Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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My 7 year old greyhound became a tripawd on 12/10/12. She doesn't really want to go outside unless I take her out on the leash. She is super excited then. Then she thinks she's going to for a car ride and she goes straight for the car. She has become so stubborn that I can't hardly even walk her, because she is wants to get in the car so bad. When she is not desperate for a car ride, she is sleeping my bedroom. She is eating and drinking normally. She is just being really spoiled and stubborn. Does anyone have any advice on how I can get her out of stubbornness?
Jennifer and Socks
Proud mama to Socks, a 7 year old greyhound. Became an amputee on 12/10/12. Once a racer, always a champion.
I am in a similar situation I think. I think I spoiled Jill way too much during her recovery! At first she didn't want to eat so much so I gave her tons of treats bc she was more than happy to eat those. Now she goes up to the spot where I keep the treats about once an hour and whiiiiiines! She also got way to used to me carrying her from place to place that its hard for me to get her to do it on her own even though I know she's capable!
Jill is a 9-year-old tuxedo kitty. She was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma in June 2012 on her toe in her right hind leg. Her leg was amputated on 12/12/12 and she completed four rounds of chemo (2 of Carbo, 2 of Doxy) in April 2013. "Like" Jill's facebook page: https://www.fac.....tty?ref=hl Proud member of the WINTER WARRIORS!!!! Her blog can be read at http://jillsjou.....ipawds.com. xoxo
I have been taking her for car rides here lately. Usually when my hubby gets paid and I have to go to the bank. I take her with me then we go get dollar menu and i share it with her. Maybe she's wanting a hamburger.....lol. Greyhound lose weight fast when they are stressed. She was 66 pounds when I took her to the vet and she weighed 53 pounds when she got her stitches out. I have been feeding some canned puppy food with regular dry food to help her gain some of the weight. Right now she is so thin. I feel like I have done something to turn her stubborn.
Proud mama to Socks, a 7 year old greyhound. Became an amputee on 12/10/12. Once a racer, always a champion.
Hmmm...you know, I'm pretty sure you're not the first pawrent to experience this situation.
It's frustrating, but try not to blame yourself or be upset with her. I think that your big change in routine over the last few weeks has a lot to do with it, she's waiting for the next exciting thing to happen! Try to normalize your life again within reason (i.e., no long walks, or other things that will physically exhaust her as before), and continue life as you knew it before. I think that this could help a lot toward teaching her that the world continues to turn and things have to get back to some type of routine again. It might take a while though, good luck!
Oh, about the weight gain....ask your vet about her weight to see if it's OK. You probably already know this but a svelte Tripawd is far better than an older one. You can also try supplementing with more high calorie, protein-based home-cooked meats.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
jengrey1 said
I have been taking her for car rides here lately. Usually when my hubby gets paid and I have to go to the bank. I take her with me then we go get dollar menu and i share it with her. Maybe she's wanting a hamburger.....lol. Greyhound lose weight fast when they are stressed. She was 66 pounds when I took her to the vet and she weighed 53 pounds when she got her stitches out. I have been feeding some canned puppy food with regular dry food to help her gain some of the weight. Right now she is so thin. I feel like I have done something to turn her stubborn.
As a fellow greyhound owner I understand completely where you're coming from. I usually have to watch how much Sid eats because he's a big dog and inclined to put weight on, but since he's had this problem with his single rear leg he's lost so much weight, in only three days! You just can't let them lose too much, especially as they get older, or they start losing muscle as well as fat, and that is not good.
Maybe you missed the part about the general stubbornness of greyhounds and the 'statueing' they can do. You don't have to do anything to turn a greyhound stubborn! They're in the hound group, it's part of their nature. 
I wouldn't stop feeding her high quality food to keep the weight on (providing she is truly underweight, of course) but perhaps it's time to be firm and jolly her along with the walking? You know; 'C'mon, sweetie, let's go!' and - well, I know you can't just keep walking and pull her along with you, but try to give her the impression you're going to. Be positive. What you don't want to do is turn your body at all towards her, because in dog language, that means 'stop walking towards me', especially if you lower your head and shoulders at the same time, so try to keep your body and head pointing in the direction you want to go. You can even swing your free arm that way (as if ushering her along) while saying 'This way!'.
Sometimes it helps to just wait it out. Keep standing facing the direction you want to go, and wait. After a couple of minutes, try again with the 'Let's go'. Repeat two or three times. If after that she won't cooperate, just go home and try her again in fifteen minutes. Repeat. Sooner or later she'll get the idea.
Good luck. I know how stubborn these dogs can be. Sid is turning into a brat as he gets older, and they can really play on a disability!
I'm so sorry, but I have to admit this topic made me laugh out loud. Trouble was the most stubborn little shit there ever was. After the amputation, yes, it got even worse. And she was demanding. She even stood beside me and barked when it was time to cook dinner - ours not hers!
I hate you are having to face this, but thanks for the happy memory.
Shanna & Spirit Trouble ~ Trouble gained her wings 3/16/2011, a 27 1/2 month cancer survivor, tail wagging. RIP sweetheart, you are my heart and soul. Run free at Rainbow Bridge.
The November Five - Spirits Max, Cherry, Tika, Trouble & Nova. 11/2008 - 3/2013 An era ends as Queen Nova crossed the Bridge.
Gee- I never knew Greyhounds and Pugs were so alike!
Tri-pug Maggie decided a few weeks after her surgery that she wouldn't do stairs anymore. Not couldn't- WOULDN'T. And I'm not talking long flights of stairs- those were too much for her one little back leg to handle. It was the two small stairs to get up on the deck and in the back door. It started with my parents carrying her around at their house. They carried her outside, waited for her, then carried her back inside. She even started peeing in their house if no one carried her outside. I got her over that behavior by leaving her outside. We had some 30 min. standoffs but she got the idea. From then on she didn't pee in my parents house, and she went out and in on her own at both our places.
I like Jay's idea of turning on leash, I learned a similar thing from quad-pug Obie's trainer. Obie is very obedient, but quad-pug Tani must be part Greyhound! We call it boat anchoring. She sets back on her haunches a little, hunches her shoulders, and refuses to walk. If you face her and try to coax her is doesn't work. But if you turn your back she just has to see what you are doing and almost always comes on her own.
Like hugapitbull this does make me smile a little- Mag was always obstinate, but after her surgery it reached new heights!
Good luck with Socks.
Karen and the pugapalooza
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