My perspective!
Hey guys, Great thread and would like to add my 2 cents!
I have a 4 inch lift and 37's and 2 dogs! I am also a veterinarian working primarily with working dogs (such as mine) so I get this type of question all the time.
You MUST be very careful with this type of setup having a dog jump in and out of a lifted jeep or any type of scenario like this. I cannot tell you how many times we see sports related or jump related injuries in large dogs from scenarios just like this!
All the ideas are great regarding ramps and backing up to elevated areas, but it really is different for each dog.
If you have a high drive dog like mine, they will jump in without hesitation. The jumping out is what you need to be very cautious of for any dog. Know your dog and how they react. Do they get excited every single time and pop out of the jeep the second given the chance? If so, try and slow them down or make sure they are concentrating a bit on the actual landing.
An overweight dog is very prone to hurting his stifle (knee) in this scenario and can in turn tear his/her cruciate ligament.
The ramps are great, if you can train your dog to use them. Keep your dog nice and lean and i recommend supporting them out when they jump or at least guiding them! My dogs go everywhere with me, every single day and we get in a routine.
Great chance to train your dog to sit, stay and wait till you give them the okay to jump in or out!
Love this stuff so please message me any questions, comments, tips or suggestions!
I will try and get a photo of my build as I also installed a very cool cage wall so my beasts cannot get out of the cargo area!