Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
Tripawds is your home to learn how to care for a three legged dog or cat, with answers about dog leg amputation, and cat amputation recovery from many years of member experiences.
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Hi - My family is considering adopting a 3 legged doberman/weimeraner puppy. We have 2 small children and I'm home all the time to care for them and any new puppy.
My big question is activity level -- When are kids get bigger, we'd like to do some backpacking. Could a 3 legged dog do 5 mile hikes? I don't want to wear him out or cause any problems for him.
Also- Is there anything else we should be aware of when considering adopting a tripawd? I've spent the last few days looking over all the info on this site (thanks!) and feel pretty confident that it would be a good fit but any added advice would be great.
Thanks!
amygreener said
Is there anything else we should be aware of...
Every dog is different. We have known plenty of three legged athletes and champion hunting dogs. We have also known many couch potatoes much more comfortable staying home. A lot of it has to do with the breed in the first place, and the reason for amputation, but the most important thing to consider is that for any tripawd to be fit and active, you must be dedicated to regular canine conditioning, core strengthening and fitness training. Walks don't build strength, only stamina.
With proper training, the answer is a definite maybe! Depending on the location of the amputation, and whether or not it has happened yet, you might also consider if a brace or prosthetic may be appropriate.
Be sure to bookmark Jerry's Required Reading List for lots of helpful links, and consider downloading the Tripawds e-books for immediate answers to common concerns and plenty of tips for keeping Tripawds healthy and fit for life.
Welcome, and thank you for asking! Your future forum posts will not require moderation.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hi, welcome! Im not sure if this will help but I think it really comes down to the dog itself. My Jake was a couch potato, and while he hiked with me in his younger years, I wouldn't have been able to take him out for 5 miles after his amp. He was much older when he became a tripawd (11), had cancer, and was a front leg amp. He did love camping and short, leisurely strolls on the beach but his favorite place was always either laying on the couch or the bed! My Tanner is another story. He's a healthy 1 1/2 year old rear leg tripawd (from injury) who runs circles around every dog he meets. He's like the energizer bunny. We plan on taking him hiking with us this summer and are considering agility training for him.
There are some considerations, like having rugs if you have hard woods, taking extra care of their joints etc. I'm sure you've seen all of that and more on this site! Bless you for not only considering adopting a tripawd but in doing your research first!!
Mom to Tripawd Angels Jake (2001-2014) and Rosco (2012-2015) and Tripawd Tanner. “Whatever happens tomorrow, we had today; and I'll always remember it”
Thanks! We lost our dog of 14 years in September and it took me awhile to be ready to open my heart again, but I didn't stand a chance with this puppy! He is so stinking cute. We are going to the shelter tomorrow and once the kids meet him, if I get their stamps of approval, he'll join our family!
We've already got runners for our wood floors since our dog, Cooper, had bad hip displasia. And I talked to our vet about when to start on the various supplements. Going to buy the crate for some crate training in the AM and a smaller one for our car so he's comfy on the 2.5 hour drive home. When Cooper was a puppy, he LOVED car rides, but he loved dismantling seat belts with his mouth even more, thus the in car crate until he gets older.
Now I need to remember all the other basic puppy things! It's been a long time since having a puppy! And now I have young kids to corral as well 
Thanks for all the information and links. This is a great site!!!
Hi there!
My pup is 1 month post amputation now. He's a 4 year old Australian Shepard Mix. He was in excellent physical condition before the surgery. He went on runs every other day where he was doing 2000+ feet of evaluation gain and went backpacking with us frequently. It's in his nature to explore and be active so we're going to do everything we can to help get back to his old routine. We took him on his first hill run this past weekend and he was awesome!!! Couldn't even tell he was a tripawd. We're still taking it slow with him and building up the muscle on his back leg though. It's a very gradual process. We also are giving him joint supplements. If you build up your puppy's stamina gradually and prepare him physically I don't see why he can't do 5 miles in the future. Since he will have extra stress on his remaining legs I recommend giving him a joint supplement for preventative reasons. I don't think our dog knows he's a tripawd because he tries to do everything he did before his surgery.
Good luck with your decision and let me know if you have any specific questions!
Oh you'll have to let us know if he gets the "stamp of approval" from the kids, and if he does of course we want pictures!! We bought a soft crate for Tanner as well for safety reasons (he turns crazy man in the car) but I've never seen a dog dismantle a seat belt, wow!
Fuzzywuzzy, I LOVE your avatar picture! He looks like he's on top of the world 🙂
Mom to Tripawd Angels Jake (2001-2014) and Rosco (2012-2015) and Tripawd Tanner. “Whatever happens tomorrow, we had today; and I'll always remember it”
We have all fallen super hard for our little tripawd. He is so sweet and and an all around great dog!
I have a small blog I've used for posting random photos to, so to see the cutest little 4 month old tripawd, go here:
http://tastybre.....-time.html
Thanks again for all the info. I'm browsing all the gear right now. He definitely needs to strengthen his little back leg, so this site is great for that!
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