Harnesses for Three Legged Dogs
Harnesses for Three Legged Dogs
Our poodle had his leg amputated today, and a few days ago I suddenly realised that I have no idea how we'd take him travelling anymore. We (my parents and brother and I) love our dog very much and want to keep him safe in the car. He sits in the back middle seat with a safety harness on- we also use this harness to take him for walks but if need be we *could* use a collar for that (but it doesn't feel as safe and I'd worry about choking since he pulls a bit), and we want to keep doing this in some way. But I doubt the harness would work with only one leg to hold it in place. Any ideas on how we can keep him safe in the car?
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Re: Harnesses for Three Legged Dogs
just keep doing the things you've always done, with a few modifications. i know it doesn't seem so...but once the surgery is in the past and the stitches are out (after about two weeks) things actually start returning to normal. you'll cover less distance...but you'll do all the things you've always done again.
will you be starting chemo?
will you be starting chemo?
Re: Harnesses for Three Legged Dogs
Chemo wasn't offered to us. My dad did some research and knows that it is available, but our vet said nothing to us about it. What do you think that means, that he doesn't need it, or that they just can't provide it, or can't be bothered telling us about it?
We'll still be taking him for walks and in the car, but... how does the harness stay put with his leg missing?
We'll still be taking him for walks and in the car, but... how does the harness stay put with his leg missing?
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Re: Harnesses for Three Legged Dogs
Hi Adelaide,
If your dog keeps pulling you while you walk, you can use a gentle leader. Since it goes on his "mouth", the missing leg won't be an issue. I don't use it on my dog for his daily walks, but when he goes somewhere exciting (beach, new parks, etc) he is able to pull even with his three legs.
Karla
If your dog keeps pulling you while you walk, you can use a gentle leader. Since it goes on his "mouth", the missing leg won't be an issue. I don't use it on my dog for his daily walks, but when he goes somewhere exciting (beach, new parks, etc) he is able to pull even with his three legs.
Karla
Re: Harnesses for Three Legged Dogs
hehe... I would actually sort of *like* him to pull. He's only a little dog, he can't pull me over, and he likes going fast and excited and trying to drag us along. That's why the harness is good because then it can't really hurt him when he does it. I'm not trying to train him to walk sedately. 
But thanks for the tip, we might need to use something like that, because just using a collar doesn't feel safe.
But the question was, car safety, mainly. Any ideas? Since he has his harness as a seat belt.
But thanks for the tip, we might need to use something like that, because just using a collar doesn't feel safe.But the question was, car safety, mainly. Any ideas? Since he has his harness as a seat belt.
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Re: Harnesses for Three Legged Dogs
wait and see how the harness fits after.
xena still wears her lifejacket, designed for two front legs...and it twists a little over to her right side...but remains secure and keeps her afloat. every once in awhile we have to straighten it...but it has not lost its integrity because of the missing leg.
where are you located, btw? just wondering if adelaide is your name, or where you are.
there are quite a lot of new people here suddenly...so please forgive me if you've given your name and your dog's name somewhere else and i've 'spaced' it.
about the chemo...
what kind of cancer is it? maybe it's not one considered to spread, although we've had a very sad outcome here recently from a cancer not meant to spread. so i'd be asking questions about that.
xena still wears her lifejacket, designed for two front legs...and it twists a little over to her right side...but remains secure and keeps her afloat. every once in awhile we have to straighten it...but it has not lost its integrity because of the missing leg.
where are you located, btw? just wondering if adelaide is your name, or where you are.
there are quite a lot of new people here suddenly...so please forgive me if you've given your name and your dog's name somewhere else and i've 'spaced' it.
about the chemo...
what kind of cancer is it? maybe it's not one considered to spread, although we've had a very sad outcome here recently from a cancer not meant to spread. so i'd be asking questions about that.
Re: Harnesses for Three Legged Dogs
Adelaide is where I am. I'll see how the harness fits, I just assumed it wouldn't... hmn.
Dad just told me it was a 'soft tissue sarcoma' (I can't spell the 'sarcoma' part and I didn't ask him how to spell it, but that's how it sounded). I asked him to please ask the vet about spreading and so on. Apparently they've done xrays and blood tests to see if it had spread elsewhere.
Dad just told me it was a 'soft tissue sarcoma' (I can't spell the 'sarcoma' part and I didn't ask him how to spell it, but that's how it sounded). I asked him to please ask the vet about spreading and so on. Apparently they've done xrays and blood tests to see if it had spread elsewhere.
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Re: Harnesses for Three Legged Dogs
Hi and welcome.
Just wanted to chime in with my thoughts. First off which leg is it? My Tyler had his front leg amputated and following the surgery he really did not like to sit a whole lot. He actually preferred to lay down because it was too tiring resting all the weight on the one front leg. Now he did have some arthtritis too so this might be part of the reason. I'm not sure how far you will be travelling with him but he might not be too comfortable sitting for long periods of time. Can you crate him? Also as far as walking we had to use a retractable leash. Tyler would go so fast and so hop so high that a regular leash choked him. He would hop so fast that he would get so far ahead and then wait for us to catch up. Best of luck to you.
Amy and ^Tyler^
Just wanted to chime in with my thoughts. First off which leg is it? My Tyler had his front leg amputated and following the surgery he really did not like to sit a whole lot. He actually preferred to lay down because it was too tiring resting all the weight on the one front leg. Now he did have some arthtritis too so this might be part of the reason. I'm not sure how far you will be travelling with him but he might not be too comfortable sitting for long periods of time. Can you crate him? Also as far as walking we had to use a retractable leash. Tyler would go so fast and so hop so high that a regular leash choked him. He would hop so fast that he would get so far ahead and then wait for us to catch up. Best of luck to you.
Amy and ^Tyler^
Re: Harnesses for Three Legged Dogs
It's his front leg. He has no sign of arthritis, he's a very healthy 12 year old poodle. Excluding the missing leg, obviously. When he's in the car and harnessed (previous to the operation), he usually lay down while wearing it. The harness was to stop him flying through the windshield if we had an accident.
No, I can't crate him, he absolutely hates it. It would very much be a last resort.
No, I can't crate him, he absolutely hates it. It would very much be a last resort.
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