Teaching My Tripod Dog to Use a Wheel Cart

Babe is my special dog and deserves nothing but the best. After losing her left rear leg as a puppy, enduring a neglectful beginning to her life, she is now about 6 years old and is the smartest, most obedient dog I've ever had. As a Rottweiler mix, she makes a great watch dog.

But as she grows older, the remaining rear leg has been taking all the weight and is now suffering some breakdown of the joint cartilages. We have her on natural joint care supplements, and it helps, but continued stress makes it difficult to see much progress. That's why we wanted to get her some physical help to allow the good leg to recover from the stress of having to do all the work. These dogs are prone to joint problems anyway, so losing a leg just put her at greater risk.

So we appealed to others for help, and through generous donations, we finally were able to obtain her "doggie wheel chair," or, Wheel Cart. It's a DwaneCart and is one of the most lightweight dog vehicles available.

Here she is on her first day, "trying it on:"



Today was her third day of training to learn how to walk in it, and to tweak the settings so it's most comfortable. Once she has the walking down, she will no doubt figure out she can also run!

Yes, you CAN teach an old dog new tricks

There is a common saying that reflects a very common belief, and that is, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks."

Well, I'm here to tell you that isn't true. I used to believe it myself, but I learned differently by personal experience.

Many years ago, I had a roommate who had an old dog -- a small poodle named Benji. Benji was almost blind, due to cataracts, and very nearly deaf as well. He was 13. And he had absolutely no manners. He'd never been taught to do anything.

Oh, he was a loving pooch whose mission in life seemed to be to please everyone, but he was prone to emotional outbursts and excitement because he had never learned how to behave as an obedient dog. He was "outta control!"

I found it rather annoying and set out to teach this little brat some manners. My roommate said it was useless and that I would give up right away, once I saw how pointless it was going to be.

Well, within 2 weeks, I had that dog responding to five basic commands, all with hand signals because he couldn't hear well.

He learned to sit, stay, roll over, lie down and shake "hands," though not in that order.

My roommate was absolutely astonished, and to be honest, so was I!

If you want to know how I taught him to do these things so quickly, you need to get my free report, How I Taught An Old Dog New Tricks.

I have to admit something, too, that surprises everyone, including me: I have no training in how to train a dog.

This is why I say, train your own dog at home... it's not too hard... Well... usually not. Some dogs do require different methods, and a lot depends on the traits of the dog and its breed, and you still may need to consult a pro and/or read some books. And to help you out, I'll be looking for and recommending books as I find them.

What I did was based on two things: common sense, with an understanding of the dog's specific personal needs, and persistence (and probably suspension of the belief that it couldn't be done).

Benji died in his sleep one night, but he was a happy dog. He had found order and purpose in his life... something many of us hope for, too.

Train Your Own Dog With These Tips

Did you just get a new dog? Why not learn to train him yourself? It's not rocket science, and if you are willing to take the responsibility, it can be a fun and rewarding experience. It also can help create a strong bond between you and your new pet.

If you're just starting out with a puppy, it will be all the more fun. Puppies are playful and exuberant and ready to learn! For today, this is just an introduction to the subject. Keep an eye out for upcoming tips, lessons, product reviews and more!