When I heard "3 legged dog" before, I would think what a strong soul!  To go thru whatever it was they had experienced and survive it so well. 

Now that Chuy is part of our family I think, Brave, happy, grateful.  That is the spirit that Chuy conveys to us.  He is always happy (except when he's on Phenatol patch).  He has his own way of saying Thank You to us for being there for him.  He actually jumps up and tries to hug us, he always hops over for a pet after he has a biscuit.  I really believe he's saying TY!

Eleanor & Chuy

I had never heard of a three legged dog before Emily was diagnosed.  I suppose I would have had felt sorry for the dog.  When I think of a tripawd now I have a sadness if it due to cancer because ultimately we all know the outcome but also I think normal.  Except for missing a leg a tripawd can do anything a four legged dog can.  If the amputation is due to an accident I think "lucky" beczuse it isn't cancer.  Who would ever think a three legged dog would be considered lucky?!  Ironically I also think lucky when I think of Emily because I was so lucky to have had her.  It didn't matter how many legs she had, her heart made up for it.

Talk about a rambling answer.  Wow.

Debra & Angel Emily

Before....I would think of an accident, my husband had a 3 legged dog named Sassy when we were in high school, he had been hit by a car.  Even though I am a people nurse and have cared for many people with cancer, I was not educated in canine cancer.  I had very little knowledge of osteosarcoma in dogs.

Now....3 legged dogs are my heroes........especially Paris!!

Always a touch of sadness, mixed with anger.  The anger is a hangover from the days when I was a vet nurse and we amputated the hind leg of a little cat who'd got hit by a train.  He healed beautifully and adapted well (as they do) but the owners had him put to sleep because they couldn't bear to see him wiggle to get comfy when he sat down.  Over thirty years on, that still makes me angry.

The sadness is mostly because of being a member of Greytalk and seeing just how many US greyhounds are afflicted by osteosarcoma, and the distress that causes both to them and their people.

But to see a tripod joyfully running around enjoying life, because he has completely accepted his change in circumstances - that's a beautiful thing, and a lesson to us all!

Before, my only thought was pity, something along the lines of "What a sad sight! That poor dog must have such a crappy life since he only has three legs." I doubt I ever noticed many three-legged dogs. It's not like they're a very common sight, and I never had any reason to key on them or notice them in the first place.

But that was before Max became a tripawd and we had fourteen more wonderful months with him. Now my thoughts are much different. I still might feel a touch of sadness if I know the dog is a tripawd due to osteosarcoma, because that story can only end one way. After all, the ending to Max's story is still painfully fresh for us. But I no longer feel pity, because now I know how little it actually matters to a dog to be missing a leg. Now I'm just more inclined to go up and pet them (which isn't saying much, since I try to say hi to every dog that crosses my path anyway). And a three-legged dog would bring a smile to my face, because it would remind me of how quickly Max realized he could get extra attention from people if he put on the pathetic mooch act when he hopped over to them. He was a perfect example of the fact that the words "tripawd" and "crippled" have absolutely nothing to do with each other.