Three legged dogs find it easier to walk at a faster pace, and may have difficulty making quick or sharp turns.

They also have less balance, and are more prone to falling down.

Walking with a 3 Legged Dog

1. A Harness Can Provide Support

Using a harness can give our three legged dog more support, when we are out on a walk. I found this to be especially helpful, in the beginning.

We can also use the harness to quickly and safely turn, restrain, or move our dog. This is useful to stop a tripod dog from running ahead, and to get her safely away from dangerous objects, for example broken glass.

I was using the Ruffwear Web Master Harness on Shania, and it worked out well. It is strong, provides good back support, and has fleece material over the leg straps, so that they do not overly chafe her at the joints.

However, this harness may limit air flow during hot days, and cause the dog to heat up more easily.

Another weakness of using a harness is that it gives the dog a lot of pulling power. Shania has very strong prey-drive, so it was very difficult to control her pulling, whenever she spotted a squirrel, cat, or deer. For leash training exercises, I find that it is more effective to use a thick, no-slip collar.

Siberian Shania wearing her RuffWear harness before a walk at the park.

2. How to Stop Pulling

Siberian Shania is good at hand targeting.

Being a Siberian Husky, Shania does a fair amount of pulling during walks. To stop her from pulling, I have tried using the Gentle Leader head halti.

The halti works well in controlling the direction of her head, and redirecting her away from undesirable objects and situations. However, Shania really dislikes wearing it, and she will occasionally plop down on the ground in passive protest. It is difficult to get her up again, by just using the head collar.

The same applies when she decides to hang back, dig in, and not move forward. For dealing with these situations, I usually have Shania’s collar or harness on, in addition to the halti.

Also note that the head collar is not a long-term solution. It does not train our dog not to pull, but just prevents the pulling. Once we remove the halti, our dog will likely start to pull again.

To train Shania not to pull, I use a combination of hand-targeting and treating, when she is voluntarily walking by my side. If she starts to pull, I first give her a verbal warning to slow down. If she does not listen, then I stop her, make her do a Sit and Wait, re-target her on my hand, and then move on. When I am using a collar instead of a harness, I sometimes use my hand to hold back her chest. This gives her more support, during a forced stop.

Some trainers suggest doing a 180-turn-around, to stop pulling. This does not work as well with three legged dogs, because forcing them to turn quickly may cause them to fall, and place undue stress on their feet. When I need to turn or change direction, I make sure to do it slowly, and at a pace that Shania is comfortable with. It is also possible to use leash-jerks to discourage pulling, but I no longer use aversive techniques for a variety of reasons.

Nowadays, I almost always use a flat collar while walking Shania. She is better at walking now, and although she still pulls when she sees a squirrel or other prey, she will usually stop when I tell her to. I use the Premier Nylon Martingale Collar, which works very well for preventing collar escapes. It is also nice and thick, which helps to distribute the force around the neck, when a dog pulls.

Shania seems most comfortable with just a flat-collar.

Ready for a nap after a morning walk in the hills.

3. Short Walks and Rest

Three legged dogs tire more easily, so take them for short but more frequent walks. During longer walks, make sure to stop often (in a shady spot if possible), provide plenty of water, and keep our dog cool.

Three legged dogs will take some time to build up their walking stamina, so start with brief walks, and increase the distance slowly.

Stairs, uneven ground, and raised surfaces, may be difficult to navigate, so be patient, and provide help as necessary.

4. Protect Our 3 Legged Dog

Three legged dogs may feel vulnerable in the presence of new dogs.

Siberian Shania deals with new dogs mostly through appeasement.

Three legged dogs may feel more vulnerable in the presence of new dogs. When threatened, there are four possible dog responses – fight, flight, freeze, or appease. Conditions are often fluid, and a dog may decide to change from one strategy to another.

My Husky Shania deals with unknown dogs, mostly through appeasement. She will roll onto her side or back, and offer them her tummy. Sometimes, when there are highly active dogs nearby, she will choose to run away.

It is important to step in, and protect our three legged dog from unwanted attention.

Sometimes, I bring Shania to a dog playgroup. When there are overly hyper dogs about, I step in and body block them away from Shania. In this way, she does not have to deal with stressful situations alone. If necessary, I do the same when she meets new dogs during walks. By keeping things positive, she will hopefully gain more confidence, and feel more comfortable when interacting with her dog friends.

