Help Needed: Doggon or Eddies?

[Winnie]

I am struggling between whether to get a Doggon or Eddies Wheels for my 16 year old collie mixed.

Doggon allows a 30 day trial period whereas there is no refund for Eddies. Yet my dogs' front legs are also getting weak and might need a quad cart and Doggon's 4 wheel looks quite bulky. I live in a small flat and prefer to have a less bulky cart for my dog.

Would love to hear comments/recommendations. Many thanks!

Winnie

[Weeble's :o~ mom Beth]

Winnie~ Don't know anything about Doggon, all I can tell you is about what I think of Eddie's.
Called them about 2 weeks ago & Eddie himself spent about an hour on the phone with me dicussing my dog Weeble's "special needs"(he has CP & has very little use of any of his four limbs) Both Eddie & his wife Leslie seem to be very caring people, & while the money is not refundable, I am confident they will move heaven & earth to make sure that Weeble's quad cart will benfit him to the max.
Will be getting his measuements later today & will call them tomorow to get it ordered.

[Weeble's :o~ mom Beth]

If you need to make payments they are also willing to work with you....thats what they told me. Yes I will have to make payments.

[BethT]

Hi Winnie,

I can also only speak about an Eddie's cart because that is what my dog Waffles uses. Like the other Beth that responded to your message, I found Leslie (that is who I spoke to when I ordered) very compassionate and helpful. My dog has been using the cart for over a year and it has held up very well. It is very easy to get Waffles in and out of the cart and it is very streamline. It is almost like Waffles is one with the cart. I would recommend an Eddie's cart but again that is the only cart that I am familiar with. Good luck.

[Winnie]

Thanks Beth and Beth T !
I'm so cautious as I'm ordering overseas (from Hong Kong). I just received a DVD sent to me by Eddies' representative in London earlier today teaching dog-owners how to take the measurement and how to place the doggies in their wheels. I hope I did the measurements right (fingers crossed) !
Blanche is deteriorating very quickly. Her front legs were moderately strong last week but have become weaker the past few days. When I thought she could use a standard cart but guess she might need a quad cart now.
What will be/is Weeble/Waffles using?

[Weeble's :o~ mom Beth]

Winnie~ Weebles will be getting a quad cart as he has really no strengh in either front or hind.
I think that Eddie's has an 800 number...not sure how that works from Hong Kong, but here in the states it's a free call. I really recommend that you call them & discuss your dog's needs/problems...they are very helpful!
Good luck & let us know how it goes!

[CarolC]

Hi Winnie,

They are both good, but they are made entirely differently. The Eddie's quad cart will be made to your dog's specific measurements and they make the saddle shape to be breed specific so there are no pressure points causing soft tissue breakdown. I believe you will have to lift your dog into the Eddie's quad cart. The Doggon' quad cart is a frame with wheels. You put a front harness on your dog's chest and a rear harness on your dog's back end, then hook the harnesses onto the frame. That means you do not have to lift the dog. If I had a dog I could lift, I would consider the Eddie's cart. If my dog was heavy, I would narrow it down to Doggon, because you never have to lift the dog to place him in, you can let him sit and fasten the harness to the frame. However, with a really heavy dog the harness hooks on Doggon' may not hold up (I've been told) or the harnesses may require adjustments due to stretching. How much does your collie weigh?

[SandyNY]

We should keep this response in the archives someplace because this is a very useful comparison.
Porkchop had the Doggon wheels and like she said, you put the harnesses on the dog then snap the harnesses into the frame; not having to lift him. Porkchop was a samoyed weighing approx. 85 lbs. His cart did not fit thru the doorways. That cart was made a few years ago, so I cannot say if anything has changed in that regard or if it would be different with a smaller dog. Porkchop had and needed good front strength to use his cart. Maybe others can tell you how strong they feel thier dog has to be in front legs to use cart. I would be interested to know, because Porkchop was old yet strong enough to drag himself around. He could do well in the cart for 15 minutes or less.

