter a few treats on the first tread. Let the dog sniff. Do not lift them onto the top as a shortcut.

Small dachshund using the cream-and-charcoal check stairs toward the sofa
2

Up

One calm tread at a time. Stop if they freeze. Repeat later the same evening if needed.

Small dachshund coming down the cream-and-charcoal check stairs
3

Down

Practise coming down as well as going up. A jump off the sofa is the thing we are trying to retire. Stay beside them for the first few goes.

If they freeze

Stop. First Steps is a method, not a result. We will not write that every dog uses the stairs.

  • End the session. Try again later the same evening, or the next.
  • Do not lift them onto the top to show them. That shortcut often backfires.
  • We will not write that this treats joints. This guide is about a calmer start, nothing clinical.

First-evening questions

Honest method. No promise that every dog will adopt the stairs.

Why does it look squashed?

The stairs ship vacuum-packed so they fit in a carton. Leave them on a flat floor for 24-48 hours before use. A brick on day one is packing, not a fault.

Can we try them the night they arrive?

Not while they are still compressed. A first try on a brick is a bad first try. Wait, then place, then practise.

My dog only sniffs and walks away.

That is a normal first evening. Leave treats on the first tread and stop if they freeze. Repeat later. Do not turn it into a drill.

Do I need the indoor socks?

No. Socks size S are optional extra traction on wood or tile. They are not required for the stairs.

Why practise coming down?

Owners often watch the climb and forget the descent. A jump off the sofa is the moment this set is there to replace. Practise both directions.

Three-step foam sofa stairs ready to place after the wait

When you are ready to order

Measure the sofa first if you have not. Sofa Steps include this guide and Measure Your Sofa.

Measure your sofaHeight, space, weight Free Sofa StepsStairs + both guides £49.99

Sofa Time Kit £55.99 adds socks size S, optional, for wood or tile.

Ships to the UK Small and medium dogs, around 20 kg or less.
24-48 hours Leave packed foam to expand before the first try.
Measure first Seat height and dog weight, then choose the set.
Guides in the box Measure Your Sofa and First Steps with every stairs set.