The $34.99 saviour that ensures your vertically challenged dog can get onto your bed.

If you’re the owner of a vertically challenged dog like my miniature dachshund, Maple, or a like breed (think corgis, pugs, and French bulldogs), you’ve probably definitely had the following thoughts cross your mind:

“How can you see me eating? I’m literally almost two metres above you.”

“Will I be judged if I put a cat collar on you? Your neck is so damn tiny.”

“Are you standing, sitting or lying down? I honestly can’t tell.”

And the one that consumes much of my though time:

“How can I get you onto couches and beds without picking you up? For a little dog, damn you’re heavy.”

I'm sorry, I'm not here to body shame my nearly one-year-old fur baby. But one day when I proclaimed into the middle of our office that I was going to get Maple a pet step, so she could easily get up and down from my bed without me constantly having to pick her up, many of my co-workers didn't believe such a thing existed.

Little did they know that not only do they exist, they're now super fancy and hi-tech. They even fold away so you can easily store them under your bed when they're not in use. Cool, right? It's even more exciting than the time I realised there's poo bags attached to the bins at dog parks.

Now, while the non-dog people in the office ohhh-ed and ahhh-ed around a laptop while looking at said pet steps (okay they didn't ohhh and ahhh but you get my drift) I know if you too are the owner of a vertically challenged dog, you have almost certainly thought about getting some too.

And I'm here to tell you they're one of the best investments you'll ever make for your fur baby.

Is there anything wrong with treating your dog like a child? The Mamamia Out Loud team discuss.

Of a night, Maple will often sit at the edge of my bed crying and looking at me with sad puppy eyes while I'm watching TV or working on my laptop, hoping that I'll pick her up and put her on my bed. When I do, she inevitably decides she wants to jump down. Typical.

Not only is lifting her onto my bed constantly annoying but Maple, being the typical dachshund she is, thinks it's a fun old game to be playing all night.

Aside from that, we know they are notorious for back problems and I'm always worried about the damage she's doing when she's trying to jump up or get down from heights.

That's where the Paws & Claws Portable Pet Steps come in. All it takes is one fold and boom, they're all set up.

Place the pet steps close to your bed (or couch) and your fur baby is free to get up and down completely uninhibited, all without bothering you in the process.

The frame is sturdy so there's no need to worry about tumbles and the steps themselves have a non-slip coating so there's no chance of little paws sliding off. I know, these are things we need to think about as fur parents.

Maple is now very pleased that she can get up and down from my bed as she pleases. For her, it's a whole new world she's been introduced to. And when she's ready to go to sleep, she can position herself in her favourite spot at the end of my bed without waiting for me to pick her up.

And we all know a happy fur parent means a happy fur baby.

Paws & Claws Portable Pet Steps are $34.99.

Would you use these with your short dog? Tell us in the comments section below.