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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.

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Tripod puppy jumping up on me
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New Jersey
Member Since:
4 January 2018
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26 August 2018 - 3:19 am
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hello all,

my tripod golden is doing so well. Her nine month ampuversary is on September 5. I recently adopted a tripod puppy. I knew i wanted a special needs dog and since i am already set up for a tripod this puppy seemed perfect. It must have been destiny. She is about 8 or 9 months old. She was found as a stray with a broken leg. It had already started healing and the vets in Georgia decided to amputate. It might have been able to be saved but she was at a high kill shelter and the fact that she wasn’t immediately put down is amazing. Her personality is what saved her. She was amputated on 7/5 and i have had her three weeks. She gets around great. She walks differently than my golden tripod. She is kinda hunched over and walks a little on her elbow. Her remaining front leg is turned in a little and her foot is rotated. The vet thinks this is compensation from walking with the broken leg for a while. I can imagine what she went thru being a stray puppy with a broken leg. She is going to have a consult at the rehab vet on tuesday. But my problem is she jumps up on me. In a normal dog like my pitbull who was a horrible jumper i would put my knee into his chest or just quickly move so he missed me when he jumped up. Obviously with her only having one not so hreat front leg and being so fresh post op i am not comfortable putting my knee into her. She is small, only 32 pounds. I think she was picked up and carried alot when she was found and post op so i think part of the jumping is to be picked up. I dont carry her anymore. She can get around on her own. She also jumps up to get attention. She hooks her little crooked arm around mone and just want love. Its very cute but a behavior i need to fix. I dont want to baby her just because she is “special needs”. She will be treated the same as my other dogs and is expected to be well behaved just like them. I had a hard time when i brought my tripod golden home. I babied her and wanted to be there everytime she stumbled. I had to learn to just go back to normal life and let her figure it out. I guess its like letting your kids learn to walk. I dont have any but my mom says it the same. You can be there everytime your kid falls. They need to learn to pick themselves up and keep going. But back to the jumping ...... does amyone have any ideas? I have been using her collar and pushing her back down but her back legs are crazy strong. She can actually stand up on them and walk a little like a kangaroo. 

On The Road


Member Since:
24 September 2009
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26 August 2018 - 1:35 pm
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First, congratulations on Abby's ampuversary! Nine months is spectacular clap

And another congrats on adopting that little Peanut of yours! Did you decide to keep her new name? She kinda does look like a Peanut! Totally adorable.

AA10EE61-523B-413B-BD9F-9EA73B9AEC42.jpegImage Enlarger

You have such a great approach to walking that fine line between meeting her needs as a three-legger and not babying her so much that she doesn't turn into the awesome, independent dog she can be. Good job!

What about turning away from her when she jumps up? Then rewarding her with a treat of some sort when she sits nicely for you? Doing that over and over again should yield good results if she is food motivated. 

She is such a lucky girl to find her way to you. I'm so glad to hear she's going to therapy! Please let us know how that visit goes.

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet

Livermore, CA




Member Since:
18 October 2009
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26 August 2018 - 2:00 pm
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I had the same jumping problem with Elly when I adopted her at 10 months old, only she is a rear amp.  It was at it's worst when I come home, or even back inside after being out front for a few minutes.

Turns out Elly has some separation anxiety so not only would she jump on me but she was out of control. She is small at 15 pounds so didn't do much damage but some scratches on my legs, but I don't like her doing repeated jumps off that one back leg.  Like you though I expect my dogs to behave.

What has worked best for us is that when she is jumping I completely ignore her- I stand still and don't make eye contact.  She has to sit quietly for a few seconds and then I will acknowledge her. If she starts to get up then I stand up again and don't look at her.  When we first started I tried to keep treats with me so she got a food reward for being good.  She still jumps sometimes ( I think more related to the sep anx) and I wait until she is sitting to acknowledge her but now instead of food she gets lots of attention and we play for a bit if she wants to. 

If your girl isn't food motivated you can try the same thing with a favorite toy as the reward.

Karen and the Spirit Pug Girls

Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.

1999 to 2010

 

              Maggie's Story                  Amputation and Chemo



Member Since:
27 July 2014
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26 August 2018 - 4:53 pm
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Is that a photo of Peanut? Adorable and so much at peace.

It sounds like you've received some great advice. I've never trained a dog except for ones I walk with. They learned to recognize my white car and now sit outside all white cars waiting for me to get out. The majority of the time they aren't my car but they are white. laughing My claim to dog training fame.

I have a large male cat, Eli, who would stand up beside me with his claws in my legs while I got his food ready. Supposedly cats aren't as smart as dogs but Eli learned to either sit or stand up on his hind legs when I gently pulled his claws off me and said no. When off me I'd give him a kibble in his mouth and then he'd go off to his bowl for his food. I had to teach him to gently take the kibble with getting my finger. He learned very quickly. Usually one has to repeat a few thousand times with a cat but it worked with a few little kibbles for Eli.

Personally, I think different pets can have different needs, whether they have 3 legs or 4. I understand you not wanting to baby your new pup but then she came from a difficult past and may be needing some reassurance. Sometimes I carry my tripawd Mona down the stairs in the morning. Not every day but sometimes to give her a bit more attention since my other cat hangs out with me more during the day. 

Peanut is so lucky to have found you!

Kerren, Eli and Tripawd Kitty Mona

New Jersey
Member Since:
4 January 2018
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27 August 2018 - 5:30 pm
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Yes thats her in the picture. Her real name is Althea but the moment i met her i was with my mom and she immediately called her peanut and the nickname has stuck. She is so cute and little that it is hard not to let her jump on me. I know she just wants love and attention and since she came from such a horrible past i want her to have all the love she deserves. However .... not everyone appreciates being jumped on and licked. I am trying to just ignore it and turn my back and walk away. We are still working on sit so i am trying to het her to sit when she jumps and praise her for sitting. She doesnt seem to like to sit. She would rather lay down. I am not sure if sit is hard for her because of her shortened deformed remaining front leg or if she is just being a stubborn puppy. Hopefully the rehab vet will have some answers tomorrow. I will definitely post about my visit. Thank you for all the support!

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