We’ve been developing our front wheel carts for 10 years. We were inspired by dogs born with congenital malformations or missing limbs, and front leg amputees who struggle to walk distances and maintain a healthy posture.  We have built hundreds of front wheel carts with great success.

Eddie’s design is the only front wheel cart on the market that addresses this disability with a simple two-wheeled cart, which, when properly balanced, allows these dogs to reach the ground to sniff, sit with their heads high, and play with other dogs.

Willa, born without forelimbs, sits up tall in her front wheel cart.

Sit

Willa can sniff and eat while in her wheels.

Sniff

Playing tug with Webster, her brother, born with deformed front legs

Play

Front wheel carts are very adjustable for height and length. The mesh harness that cradles the chest fully supports the dog’s trunk.  An adjustable strap under the tummy keeps the cart from tipping over.

Notice how long and level Willa’s back is while supported in her canine cart.

In January 2010, we adopted Willa and Webster, chihuahua/dachshund siblings who were born without front legs, in order to learn more about the special challenges associated with front wheel carts.
Since a percentage of these dogs are born with front legs that are missing or deformed, we have sometimes been able to build puppy carts with “room to grow”.  We have found that getting these dogs into carts at an early age:

• Supports healthy posture and conformation
• Teaches them to use their rear legs with an articulated gait, instead of bunny hopping.

Some dogs that have been compensating for their disabilities would benefit from a consultation with a canine physical therapist, rehab vet, or canine chiropractor.  This was the case with Webster, who we found was not fully weight bearing on his left side – a visit to our holistic vet confirmed that his hips and shoulders were out of alignment.

Training:

Front wheel carts do present a more challenging learning curve for both the dog and the owner.  Owners should expect to spend several weeks training their dogs to use a cart.  Patience, perseverance and special treats will also facilitate the process.  Every cart comes with instructions about how to adjust the balance of the cart, and the necessary tools to do this.

Click here to see our Front Wheel Carts Training Video:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Couk1RLnB3A

To Order:

To order a front wheel cart, download the front wheel cart measurement form. Be sure to hold the dog in a healthy normal stance and to provide us with straight line measurements.  For instructions on how to measure A – E, you may click on the Measurement/Order tab at the top of any page.  Feel free to call us for a phone consultation about your dog’s front leg disabilities: 888-211-2700.  It will also be important for us to know if the rear legs are or have been compromised in any way,  presently or in the past.

Below, see some of our happy customers:

Roosevelt’s a ball chasing fool in his front wheel canine cart.

At Eddie’s Wheels, we make mobility carts.

Roosevelt, a border collie with deformed forelimbs – watch his video!

Sugar, a 9 month old brain-damaged shih-tzu, who lost mobility in all four legs following surgery:

Watch the videos of Bella, a pit bull puppy born with deformed front legs race around in her front wheel cart:

And Princess Daisy, a pug puppy who jumps curbs:

Here’s Kate, in her “Ferrarri” – an elderly front leg amputee who strolls the parks and streets of Chicago.

And Finally, here’s Mia, who lost a front leg and shattered her pelvis as a puppy.  To compensate for her arthritic hips, she got a soft yoke to spread out the load on her rear legs, and tip wheels to prevent her from accidentally re-injuring her stump, which had once been infected with MRSA.