Be vigilant and keep bad social experiences from occurring, as that may cause our three legged dog to become fearful. This may ultimately lead to dog aggression, depression, or other dog behavioral problems.

In fact I would step in and protect any of my dogs from rude dogs and rude people, although I have to admit that I am more protective over Shania.

Protect our 3 legged dog from unwanted attention.

If we have multiple dogs, be aware of how the whole pack acts in the presence of unfamiliar visitors. The rest of the pack may feel the need to protect their more vulnerable sibling, and become aggressive to other dogs.

My Shiba Inu is very protective of Shania. I always supervise very closely when introducing them to new dogs. Usually, I keep Shiba on a lead, and let Shania interact with the new dog first. Once they are getting along fine, I let Shiba loose, and continue with close supervision. If Shiba displays any aggressive behavior, play stops, and he goes on a mini time-out. What the whole pack should understand, is that we are in charge of their safety, and we do the protecting when it is needed.

My other dog, a Shiba Inu, is very protective of Shania.

5. Socialize Our 3 Legged Dog

Socialize our 3 legged dog at a pace that she is comfortable with.

Note that three legged dogs may feel more vulnerable, and may be more fearful of new things.

It is important to socialize our dog to as many new experiences (garbage truck, umbrella, all types of people) as we can, so that she gains confidence, and is less likely to show fear aggression.

Let our three legged dog approach new experiences at her own pace, and make sure to reward and praise her well for taking small steps.

Let our three legged dog approach new experiences at her own pace.

As a result, three legged dogs are not very common, and they generally stand out.

Because they are uncommon, three legged dogs generally stand out.

Many people will feel sorry for a tripod dog, and want to console or hug her. Be ready to repeat your amputation story many many times.

Others will assume you are a bad dog owner, or think it is cruel to have a dog with three legs. People have difficulty dealing with disability, and sometimes, interacting with such people can be stressful and depressing.

In fact, interactions with people may be one of the more challenging aspects of living with a three legged dog.

People and 3 Legged Dogs

There are generally four groups of people that I meet –

1. The Judge.

Judges automatically assume that the amputation is a horrible thing to do.

Judges automatically assume that the amputation is a horrible thing to do, and is somehow the fault of the current owner. These people will often give me dirty looks as I walk by, and whisper “irresponsible owner … from a car accident”.

I used to be bothered by this, but now I just ignore them.

Judges are only interested in seeing their own view of the world.

They assume the worst of others, so that they will feel better about themselves.

Shania is a very brave and awesome girl. She went through several surgeries to try and straighten her leg when she was young.

2. The Over-Sympathizers.

Dogs deal with disability a lot better than people do. We should take a page from their book.

Over-sympathizers feel extreme pity for three legged dogs.

They generally think that amputation is not the right thing to do, because they feel three legged dogs have a sad, sad, life.

• “Oh you poor thing.”,
• “Can she function properly?”,
• “Should you walk your three legged dog?“,
• “Is she happy?”,

… are all common responses.

I personally do not mind over-sympathizers because they are willing to strike up a conversation, as well as give Shania some scratching and tummy rubs.

Shania likes tummy scratches.

3. The Supporter

These are commonly people who have friends with three legged dogs, or who have had first hand experience with dog disability.

They know that tripod dogs have just as much fun as the next dog, and they usually offer support and useful advice on how to care for a tripod.

3 legged dogs have just as much fun as the next dog.

4. The Interested

Finally there are people who do not know much about three legged dogs, but are curious about them, and interested in hearing more about my experiences with Shania.

When I was considering amputation for Shania, I was also very confused, and did not know what quality of life she will have. However, my wonderful Siberian Husky has shown me that tripod dogs can get along very well, and lead a happy, active, rich life.

Some special care has to be taken in some areas, especially in foot care, and management of the environment (e.g. slippery surfaces). Overall, however, Shania is much easier to care for than my Shiba Inu, because she has such a happy and relaxed temperament.

No matter whom you meet, always remember that you made the right choice.

A three legged dog is just like any other dog – fun, loving, and full of surprises.

Shania - She is more awesome than words can say!