Bea and Bailey, welcome. I apologize for the brief response but I'm  on my mobile so I will check in when I am at my desk ok? Meanwhile read through the posts here in this forum topic. I moved your post here so you can see how giant breed dogs have coped. More tips later, promise!

Thank you for chiming in Denise!

So, why did he lose his leg? And what kind of pain medication is he on? It may need to be adjusted, he could be over-medicated. Often times what we humans think is depression is in reality a reaction to pain medication as well as the hard work of learning to get around on three.

Ok, so....two weeks is not a long time, especially for a bigger, older, front-leg amputee. Amputation surgery is a big deal and the fact that he made it through surgery, he's getting around and doing pretty well is reason to celebrate so don't forget to applaud him for that, we sure are 

When it comes to a front leg Tripawd, moving around is real work. It's as if you were trying to run with your arm outstretched in front of you, holding a heavy purse or hand weight. Imagine! And you are correct, rehabilitation therapy will make a huge difference. Have you found a therapist yet? Check out the Canine Rehab Institute directory to get started and download our Tripawds e-book, Loving Life On Three Legs , you'll find lots of tips there.

Dogs do get there and rehab will make a difference. A professional can assess his strengths and weaknesses and let you know what you can expect as far as how far he will be able to walk. In general though, most rehab vets will say that a strong, fit Tripawd should take shorter, more frequent walks of no more than 15-20 minutes max. If a dog has to sit down on their walk, that walk was too long and  needs to be shortened.

I know it can be heartbreaking for us to adjust to what we call "the new normal" around here. Our Jerry used to hike for miles with us before he lost his leg. After the amputation that was no longer possible, even at his most fit, for his safety we would only allow him to do very short 10-20 minute walks at most. We got kind of sad at first, but you know what? Those walks meant SO much more! Because he was with us, he was alive and enjoying his life and he was beating the cancer just by being alive and doing great. Every day was icing on the cake! That is a real victory! The more you learn to see these gifts, the more special every hop is with your pup.

Of course it's hard leaving your dog at home. Have you considered getting a stroller? MANY people do this and it works out so well! Check out this post:

http://gear.tri.....strollers/

Also, it may be that a friend would do well for him too, if that's something you're able to do right now.

I hope this helps. Please check out our Tripawds Member blogs for giant breed stories about Danes (you may have to scan the results to find applicable blogs but you'll get there) and you'll see  how great life is in the new normal. Also check out this story, it's one of our favorites:

http://tripawds.....og-parade/

Keep us posted OK?

Well you ladies beat me to it, thanks for sharing Atlas' story. Here's another link.

And the link I shared with you about Moose, he also had a wobblers-like condition. That's two Danes who were not ideal candidates but did very well on three.

I'm really sorry to hear about the diagnosis, it sounds like a scary thing but as the others have mentioned I encourage you to get a second opinion. I believe Atlas' people got three. You can also Private Message them and I know they will be happy to talk to you about their experience, they are very nice people.

Whatever you decide, remember that all that matters right now is making the most of every day together. I really think a stroller would be a great way to spend time together on those long dog walks with your clients.