Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Hi, my dog McGruff had surgery in july to remove a rear leg that was severely damaged when he was a stray. Before the surgery his knee was entirely shattered and for the most part he didn't use the leg, although the knee had healed before I got him it healed without veterinary care and without being set. But even with the bad leg he was a very active dog, he loved going to the dog park and playing fetch. Although he's never been very good with new people he was always friendly with other dogs. Now 5 months post amputation he had his first day back at the dog park with other dogs, and he attacked a big St. Bernard. The St. Bernard is fine just a little cut on his lip, but I feel like the worst person in the world. The dogs owner gave me hell and said I shouldn't have my dog at the park, although I had NO IDEA he was going to do that. Before his surgery we went to dog parks all the time and he NEVER even thought about hurting another dog, in fact he mostly ignored them and played with his ball. needless to say I'm shocked at this new development and am worried he's never going to be okay at the dog park again, I hate to think that the dog park part of his life is over, but I'm terrified to go back and frankly i'm pretty sure I'm no longer welcome. What should I do? Has anyone else seen this sort of behavior change in their dog after amputation?
McGruff...love thst nsme!! And applause to you for adopting this guy! Sounds like you are exactley who he needs...and who you need!
Dogs can feel more vulnerable sometimes. Perhaps he could perceive a threat, even though we are totally unaware of potential danger from another dog.
How was your energy when you went to the dog park? Were you apprehensive at all? Were you in a strong
pack leader state so McGruff felt confident and secure? I don t know, I just feel like the other dog must have sent of some signal that McGruff reacted to.
Maybe McGruff was over l y excited after being away for five months and his excit triggeree uncertainty in that dog. I don't know...just throwing some things out there.
Do you jave anydoggy friends that McGruff knows who you could have come over and maybe meet in some "neutral" spot and see if they start playing?
Youy work through this, as will McGruff!
Would love to see some pics of this guy!!!
Hugs to you both!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle too!
Happy Hannah had a glorious additional bonus time of over one yr & two months after amp for osteo! She made me laugh everyday! Joined April's Angels after send off meal of steak, ice cream, M&Ms & deer poop!
It could of course be somewhat related to the amputation, but I would be more inclined to say it has more to do with him not having been to the park around dogs he doesn't know for so long. I am a dog walker and trainer, & I've seen this many times before with dogs who have injuries or other reasons they are not around strange dogs for lengths of time. Some dogs could go years without seeing other dogs, then go back to the park and be just fine, but some are going to be overexcited, nervous, & lacking in confidence.
I agree with Sally, a good first step would be to see if you can get some of his friends he knows, to reintroduce him to playing in a neutral setting. You will have to take some steps back and 're-socialize' him to the things he hasn't seen for some time. Build his confidence in these 'new' situations.
It could also help to exercise him before taking him to the park for the first few times, so he's nice & physically & mentally tired. Do some confidence building exercises with him near the entrance to the park so he can associate the feeling of success and a trusting relationship with you, and it can transfer over once you get into the park & continue doing the same confidence building exercises. If you google that, you will find some fun games to play with your pup. Two of my favorites are hand targeting and tug!
Good luck with McGruff!
Kristie
When my Daisy went to the dog park post amp she was very impatient when any dogs would get too close to her or want to sniff where her leg was. She would snap and snarl at them. Totally not her normal dog park personality at all. She is normally a very docile and laid back girl around people and other dogs.
I just think that they feel very vulnerable post amp. Even though it has been five months since McGruff's amp it was his first trip back. Hopefully he will become more comfortable after a few more trips. Maybe you can try to pick times when the park isn't as busy.
Daisy behaves normally now around the other dogs at the park unless they get too rambunctious with her. Just yesterday there was a much bigger and younger dog with LOTS of energy that kept leaping over her where she was laying and she finally had enough and told him so. LOL
Daisy and Tri-dogs Daisy & Biscuit
My Two Tripawds...Biscuit 
and Spirit Daisy 
I can completely sympathize with this situation, though Jack was never completely comfortable with other dogs, her behavior worsened immensely after the surgery. She used to go to the dog park regularly and wasn't perfect, but was generally fine. Our first trip back was disastrous and I left the park shaking. Don't feel like a bad person- these things happen, you couldn't have predicted it based on past behavior and in the end, everyone was okay.
Sally, Kristie and Daisy's suggestions are great. I would also recommend moving in very small steps to expose McGruff to other dogs and play situations, making sure that each baby step is a good experience. Patricia McConnell has a good introduction to desensitizing and counter conditioning in The Cautious Canine and the Behavior Adjustment Training site is another good place to start. You might also want to read some of Patricia McConnell's blog to remember you're not alone.
Good luck!
I'm sorry, I've been in similar situations with our Wyatt Ray and know how you feel. My first thought is: how old is McGruff and what breed type is he?
Our Wyatt is a German Shepherd, and when he was young he used to do fine at the dog park, but as soon as he turned into a teenager at about 18 months, he became a nasty little booger who didn't play nice. Apparently many GSDs go through this change as well, so I'm inclined to believe it has less to do with his lack of confidence (he has more than enough) than it is a breed-specific trait (imagine, not all dogs like to be herded by the neck! 
We have spent many, many hours on training and acclimating to other dogs around the dog park (not inside) and it's helped tremendously but letting him loose at the dog park is out of the question. That's just who he is. For other dogs, following the great tips that others have provided here is an excellent idea a that changes everything, and it's a great way to build your bond together.
Another thought: any chance that he's had some type of muscle pull and is in pain? Dogs exhibit pain in behaviors like this, have you felt him for any possible injuries you weren't aware that happened?
Thanks for joining us, we look forward to following along with your adventures.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
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