Attempt 4 on the cart. It was dusk and I had floyd so I didn't bother trying to video tape. We headed down a gravel road/trail on foot with me towing the cart. Yep, I have two dogs on leash and I'm towing Cora's cart. Cora was pretty hyper at first and doing great on 3 legs. As we continued down the trail, with Floyd rushing the pace, her front leg started sliding in the loose gravel. I kept us moving for a while until Cora's leg was sliding a lot. 

Then I put her in the cart. She threw a hissy fit of course. Then we got moving. It was slow going and it turns out the gravel was a bit thick for the cart to roll well. Floyd was wanting to go off into the field and I decided to give that a try. Shortly after we got in the field Cora put her front leg on the front bar and was just pushing with her back legs and we were off. It was going great and then I spotted a garbage so I steered us that way (wanted to get rid of the deadly full poop bag!). After we stopped for the garbage Cora took her leg off the front bar and the going was slower and then we got bogged down in heavy grass and I was having troubles pushing her and the girl was getting seriously pissed off.

I got us back on the gravel trail. (Floyd was bummed). Going was slow and then  Cora put her foot on the front bar and we were cruising again but steering was crazy and I was working hard to keep her from running into anything. She finally ran off the edge of the trail (safely) and got bogged down. We got back on the trail but she didn't have her foot on the bar and she was having a rough time. We moved forward in fits and starts and then she kept trying to turn around. Honestly I think at that point she was done. She briefly put her front foot up again but didn't want to leave it there. 

Our progress had gotten so slow that I finally decided to take her out of the cart. I waited until she'd had a good spell so we ended on a positive note. This is the first real confirmation I've gotten that the cart helps. Things went worse after she was out. She kept falling. She was grumpy and was biting at the leash, the ground and tried to bite me a few times. She was doing a lot more of her spinning behavior. I basically carried her to the car. But the good news is she didn't fall once in the cart!!!!!!

One other thing I've noticed is that she seems to be walking better in general. She is walking straighter and her stride seems a bit more normal (having a hard time explaining). Is this because of the cart? I don't know but the timing interests me. I do know that the cart forces her to stand taller and it's a lot harder for her to spin and wobble. It does keep her from falling and it's a new way of balancing for her.

So lessons learned-

• Shorter distance is better. We went too far tonight
• Bringing Floyd and her is going to test my patience to the limit 
• Gravel paths may have to come later or I need to pay more attention to how thick the gravel is.
• It's the front leg, that's causing her struggles with the cart (going to consult with Eddies on this)
• The cart is helping. She was walking (slowly and with effort) to the car while in the cart. Once I took her out she was done and falling and being a brat.
• I have to come up with a plan for steering. 

I think that's the update. Cora just laid down in front of the heater. Her favorite place. She says it was a big day.