Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

My boyfriend and I have have now lost two of our dogs to Degenerative Myelopathy. Both dogs were senior German Shepherds, and they got sick one right after the other. This cart didn't work for the first dog that got sick, unfortunately. But by the time the second dog started showing signs, we were more proactive and this cart prolonged the second dog's life and allowed her to continue going out and walking and hiking, just past her 15th birthday. The reasons this cart didn't work for the first dog: -She was afraid of the cart (keep this in mind when ordering. You can build up your dog's confidence slowly, but it's also a race against time when your dog is losing strength every day) -She was not able to use her rear legs at all and her front legs were starting to weaken. Your dog will need strength in the front end to be able to stand and pull himself with this cart. -We ran out of time. Don't wait too long. When the time you have left is a matter of months, you can't waste any time. The second dog adjusted well to being in the cart. She was still able to use her rear legs when we started using it, and being able to walk farther meant she was able to maintain what little muscle she had for a while longer. Her main problem was balance and toe-dragging, and the cart took most of the risk of falling out of the equation. She was able to go for a few more hikes, and one last trip to the beach. Being able to get out of the house and sniff and go places had a great effect on her mood. She would get so excited when she saw me pull the cart out of its corner. It was also nice for me, as her owner, to be able to continue to do things with her instead of watching her lie on her bed all the time. The cart deals well with curbs, rocks, sand, and tree roots. You can go hiking as long as the trail is wide enough for the cart. The cart needs periodic adjustments; the wheels may tighten down to the point where they require a lot of effort to turn. Make sure to check for this as it will be very tiring for your dog. You will have to teach or guide your dog to leave more space next to them (don't let them walk too close to garden walls or bushes or the cart wheels will start climbing onto these objects and possibly capsize your dog). You will also have to teach or guide your dog to make wider turns. And downhill/uphill walking will be harder for your dog, especially once the rear legs are hoisted up in the stirrups and they only have two legs to drive the cart. Start slow and build a few minutes at a time depending on how your dog handles it.