Dog Wheelchair Life
Teaching people to care for a paralyzed dog
Being the caretaker of a paralyzed pet isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. And even though the people around you are supportive, because they know it’s what you want to do, there will come a time when your friends think you need an intervention. I was completely surprised when it happened to me. It’s my goal …
The first six months of being Sophie’s caretaker flew by. Ken and I were constantly learning and fine-tuning our skills. But after 18 months we were burnt out. We hadn’t been out of the house together for more than a couple of hours at a time. And when we did leave home, there was always …
The next lessons Sophie taught my family all had to do with the importance of incorporating our old habits into our new routine. So many daily activities changed after Sophie became paralyzed. It was way too easy to lose sight of the rituals your disabled dog loves. For instance, we spent time making sure to …
If you’re wondering what YouTube, a cozy bed and transportation have to do with the daily care of a paralyzed dog, they’re the third, fourth and fifth Lessons I learned from Sophie. Here’s how they played out in our lives.
My next step to find treatment options for Sophie took me in a familiar direction. I turned to my computer for answers. It’s something I do every time life throws me a curve. Pouring over pages of research gives me a sense of control and makes it feel like I’m taking action. In this case, …
Cody was a stunningly handsome shepherd/collie mix who I was sure would make our life with three dogs absolutely wonderful. That happened eventually, but it took nearly a year to get there. At first life seemed a lot like the movie 50 First Dates.
