Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Okay. I have been thinking about getting a new dog to add to my family. I have two dogs and one cat. Cat is almost 3, dogs are 8 and 9. I have everyone in a sweet spot and it has all worked nicely. Now I have been wishing to add another rescue to my group. The problem is I am scared to "upset the apple cart".
On top of this, the dog I have recently fallen for is a tripod. I am going to read things here as fast as I can but I am really curious if I am going to upset my other pets to no end AND I wonder if it will be too hard for a tripod to live at our house because there are steps everywhere. There is no way in or out without going down at least 4 steps.
I also wonder if it will upset the tripod if the other dogs get in the sofa or the bed and he cannot go on it. I have read that tripods should not get up on surfaces that they cannot get down from or that might cause injury to their other limbs.
I am VERY good at training dogs but of course this takes time and meanwhile, I am worried this dog is going to be put down because he is not highly desirable.
Can anyone offer me words of wisdom please?
PS: HI! I am new here 
Hi Ziggy, welcome!
Thank you for thinking hard about helping this dog find a furever home. My big question to you is, has he met your existing pack yet? To me that would be the first thing to do before you really start considering adoption. Who knows if they'll even get along?
As for the stairs...I think it makes big difference whether the stairs are carpeted or not. If they're not carpeted, then yes you would have some serious challenges. If they are, then not so much.
Perhaps the biggest challenge would be keeping your Tripawd from doing too much activity in order to try to keep up with the other dogs. While Tripawds can do just about anything a four-legger can do, it's important to monitor their activity so they don't overdo things and put unnecessary stress on their joints.
Many Tripawds live with quadpawds but it's not always easy. I know that others who are in this situation can provide much more insight than we can (we've always been a 1 dawg household, sadly). So hang in there I know they'll chime in soon.
Oh, one last thing: believe it or not a lot of people do want to adopt a Tripawd so they're not always the last to get adopted. Where is this pup located? If you don't adopt him then please share his story in our Rescue Forum so we can help get the word out.
P.S. Thanks for registering, your future posts won't require moderation. Also, I moved your post to this special topic for Tripawds who don't have cancer. Hope you don't mind!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
What a sweet post! I think Jerry said it all and since we're a 1-dog house, I cannot comment too much. We have 12 stairs to do every time Jackson goes outside, but they are all carpeted. He also gets onto the couch just fine and off very nicely as well. He's darn mobile! I would suspect that as tripawds age and get more stiff, stairs and couches and things become more difficult.
Good luck! Keep us posted!
ACL tear in right hind leg 12/5/12 and scheduled ACL repair surgery 12/21/12. Pre-op xrays revealed osteosarcoma. Amputation 12/28/12. Chemo (carboplatin) started Jan 10, 2013 and ended on April 5, for a total of 5 doses. He handled carbo like a champ! No side effects. We started metronomic therapy at his third chemo and have been also doing some holistic treatments. He's a lively, playful 10 year old huskie-boarder collie and a very proud member of the Winter Warriors! Our love. Our funny little guy!
Well i typed out a wonderful response and my computer ate it. Darn things!
But The summary of what i said was:
I have a 4 dog household. 2 older dogs, 1 puppy and 1 Amputee. No one bothered my tripawd after the surgery. We are at our 1 month ampuversary and they treat her the same as always. Like nothing happened. The bump into her, steal her spot snuggling and try to steal her bones. Polly (my tripawd) runs up and down the stairs, all throgh the yard and all around the house. Having 3 legs hasnt slowed her down a bit.
I wouldnt worry about the stairs, expecially if they are carpeted. Polly goes down the basement stairs (solid wood) faster than any of my other 3.
As for your pack, if they are calm then you'll probably be fine. It might not hurt to have your potential aopted dog meet them before hand.
I have terriers so if the new dog doesnt look like them- all hell breaks loose. If they look the same they become instant BFF's.
Good luck!!!
My tripawd is the senior member of our household so besides some sniffing and checking out after surgery I have noticed no difference in how my other three interact with him. Although he used to spend more time on the couch, he has decided that the floor and the 3 dog beds work just as well for him and he doesn't have to fight with anyone else for a spot. Our yard is built on a hill side and he has no problems going up and down the hill (he is a front leg amputee) or up the three wooden steps we build for him to get in and out of the doggie door. Having all the dogs meet on neutral territory is probably the most important for your situation as a tripawd dog's middle name is "adapt".
Spirit Shooter was a Miniature Australian Shepherd who was diagnosed with a MCT and had a LF amp 1/28/13 at 13-1/2 years old.
Shooter crossed the Bridge on 8/28/13, his 7 month ampuversary and two weeks from his 14th birthday.
Hi all!
I went to visit Murray today and later my husband went to visit him. He is a bigger dog than our dogs by about 20 pounds and is a sheltie shepherd type. We each took him outside and walked him around and I spent about an hour with him. I feel like if I bring my dogs to visit to the shelter they will FREAK out as they are well,um SPOILED BEYOND BELIEF. The mere trip to a vet hearing other dogs bark nearly puts them in terrors. I have them VERY well -trained. The wild card here is our cat. He is 3. BIG (15lbs) and well, we tried to adopt another cat (kitten) two years ago which was disastrous. Oddly, I really do think that because we got him as a kitten and already had dogs, he identifies more with dogs.
