Hi everyone.  I have a tripawd named Max.  He's a German Shepard/Shiba Inu mix, so he looks like of like a small German Shepard with a curly tail.  He lost his left front leg just below the shoulder some time before I got him.  I found him in Fall of 2007 while looking on PetFinder.com.  I saw his picture and fell in love!  He was listed as Special Needs, but he doesn't have any special needs other than love and lots of treats!  The folks at the shelter told me that he was about 7 years old at the time, though I'm not sure if I believe it.  He acts like he's about 4.  They said he lost his leg after being hit by a car some time ago.  His previous owner was an older man who got sick and had to move in with his kids and couldn't take Max with him.  He was in the shelter about a month before I found him.  Plenty of people were stopping at his cage to look at him, but nobody was really interested in taking home a three legged dog. . . thank goodness!  I thought I might have to fight some people for him. 

I remember his profile online reading "Max is a good boy" and something about that statement just melted my heart.  He IS a good boy.  He's such a lover.  And if he has his headcollar on, he appears to be more of a lover because he rubs his head on you trying to get it off.  Last year I took him to the Dog Days Pooch Parade where he dressed as a "tripod" with a camera on his back.  He won a prize for Most Creative Costume. 

Max is energetic and loves to play in the yard with my roommate's two dogs.  He likes to go for walks, but doesn't go very long!  The other day I took him out 1/2 mile and he decided he was done.  he laid in the grass and we sat there for 20 minutes with a drink of water before making our way back home.  I think he'd go further if he wasn't held back by the leash--its' much easier for him (and many other tripods) to run than to hobble at my slow speed. 

He has his own blog "One Foot in the Grave" at http://threeleg.....pawds.com/  He updates at least once a month on the 12th with 12 pictures of his/my day. 

As for me, I actually make prosthetic arms and legs for humans for a living!  I haven't made one for Max, though, because he doesn't need one.  I get asked all the time by colleagues why I don't make him one, but it would just get in the way. 

Feel free to check out his blog for more info and pictures!