Here's what the American Pet Association stated  after testing Otto Step:
"The Otto Step is a product whose time has come.
                              We enthusiastically recommend it."
                        READ THE FULL TEXT HERE

A letter from Tim Reid, DVM
November 2, 2005

Debbie and Tim,

After seeing Otto Step in action I was excited to hear it would soon be available to the general dog-loving public.  What a great tool to assist older dogs and to enhance the longevity of younger dogs.  We have many large breed dogs in our practice that would benefit from this practical device.  Dogs of any breed may be subject to such conditions as osteoarthritis, spondylitis, hip dysplasia and intervertebral disc disease as they get older.  These unfortunate patients have great difficulty climbing stairs alone, not to mention attempting to jump into a truck or SUV.  Otto Step makes their climb into such vehicles 50% easier and reduces the jarring (compressions) effect of getting out as well.  This will be a great aid in assisting dogs with debilitating conditions as well as preventing healthy dogs from showing premature signs of arthritis, osteoarthritis, etc.

Patients suffering from acute injuries including sprains, strains, ruptured ACL/PCL’s would also benefit from the convenience of Otto Step.

All in all, this is a great tool and one I intend to make available to all my dog owning, SUV/pick-up driving clients.

Sincerely,

Tim Reid, DVM
Reid Veterinary Hospital
Albany, OR


Tuesday, July 3, 2007   By Deborah Wood

A Step Up for Dogs Getting Into A Vehicle

Some days I feel like one of those judges on the TV show “American Inventor”. Every month, I receive boxes of not-so-clever ideas and near-misses that are suppose to help Oregon’s pets.

But every once in a while a product comes along that is simply brilliant.

The Otto step is on of those great ideas. It is a sturdy, nonskid, lightweight platform that slips into the trailer hitch receiver on SUVs and pickup trucks. (A lot of dog people have vans, which usually don’t have hitches; hitches are widely available and aren’t expensive to it on your van.) The dog steps onto the Otto ‘Step and then easily into the back of the SUV; it climbs down the OTTO Step just as easily!

I tested the Otto Step on big dogs at a doggie day care in my neighborhood, and the dogs quickly figured it out. They were calm as they walked up and down the step into and to of an SUV.

The Otto Step will make a huge difference in the life of an older, big dog who struggles getting into a vehicle. It’s also a great idea for a younger dog to make sure its joints are protected throughout its  lifetime.

The inventors of this ingenious device are Oregonians Time and Debbie Rudzik of Albany who developed it to help their Saint Bernard mix, Otto. The couple has been manufacturing the product for two years