NONE of our steps are carpeted and the ones to the second floor are steep. My two pups (rat terrier mixes 11 and 12 pounds) do not enjoy going up and down those steps and rarely do. They both hop on and off of my bed as if it is no big deal and it is more than 2 feet off of the ground. Even though one has an advanced heart murmur they are both sweet and happy dogs that seem and act healthy and well. But to be honest, while they go on walks and enjoy it, their main activity is sleeping under the blankets in one of their many beds. The two dogs together are like "Frick and Frack" if you know what I mean? Where one is, there is the other. And I have trained them to go in and out off leash. Both are roughly 8 years old and have spent about 6 years together altogether (rescues). That said when I got my second rescue the first one HATED her. Wheeeewwww that took a lot of work to integrate her into the household. And neither was house-trained while apparently Murray is house-trained right now (YEAH!)
I don't want to make the wrong decision to upset anybody. I love my pets and they are like family. I do worry that Murray won't get adopted because he is a tripawed and they move the animals out if they don't place them. And by out, I mean euthanasia. I don't know, he might be just fine. I really APPRECIATE the responses.
Also and this is a very important caveat although it is not something I am wanting to do or planning to do, this shelter will allow you to bring the dog back within 60 days if it doesn't work, no questions asked. They will allow you to place the money toward another pet. When they told me that I laughed and said, "I don't care about the money" I just want everyone to be happy.
So there's where my heart is. I worry if the grade 5 heart murmur pup will die in the next few years and I'll have another dog left behind heartbroken. I wonder if I don't get another pup now if I will ever do it again. I am not old but in my mid 40s still you know I think once the kids are gone and the dogs are gone, then what?
shhhhhewwww! AM I over thinking or what? I try so hard to be there for my dogs and make their lives happy. The cat is a typical cat in that he is happy enough but we are always wondering what he is really thinking: these people are crazy?! Lol!
So there you have it. Thanks for listening. Sounds completely stream of conscious and I apologize for all the rambling
one more thing and this is the KICKER: I feed my two together out of the same bowl. Yes I know I know I KNOW that sounds crazy but I went through all KINDS of elaborate ways of trying to work with dining when I rescued my second dog. I did two bowls same room, two bowls different rooms. Different feeding times different rooms. I did it all in a very measured and planned way until eventually VOILA, we found the secret: same bowl, same time. They have "worked it out" even though one is slightly dominant and well, it is MAGICAL. The cat used to come investigate his options in their leftovers (YES they leave leftovers and come back to eat throughout points during the day) but for the most part, their bowl is their bowl.
I have NO idea, HOW, where and WHAT I would do with a third dog and feeding.
Am I crazy?
I don't think you're crazy, Tripawds are irresistible!
You're taking a calm, logical approach by looking at every angle. While I think the stairs could be an issue, if you don't mind putting up a baby gate you have that problem solved. As for the feeding...yeah, you'll interrupt the routine but with your training experience you can handle the challenge.
Honestly I think the best thing to do is to have him come over for a trial visit. First though, check out our Jerry's Required Reading List for tips about how you can make his stay easier and safer, then see how he does with the pack. Also, be very certain that you can afford to have another dog and that you have enough energy to devote your life and love to another pup. Sometimes when you look at the hard numbers they don't jive with what's in our heart, sadly. I hope that's not the case for you, it sounds like you really want this pup! And who can blame you?
Keep us posted OK? Let us know what you decide to do.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I have 4 rat terriers! Even my tripawd is a rattie. With that being said- I'd see if you can do a trial run with this new dog before fully comitting. My ratties don't like anyone that doesnt look like them. But they also don't like cats- so seems like yours a better adjusted to things outside their comfort zone than mine are.
I'd definitely do a trial run. It will give you the best idea of what to expect and to see if they even all mesh. But of course with any adoption 2 weeks is about how long you will need to have them in your home to get the real feeling of what life will be like with a mixed pack.
Good luck!
I had the opposite challenge from yours. I brought a new rescue into a one dog, tripawd home. Trouble had been a tripawd about 6 months when we brought Duke into our home. I was ever mindful that we may have to keep them totally separated. Duke had belonged to an internet friend who had a brain tumor. When she died, I searched for Duke and committed to give him the life she would want him to have, even if it meant I had to crate and rotate the dogs.
Duke came in and was crated for two weeks as they became accustomed to being in the same house. Duke knew there was something different about his new sister, and he was always super respectful of her. She always went first, he always waited. They ate separately, though I think they would have probably been fine sharing. Duke had a horrible time adjusting when Trouble was gone. He looked for her for months, moped about and just wasn't himself.
You can make it work if you are willing to do whatever it takes. That could mean allowing the tripawd to live separate from the pack.
Shanna & Spirit Trouble ~ Trouble gained her wings 3/16/2011, a 27 1/2 month cancer survivor, tail wagging. RIP sweetheart, you are my heart and soul. Run free at Rainbow Bridge.
The November Five - Spirits Max, Cherry, Tika, Trouble & Nova. 11/2008 - 3/2013 An era ends as Queen Nova crossed the Bridge.
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