The Origin of Twistep

PortablePET is the pet products division of Heininger Holdings, LLC. As with every division of this company the Mission Statement is modestly stated as To Enhance Road Travel which has been the company's mission since its inception in 1998. Like all products created and produced through Heininger, the TWISTEP is a very useful addition to any weekend outing or the daily commute, whenever the pets are included.

The TWISTEP was originally designed to help inventor Dan Knodle's two German Shepherds, into (and out of) the back of his SUV.  TWISTEP is an instant, multi-use step that attaches to the hitch receiver of a SUV.  Three products in one, TWISTEP serves as a stair step for pets, a platform to help load items onto the rooftop of a SUV and a seat to don boots or other sport gear.  It stows easily under the bumper when not in use and can support up to 400 pounds.

The dog that started our company "Orion"

Meet Orion.

In a way, you could say his elbows started our company.

Probably much like your dog, Orion, loved to travel with his owner, Dan Knodle. Yet as a two-year old, Orion, a German Shepherd with bad elbows, was experiencing difficulties jumping into and out of the back of Dan’s Chevy Tahoe. As Orion grew, Dan realized he couldn’t keep lifting Orion. In searching out options, Dan found that there were few products that addressed the problem, and the alternatives that were available usually had some major drawbacks.
 
So Dan, and his friend Gary Bang (who had a similar problem with his Irish Wolfhound / Labrador mix Bentley and his Nissan Xterra) were determined to find a better solution. Innovative entrepreneurs, as well as experienced engineers (with 23 patents to their credit), Dan and Gary created TWISTEP, an instant pet stair step for SUV's and Pickups. As a dog owner, you may be experiencing the same challenges with your pet and your SUV or Pickup that Dan and Gary did.
 
You love your four-legged friend and want to have him/her travel with you, but getting a dog into and out of a higher vehicle can be hard on your dog as well as on you.
Now there’s an innovative and practical solution.

Orion & Congou "Product Testers"