information to help you on your journey

There is a lot of information on the internet about living with a three legged dog. The important thing to remember is that dogs are very adaptable to this. Obviously there are issues that will need to be worked out like stairs, maintaining a healthy weight, joint support, lifting, keeping your pet from overdoing it and getting in and out of a vehicle, etc. None of which are insurmountable. 

Tricks & Ideas: 

Steps/stairs: folding a towel and placing it under your dogs hind quarters, then holding both ends to help support their weight works well. You can also purchase a special strap to do this.

Legs & Paws: Keep an eye on your pup's other legs and paws. You may notice that they will take a beating at times because your dog is compensating. Also the sides of the remaining legs tend to get worn down because there will be more skidding on their butt when on slippery surfaces or when tired. Surfaces that don't allow your dog to grip with their nails are especially treacherous. If you have hard floors, adding some non-slip area rugs is helpful.

You may also find that sitting on hard floors is also difficult. Without a rug for your dog to grip, their backside slips out from under them making it hard to get lovies and pets.

https://www.petful.com/pet-health/three-legged-pets-post-amputation-care/ 

To be honest we haven't really conquered Beau's allergy problems yet. It seems like when we find something that works, it is only short lived, especially with finding the right food for his tender stomach.  One thing that we have done is added some water to his food. this helps to slow him down while he eats so he doesn't gulp in so much air. Gulping is bad! It also helps to fill him up since we have lowered the amount of food we are feeding him to bring his weight down.  

And then there are the issues with his ears. It appears to be some type of allergy related problem.  We thought it was related to him swimming in the pool, but he has problems all year round. Keeping his ears clean and using the wash the vet provides is a crucial component to limiting the number of times he needs actual vet prescribed medication. 

https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/dog-allergies-symptoms-treatment/

Josh has come a long way from the 6-month old pup we visited at the original Every Dog's Dream facility in PETCO. It has been a long, slow, process. Much of the progress happens on Josh's own timeline. We support him, deal with his known triggers, and gently 'push' him to travel out of his comfort zone. He used to spend most of his time in the Momz bathroom, where he usually sleeps at night. Now, I make sure he comes upstairs with me to be part of the pack in our living room area. We used to have to gate the top of the stairs to keep him with us, but now he stays on the top floor either in Jenn's bedroom or the open floor plan that contains the living room space, kitchen and dining room. He also accesses the doggie door to play in the yard with the other doggos. He spends most of the day slowly pacing around the upstairs and rarely lays down on one of the dog beds. Sometimes he will come over to us so he can get and give some lovies. This is happening more and more. He has also started to sit in the living room once in a while. He will play with the other doggos in the living room too until he thinks he has done something wrong, then he trots back to Jenn's room. 

Sammy, luckily, does not have a serious issue with macroglossia. He can eat, drink, breath and function as a normal doggo should. Sometimes his tongue gets really dry, but that hasn't presented itself as a problem either. Macroglossia is a serious issue with some dogs, however. it especially presents a big issue with drinking liquids and eating. Everything involved with a dog's mouth being able to function properly is crucial to their existence. Healthy teeth and gums and a functioning tongue are critical to a dog's survival. Don't underestimate the importance of brushing your dog's teeth. A good teeth cleaning at the vet can be very helpful, but using anesthesia with animals is never without some risk. Piggybacking a teeth cleaning when other issues require anesthesia can sometimes be performed and limit the use of anesthesia.

https://wagwalking.com/condition/macroglossia

https://bikehike.org/what-causes-a-dogs-tongue-to-hang-out/

https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/keep-dog-teeth-clean/

Mercie is a natural. She has a sixth sense and is incredibly in tune with how Tracie is feeling. 

We don't know a lot about Josh's early history. He came to Every Dog's Dream around the age of 6 months. He was already extremely anxious, scared, and withdrawn. He had little or no trust of anybody. Even his fosters had a limited one on one relationship with him. He still cowers if he even imagines that you are going to strike him. Josh must have been abused somehow in his early life. Even knowing the horrible things some "people" inflict on animals, it is difficult to imagine what could have happened to cause Josh to feel and act like he does. With patience and a lot of time, Josh is definitely making progress. He is a very loving and good natured doggo and I hate to see the suffering in his eyes at times. It makes me sad that others can't enjoy him and that he is too afraid to enjoy others in return. He has so much to offer. AND we are determined to give him the happy, loving home he and every dog deserves.

https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/treating-dog-anxiety/

https://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/behavioral/c_dg_fears_phobia_anxiety

also try google: helping a dog with anxiety issues videos