[Winnie]

Thanks Carol. The info is very useful. My collie weighs around 46 lbs so I can still lift her up. I have sent the measurements to Eddie last evening. So the only thing that I can do now is wait. The rear harness cum diaper wrap that I got here (made in Japan) was not very useful.

[Winnie]

Sandy, the idea of not having to lift the dog is brilliant, but I still have reservation about ordering a quad cart from Doggon because it looks pretty bulky. My apartment is so small it might not even get through the door.

Blanche does not seem to have the strength to drag her rear. Either she sits or she walks w/o balance and tips to her left. With her advanced age and to err on the safe side, I should get her a quad cart.

oh, and did you mean your Samoyed would not want to stay in its Doggon for longer than 15 minutes? I would have thought they could run and play for as long as they like in the cart provided they have strong front legs, no?

[Winnie]

Thanks Beth. I've sent the measurements to Eddie and hope I'll hear from them reeeeeeal soon. I'll certainly keep you posted of Blanche's development. Good luck to you and Weeble as well. Both of you will be in my prayers.

[Murphy's Dad]

Even though you have already made your choice, I'll speak on Doggon Wheels.

Our Murphy went down six years ago due to two ruptured discs. We looked, studied, researched all the carts available and went with Doggon. It was worth every penny. Yes, the saddle is adjustable, it allows you to set the seat height so the hind paws don't touch the ground or do. We used it to help Murphy learn to walk again. We started with his paws just touching the ground, but the cart carrying his weight. As he got stronger and more coordinated, we lowered the saddle more so he would bear more weight. Now its only used for side to side support on very long walks. The saddle is made of neoprene so it retains its shape and does not stretch over time, nor will it tear and can be easily washed. The saddle can also be converted into a sling with the optional handle. As for build quality, it is excellent. In six years, all I have had to do it tighten a bolt or two and replace the tires. Yes, Murphy wore out a set of tires. Doggon Wheels is a very light, strong, and reliable cart that will give your dog many years of service.

Murphy's World - One Special Beagle

[CarolC]

However, we have lately been thinking about how incomplete advice can be expensive. This week there was another collie on this message board with some similar symptoms to you dog. It turns out he had degenerative myelopathy which progressed rapidly and he passed away. There is no reason to think this is what your dog has, the only similarity is the breed (collies are one breed affected) and the loss of use of the hind legs and front legs. He could have so many other things causing the same symptoms. However, if it was that, you might be spending a sizeable amount of money for a cart that would get little or no use if the condition continued to progress. I guess you just need to think about how his front leg weakness is progressing and how you want to proceed. Will it be manufactured and get through Customs quickly enough for him to enjoy it?

I'm sure I'd go ahead and order the cart, it is just more complicated because you are in Hong Kong. Normally you can resell an Eddie's or Doggon' cart (in fact both manufacturers will list it as secondhand and help you sell it!) but I don't know how that works with a cart in Hong Kong. I am just trying to give you one more viewpoint to consider.

[CarolC]

Evans mobility

<a href="http://www.dogkart.com/">Dogkart</a>

<a href="http://www.eddieswheels.com/html/quad.html">Eddie's Wheels</a>

<a href="http://www.doggon.com/products/quad.html">Doggon' Wheels</a>

<a href="http://www.k9carts.com/cart.html">K-9 Carts West</a>

Petmobile

<a href="http://www.mri.jhu.edu/~dara/cart_design_p3.php">K-9 Carts East</a>

<a href="http://www.mri.jhu.edu/~dara/cart_design_p4.php">K=9 Carts East another model</a>

[Winnie]

Thanks Murphy's Dad. I dunno, I might switch to Doggon if Eddie doesn't revert to me sooner. I admit that I'm pretty desperate !
How long did Murphy's cart arrive after you confirmed the order?