Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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My dog is 45 pounds (little less now) and had her left hind leg amputated a week ago. I've been carrying her outside so she doesn't have to navigate the stairs but she's getting annoyed with being carried so I want to give her a little more independence. She can't actually make it up the stairs herself yet but if I can let her think she's doing it herself that'll hopefully stop some of the puppy tantrums. I also still need to support her while pooping so the handle will be easier on both of us than the current awkwardness 
Which is better for a hind leg amputee, who pulls HARD on a leash? I've been looking at the Flagline and Webmaster but not sure which would be best for her. She is not a casual walker. She is not a casual anything - Pointer Energy!
I'm leaning towards the Flagline . It seems easier to get on and off, I like the full under support and it looks similar to her current harness (ruffwear frontrange) which she is already comfortable in. There may be benefits or negatives I'm missing though so just wanted a second opinion from people with more experience before I make a final decision.
Thanks again, this website has been a sanity saver
*sorry if this has been asked I'm still learning to navigate the forum
Hi Mojo and family, hoppy 2024!
I would say the Flagline is best for most, just because yeah, it's easier to put on and take off. It also has more leash attachment points so you have different options there.
But keep in mind that all Tripawds walk fast, and pulling is almost impossible to stop with any harness. And the "anti-pulling" harnesses on the market are awful for a dog's mobility (they basically restrict movement, and alter gait patterns, which is not a great thing to do to any animal but especially a 3-legged one) so we don't recommend those.
You can do a lot to minimize leash pulling for a Tripawd, like using a Gentle Leader. They are lifesavers, we don't go anywhere without it! That, in combo with the Flagline , or Webmaster, are golden.
So glad you are here and that we can help!
Mojo, our girls are very different-except for the wild child! I got Reece the Flagline and I find that handle to be a wonderful thing to help control her when she's over-excited. Reece is small enough at 24 pounds that I can lift her with it but even if you can't get full ground clearance, the lift with the handle makes it clear you're in control.
Since Mojo is likely deep-chested, as Reece is, you'll want to get the larger size if Mojo seems in between sizes. You'll also want to check the front-to-back length closely and again, go with larger if it's close. With deep chested girls, we can really get that harness adjusted into the tuck behind the ribs. These harnesses have many adjustment points and take some fiddling to get them quite right but it's worth it.
That's Reece in the avatar, but I live with Shibas. I'm guessing that explains quite a bit.
My rear amp tripawd is about 40lb and wears the Flagline harness . I can fully life her by the handle. It's especially useful if I need to get her into my SUV and I only have one hand free.
I second everything Wendy said about sizing. My tripawd wears a size small. My quad-pawd is smaller (35lb) but wears a medium because she has a deep rib cage, kind of like a Whippet.
Clearly, weight has little to do with the sizing of these harnesses. While Reece is only 24 pounds, her initial XS got too short front to back (she grew just a little more) and I had to upsize to a size small, even though she's only 24 pounds.
That's Reece in the avatar, but I live with Shibas. I'm guessing that explains quite a bit.
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