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.
Join The Tripawds Community
Learn how to help three legged dogs and cats in the forums below. Browse and search as a guest or register for free and get full member benefits:
Instant post approval.
Private messages to members.
Subscribe to favorite topics.
Live Chat and much more!
Register
Log In
Members
Add Topic
Offline
Finally figured out the picture posting thing :)...
Just wanted to introduce our pack. First off is Mac (the beast on the floor). He is a 5-year-old Rottie (possibly part horse). We rescued him from a shelter about 2.5 years ago. He was a stray and was a skeletal 85 lbs when we brought him home. So I fed him and fed him and loved him and fed him some more and now he is a happy, healthy 115 lbs. He lacks some basic social/people skills (please don't eat the vet!) but he makes up for it with pure comedic genius.
Next up is Ruger, our wonderful 5.5-year-old Rotten Lab. She and her 12 brothers and sisters were the result of an uninvited suitor (Big Ben, the lab) and my mom's Rottie. I have raised her from birth and she is little Miss Perfect. She has never done anything wrong in her entire life; except for occasionally rummaging through the garbage in the middle of the night. But she figures we weren't gonna use it anyway.
And then of course there's Kiera, who is fitting in perfectly. She is happy and wiggly and smiley all the time. She is figuring out our household rules, i.e. leave the cat alone, don't rip open the cat's food bag, and please don't eat out of the litter box! 🙂
Kiera trying to look extra cute. 😉
What a great looking pack! Thanks for sharing.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Now that's one pack we want to be a part of! Such a pawesome team!
How do you manage training and things like helping Kiera fit in with such a big pack? We've always been a 1-dog family so we're curious.
Thanks for figuring out the photo thing and sharing with everyone.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Good question! We've always been a 3 or 4 dog family. Growing up, my family always had at least 2 dogs, usually 4 though. My mom raised many German Shepherds, one who became a great drug/bomb sniffing dog for the police department; and my dad had many good hunting dogs - labs, chesapeakes, springers.
With my current pack, it's all about balance and respect. We always introduce new dogs in neutral territory by going on a walk together, not face to face, so no one feels like they have to establish their rank. Ruger is my right-hand girl and understands English better than most people. Her calm, even temper helps provide an example of expected behavior for the other dogs. Mac is a natural follower and had no problem excepting Ruger's quiet leadership. They're a lot like an older sister/younger brother team. In the beginning, we had to help Mac with some trust issues and feeling safe. We are fairly certain he was abused, he would duck and cower whenever someone raised their hand/arm over their head. We slowly got him over that, but he still needs lots of really big hugs and reassurance. He has become a very goofy, loving and protective boy. He still has a hard time reading a stranger's intentions and often assumes the worst, so we have to monitor that closely.
With Kiera, she is so happy-go-lucky and non-confrontational, that it only took a few minutes in the front yard for her to accept both our dogs and for them to see she wasn't a threat in any way. She and Mac have quickly become play buddies while Ruger sits back and sighs, "Kids...". 🙂
All our dogs are spoiled rotten, but we expect good behavior in return. They must sit quietly while I fill up they're food dishes and then they can eat. We have never had a problem with food. I make sure each dog gets individual attention every day so no one feels left out or jealous. They know that I am "top dog" and if there is ever an argument over a toy or bone, it becomes mine for the day. 🙂 Other than that, there's a lot of running and playing outside and quiet napping inside.
That's wonderful. I'm so glad Kiera is fitting in and loving life!
My are all spoiled rotten and I expect good behaviour in return - but it doesn't always work that way!
Rocket is the "Keeper of the Krumbs". If a crumbs falls out of poor Comet's mouth that doesn't shut properly, he gets ugly so he can get it! I want someone to eat the crumbs that fall but I don't want nasty mean little dog!
Other than that, we don't have any issues (anymore!).
Wyatt Ray needs a sweet little girl friend. German sheps love their women folk!
Comet - 1999 to 2011
She departed us unexpectedly January 23, 2011 at the age of 12 1/2.
She was born with a deformed front leg and a tripawd all of her life.
Nice looking pack! I have my hands full with my two pug girls- who weigh in TOGETHER at 34 lbs.
Where in Montana are you? (if you want to say)- I have family around Bozeman.
Karen and the pug girls
I didn't grow up with dogs and when I started dating my husband his family had a dog. Yuck. Then when we had our kids my husband thought boys should grow up with a dog. So we got one. Our dear Tristan has been gone nine years but we have added to our pack and suffered the loss of Emily from the group. I have found that the new dog learns from the other(s). Our youngest, Marley, is a min pin and they are supose to be hard to house train. He was so easy because he learned from Emily and Bentley.
Anyway, Kiera. Mac and Ruger are all wonderful looking dogs. No offense to other breeds but I can't imagine a better combo than a rottie/lab mix!
Thanks for sharing their pictures.
Debra & Angel Emily
Debra & Emily, a five year old doberman mix, who was diagnosed with an osteosaecoma. She had a right rear leg amputation on May 19, 2009. On November 10, 2009 she earned her wings and regained her fourth leg.
We are in Polson, MT by Flathead Lake.
I couldn't agree more...Rottie/labs are the best dogs ever. 🙂
I love your pack! They're gorgeous!! I've always had german shepherds growing up... and so did my parents when they were growing up in Poland. Jake was my first golden retriever... and he and Wolfie fit just perfectly. Jake was the calm, laid back one... and Wolfie was the high strung, excited one. I think they kept each other balanced... Now that Jake is gone... Wolfie went through a little extra hyper stage... but now with his new kitten buddy, Nala... he seems to be calming down... well, when he's not chasing her, that is... 
Post more pictures!!!
Angel Jake's Mom
Jake, 10yr old golden retriever (fractured his front right leg on 9/1, bone biopsy revealed osteosarcoma on 9/10, amputation on 9/17) and his family Marguerite, Jacques and Wolfie, 5yr old german shepherd and the newest addition to the family, Nala, a 7mth old Bengal mix kittie. Jake lost his battle on 11/9/2009, almost 8 weeks after his surgery. We will never forget our sweet golden angel… http://jakesjou.....ipawds.com ….. CANCER SUCKS!
Here's a couple more pics of Mac and Ruger (better quality too).
Ah, the dog days of summer.
My favorite picture of Mac - this pretty sums him up. 
Flathead Lake? Wow, you are so lucky! Cold, but lucky! We recently talked to a Tripawd Dad from Polson who has 3 Great Danes and one of them is a Tripawd. He's not active here yet but maybe now that he has a neighbor here he might be. If you see him around town, tell him we said hello.
You sound really super knowledgable about packs and raising pups. My pawrents have their hands full with just Wyatt Ray, they can't even imagine getting 3 dogs to sit quietly during feeding time. Maybe some day they'll bring home a friend for him, but no time soon, he's nuts!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Oh Wyatt Ray is just a spirited overgrown puppy! Just imagine if he had 4 legs how much fun he'd be - he'd never tire out! WOOHOO!
Darlin' pics of the pooches!
Comet - 1999 to 2011
She departed us unexpectedly January 23, 2011 at the age of 12 1/2.
She was born with a deformed front leg and a tripawd all of her life.
cometdog said:
Oh Wyatt Ray is just a spirited overgrown puppy! Just imagine if he had 4 legs how much fun he'd be - he'd never tire out!
Yeah, LOADS of fun! Uh huh.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
1 Guest(s)
