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Dog Wheelchair Life

Teaching people to care for a paralyzed dog

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Resources

Sophie-on-grass

The Importance of Good Communication with Your Dog

May 19, 2020 by Sharon Seltzer

The final chapter in Sophie and my story is about the importance of good communication. I’m not talking about communication between you and your spouse or between you and your vet. I think it’s important to listen to your dog. It’s my opinion that dogs are great communicators. The following lessons will help you understand …

Read moreThe Importance of Good Communication with Your Dog
Sophie3

Taking Care of a Paralyzed Dog Requires a Good Routine and Work Ethic

May 19, 2020 by Sharon Seltzer

It took a while to find our rhythm, but eventually Sophie and I worked out a daily schedule that met her needs. We found that taking care of a paralyzed dog requires a good routine and work ethic. A solid routine makes life smooth on the good days and a strong work ethic will get …

Read moreTaking Care of a Paralyzed Dog Requires a Good Routine and Work Ethic
Women embracing in rehab group at therapy session

When Friends Think You Need an Intervention

May 18, 2020 by Sharon Seltzer

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 …

Read moreWhen Friends Think You Need an Intervention
Paralyzed dogs are prone to urinary tract infections.

Finding Mary Poppins

May 18, 2020 by Sharon Seltzer

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 …

Read moreFinding Mary Poppins
Dog and founder Dog Wheelchair Life

Don’t Lose Sight of the Rituals Your Disabled Dog Loves

May 18, 2020 by Sharon Seltzer

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 …

Read moreDon’t Lose Sight of the Rituals Your Disabled Dog Loves
Sophie-LG

You Tube, A Cozy Bed and Transportation

May 18, 2020 by Sharon Seltzer

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.

Read moreYou Tube, A Cozy Bed and Transportation
Nadeln

The First Lessons About Life With A Paralyzed Dog

May 18, 2020 by Sharon Seltzer

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, …

Read moreThe First Lessons About Life With A Paralyzed Dog
Dog and founder Dog Wheelchair Life

Life with Three Dogs

May 15, 2020 by Sharon Seltzer

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.

Read moreLife with Three Dogs
Soph-and-Ken

Lots of Medical Tests

May 15, 2020 by Sharon Seltzer

By Fall Sophie’s life and my life revolved around lots of medical tests. Each was designed to diagnose the cause of her progressive hind end weakness, but in our case, they only ruled out the conditions she didn’t have. They call that, diagnosis by elimination. It was a frustrating time. No matter what we did, …

Read moreLots of Medical Tests
Seltzer-dogs-cropped

Lots of Changes in Our Life

May 13, 2020 by Sharon Seltzer

Once Sophie recovered from Distemper, our family went into an adjustment period with the new puppy. That meant lots of changes in our life. I don’t know how you feel about change, but I’m not a big fan. I prefer the status quo where I can be in control. But we can’t hold back life …

Read moreLots of Changes in Our Life
Sophie who inspired Dog Wheelchair LIFE

Canine Distemper Is Usually Seen in Puppies

May 13, 2020 by Sharon Seltzer

All of my dogs have come from rescue groups and city shelters. I never had one come down with Distemper until I adopted Sophie. In the U.S. canine distemper is usually seen in puppies that come from overcrowded rescues and not-so-reputable pet shops. That’s due to the fact that one of the first vaccinations young …

Read moreCanine Distemper Is Usually Seen in Puppies
Sophie the dog who inspired Dog Wheelchair LIFE

How Sophie Joined Our Family

May 12, 2020 by Sharon Seltzer

I don’t know how your family makes the decision to add a new pet, but the story of how Sophie joined our family started with a bet at a baseball game. We were vacationing in Chicago and decided to take in a game at Wrigley Field.  My husband made the wager in an attempt to …

Read moreHow Sophie Joined Our Family
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Amazon Affiliate Disclosure

DogWheelchairLife.com is a blog that teaches pet families how to care for their paralyzed dog. As the owner, I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and the Amazon Influencer Program. These are affiliate programs designed for sites to earn advertising fees (commissions) by linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate and Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases. For more details, visit the Affiliate Disclosure page

We Are A Resource for Pet Owners

Dog Wheelchair LIFE teaches pet families how to care for their paralyzed dog. This is not a medical site and I am not a veterinarian. I am a blogger and pet mom who was the caretaker for Sophie, a paraplegic dog. I’m also a co-founder of the Heaven Can Wait Animal Society in Las Vegas, NV and an animal writer who has contributed to websites and magazines.

The information shared on this site is based on my personal experience and the research I do for each story. Please do not use the content from this blog in place of professional veterinary care.

Articles from this site may not be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from me, Sharon Seltzer.

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