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.
Join The Tripawds Community
Learn how to help three legged dogs and cats in the forums below. Browse and search as a guest or register for free and get full member benefits:
Instant post approval.
Private messages to members.
Subscribe to favorite topics.
Live Chat and much more!
Register
Log In
Members
Add Topic
Offline
Do you struggle with the leash since the amputation of your dog? I AM!!!! Off leash is so much better, but since I want to compete again, I need to figure out the leash thing. Usually, he goes in front of me, hes faster, but then, when I am with other dogs, I have to shorten the leash and then its chaos LOL He turns, gets caught up in it, even the position of the leash is different(attached to the harness instead of a collar). Any tips?
We have a leash that has two handles. It's 4' with a handle at the end and a second one about 8 inches from her collar. Shorter leashes help prevent her from getting tangled and I use the lower one when other dogs are near if she has trouble controlling herself. I'm wondering if that would help?
Yep, that's the Tripawd Life. We only have Wyatt Ray so we can easily keep up with his faster pace. It did take us a while to get him to slow down just a bit so we didn't have to sprint each time we went out walking (it took about a year!). After many leash walking training sessions he now understands when he needs to go a bit slower for us. Novak will get there too, you just have to be diligent about reminding him not to go too fast.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Even though Elly is small her comfortable hopping pace is faster than my comfortable walking pace. I can keep up with her if I walk fast by my cranky old knees protest 
I've only known Elly as a Tripawd so I can't compare before and after, but TriPug Maggie did go faster post amp than pre.
With Elly I have two walking strategies. When ever it is feasible and safe I use a long lead or flex lead and let her go at her pace. She likes to stop and sniff a lot so I can usually keep up with her but she does have to wait for me sometimes. When I need her closer I use a 'with me' command and shorten up on the leash and keep her at a near 'heel' position. When we go to busy places or in situations where she has to stay close I use a short lead. Elly is a flight risk so will probably never be off leash unless in a fenced area.
Now that sounds nice and easy but the 'with me' command is definitely a work in progress! I've been working on it for over a year, but I confess I was pretty lax with it until the last couple of months. Because of her fear issues she tends to loop around me when she is nervous, she can be a bit erratic when we pass other dogs, and she wants to bolt after cats and squirrels. I take her to the local pet stores and hardware stores to practice 'with me' and expose her to people and noises and occasional dogs. We have also been going to the center of town where there is more traffic and people and we do short practices there. Even when we are somewhere on a long lead I take a few minutes every walk to practice 'with me'.
We will be starting our third Nose Work class next month, and we are working on her CGC so it gives me more incentive to practice.
Karen
Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.
1999 to 2010
1 Guest(s)
