Dog pushchairs

[MadisonMontgomery]

Does anyone have a dog pushchair? My dog has torn his cruciate ligament - he's had surgery today and is facing 6 weeks of gradual increasement of exercise. He loooooves getting out & about and seeing people, so I'm considering getting a dog pushchair for him, especially since the vet has said he has a high chance of doing the same thing to the other leg in future and developing osteoarthritis.

Basically what I really want to know is a) do dogs enjoy them; b) can I take him in cafes etc; c) will I be faced with howls of derision?

[Viewofhedges]

I've only ever seen people pushing them (I don't have a dog) but I think they just look like elderly/ill dogs with very kind and loving owners. Sod any derision, if your dog will love it then why not?

Maybe you just need a little sign that says "I've hurt my leg" on it to explain you're not keeping it in there for fun!

or you could put cardboard wings on the pram and dress your dog up as biggles

[ErrolTheDragon]

I've seen elderly/injured dogs in prams (not 'pushchairs') a few times - you'll probably find more cries of 'oh, poor baby' than anything else. No idea about cafes -they vary anyway in dog-friendliness so I'd imagine that you'd need to check with each.

What sort of dog is he?

[ErrolTheDragon]

I've also a couple of times seen perfectly healthy dogs in a bike trailer because they could run alongside the bike for part of the distance but not the full way - and then there's the little dogs happily riding with their owners on mobility scooters.... do whatever suits you and your dog!

[FeckArseIndustries]

a) Dogs love it, as do the cats
b) I've never taken it into a café, as I thought maybe they wouldn't be welcome in there, but they are welcome in DIY stores (where a dog in a trolley is ok but not walking around). Also any little shops where it'd be mistaken for a pram and nobody would notice until you've been in and out. I once surprised the crap out of a bloke who went to coo over my baby. I said she takes after her dad, ahaha.
c) Yes. Well, not howls, but smiles. It's not for the self-conscious really fortunately I couldn't give a shit.

[LilacInn]

I once saw a Yorki in a stroller in a gambling casino. Felt sorry for it. But pushing it along in fresh air would be great for the animal.

[CMOTDibbler]

My friend has one as her elderly dog loves going to the park/beach, but walking on the pavements there hurts her legs too much - and she's too tired to enjoy it when she gets there. Her partner refuses to push it though! The dog loves it.

[MadisonMontgomery]

Ahh thanks everyone, I thought people would be horrified! He's a pug X Lhasa apso, so he's quite small - I think he'd like being higher up so he can nosy at everyone.

[ErrolTheDragon]

Ahh... I can picture him already. A second hand pram would probably suit him perfectly - might have been more challenging if he was a tubby lab or a great dane!

[CavalierKingCharlesSpaniel]

If it was me I'd feel the need to put a little sign on it saying "I've hurt my leg" (as a pp suggested).

There's a very old lady with an old Yorki walks past my house 4 times everyday. She always pushes the dogchair, sometimes dog is walking, sometimes dog is in dogchair. With her I assume its to a) hold the owner up (like a rollator) and b) because dog is old and can't always walk.

However I saw a young, tottering on high heels, make up plastered on, false nails and eye lashes, girl pushing one and I'm ashamed to say I judged. I also had to turn away to laugh.

[tabulahrasa]

I saw a cat in one in hobby craft once...it's not really relevant, but I tell everyone because it still makes me go

[LizzieMacQueen]

Yes use a pram but only if you can find a babygro to fit him - as PP suggested you could have a right laugh with people nosing in for a look. Would he suck a dummy too?

[nell15]

One of these? Got it off amazon

[ErrolTheDragon]

Lizzie - my dog once found a dropped dummy when we were out, and yes, he did suck it, least wise he picked it up by the sucky bit and proudly carried it for a while.

[tabulahrasa]

Like that?... Mine was so sad when I took his best find ever off him.

[ErrolTheDragon]

yes... possibly even dafter with a dachshund ...

[PovertyPain]

I got one for my wee old dog. My DH and I used to go for long walks and he found it too much as he got older. We would walk along a very long beach, then up onto a path by a busy road out to a smaller beach. We'd have a coffee and he would have a frozen yoghurt, while sitting in his stroller. I used to get the odd sarky comment, as they're not common here. In the end I'd say something like, "that tee shirt looks terrible on you" then they'd look shocked and I'd respond with, "oh, I'm sorry I thought this was a two way conversation" But then I'm a cheeky fucker.

[ErrolTheDragon]

And another aww....

Hot tip for warm dogs ... next time someone in your household drops a whole pot of natural/greek yogurt on the floor, scoop as much as you can into ice-cube trays and freeze. Then put in a bag labelled 'dog yog' for cooling treats while you have your 2nd mini magnum unmolested

[tabulahrasa]

Errol - I'm pretty sure any breed of dog looks daft with a dummy, rofl

[MadisonMontgomery]

Errrr... Yes he would happily have a dummy - he stole one off a little girl once & he was distraught when I finally confiscated it