# Slings for getting in the car?



## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

So hate to be posting this but Morgan is having trouble getting in the back of the car. Not when she's getting in to go somewhere, just after she's been walking like today running for an hour all over the park with my boys. 

I've been trying to help her up by hoisting her back legs but I'm thinking maybe this isn't so good and I should do something with a sling? Never mind the affront to her dignity when she tries but can't quite do it when her legs are tired.

Can I use a leash for a sling? Would I just go under her tummy and lift?

Or do I need to make a sling for her? How would I do that, how wide and all that?

Thanks!


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

They have special slings that you can order for seniors, but the fast and cheap alternative would be to use a towel. You COULD use a leash, but I think a towel would be more comfortable for her.


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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

Thanks! I didn't even think of a nice big fluffy beach towel.


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## Remo (Sep 8, 2004)

I have seen folks use the canvas firewood carriers. They are nice because you have handles to grip.


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## LJsMom (Jan 6, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: RemoI have seen folks use the canvas firewood carriers. They are nice because you have handles to grip.


I have a specialty harness for LJ, but lately I've been using my DS's old baby bag. It was an LL Bean canvass bag that I cut so that it's just the handles and the strip in between. It worked great until Wiley ate it.


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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

Joanne, Great idea on the old bags. Could sew a towel into it to make it soft for her. Handles would be really helpful - I've only got about 35lbs on Momma Moon and my back isn't as young as it used to be...


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## sgtmom52 (Aug 30, 2008)

I used a sling on my old girl Kodi who had DM







It usually worked well although if you got it in a spot where it put pressure on her bladder it would empty her bladder rapidly. This could had been partly due to her DM though.


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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

That's another question - do I try to go around her tummy or more towards her ribs? I'm thinking of the pictures on the gsdrne website of Vanessa walking in a sling, looked pretty far back on her belly.


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## jake (Sep 11, 2004)

Tough for me to reply-had bad prob with my last rescue a greyhound-trained to jump into back of car and then he could NOT-he eventually accepted a boost.This was just first sign of lumbosacral problems-he was 10 YO.Just starting to see signs of NOT being to jump into "the most loved car" with my rescue GSD.Giving a good 'run at it or space to get going ' can help.Jake used to be able to jump twice his height from a standstill=he can not now.He still jumps in car if given space for a ronning start


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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

I know, it's hard to think about it. Morgan is my baby cakes, my crazy chick. She's good to go with a running start when we leave the house. After the walk in the park or at the beach, she usually needs some help in. I want to start doing it for her becuase when she tries, it looks like she's hurting herself by not quite making it.

I keep telling myself it's a pretty high deck lid for a station wagon. Never went through this with my other dogs when they got older becuase I had cars, they could just step in.


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## ninhar (Mar 22, 2003)

I tried to use a handled sling for Sheba that was something like this one http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=8082 It would be ok for the back seat, but I found that for getting her into the back of the SUV, picking her up was easier.


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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

I tried to make a sling out an old handle bag, she wiggled out of it like no way are you doing that to me! 

So I'm working on teaching her to put her paws up on the deck and I'll put my arms around her stomach. She's very strong in the chest so as soon as I get those back legs up at the same level with the deck, she hops in the rest of the way. Just needs that extra boost right now. 

She acts a bit indignant about it. Thankful but indignant.

The other day when I took her running in the park - yeah she still runs - I helped her get into the back of the stationwagon. Then she's jumping over into the kids seats and bouncing around. Hello, thought this dog was having trouble getting in...

Maybe instead of a sling, I should get a folding step stool with wide treads so she can walk into the back of the car.


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## Woodreb (Oct 27, 2008)

The step stool might work for her. i tried a ramp with Rica and she didn't like it. I could never get her to even try to walk up it.
I also built a set of stairs so she could get up on the bed, but I made the risers a little to high and it wasn't very easy for her to get up. As long as the steps are more of a standard size (about 7 inches on the risers or less) she might be willing to use it.

I have a Pathfinder and I found with Rica that it was easier for her to get in at the back seat instead of the back of the car when her legs were getting stiffer. She would start up and I would help her in the rest of the way by lifting - like you described. The back of the car was just too high for her and she would fall if she tried to jump up.

Keeping her exercised to keep the muscle mass is important and it's good that she still runs and stuff. I think that's one of the biggest mistakes I made with Rica. And by the time I realized that, it was too late to go back and try to build her muscles back up.


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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

Morgan has done a couple face plants when she tries to jump in like she used. The front end gets in but the back legs just don't get her up as far as she used to. So it makes her hesitant to jump in, even when she's well rested.

I hear that about keeping her exercised. This is a dog who when she was 2 would walk 4 miles and still want to play ball. She's always ready to go - mentally - and it kinda breaks my heart to see her tongue hanging out sideways after 15 minutes in the park. When I see she needs to slow down, I put her leash on, hug her and tell her she's a good girl. The look she gives me nearly makes me want to cry.


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## Woodreb (Oct 27, 2008)

I think I know that look. Rica's absolute favorite game was fetch and she would look devastated if I told her she couldn't play because she needed to rest for a while.

Is Morgan on supplements or something for inflammation? I found that helped Rica alot over the years. We maintained her from the time she was 5 and it wasn't until she was 11 that she slowed down so much that I stopped trying to take her for walks. At that time I would walk her about 0.3 of a mile and she would want to turn around and go home - always walked faster on the way home







. Before that she was always ready to go.
One of the things that used to braeak my heart earlier this year was when we would take her to the park. She couldn't really walk but she would drag herself around to keep up with my DH. But at the same time, I was grateful for her determination.


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## debbiebrown (Apr 13, 2002)

i use a scarf for Toby, mostly when he is going down stairs. if we are getting into the vehicle or going up stairs, i taught him to put his fron feet up on the stairs or the entry to the vehicle while i lift his back end. i hug around his lower half and lift. it helps me when he's got his front end already in place, rather than having to completely lift his whole body.

debbie


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## ninhar (Mar 22, 2003)

> Quote:Maybe instead of a sling, I should get a folding step stool with wide treads so she can walk into the back of the car.


Can't believe I forgot about this. When Cody starting having problems getting into the back of my SUV, BF made a folding step for her to use to get in. It was a bit of a PIA to use, but actually worked pretty well and it was easier to get her to accept a step than it would have been for a ramp. The step was about a foot long and had a strip of carpet on top. She still needed a bit of a boost, but it made loading her in the car easier.


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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

Morgan was on glucosamine but my vet said 'Sometimes we see a difference when we want to see one' I took her off them and he was right. I'm open to suggestions!

I can't remember where I saw the metal folding stools becuase of course I wasn't thinking about this when I saw them. Looked like something easy to just toss in the back. 

Great tip about the carpet - I happen to have some left over peel & stick outdoor carpet from my front porch.


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## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

> Originally Posted By: SunCzarinaMorgan was on glucosamine but my vet said 'Sometimes we see a difference when we want to see one' I took her off them and he was right. .


How long has she been off of them? There is a lasting benefit from good joint supps that will slowly wane over time, perhaps so slowly that you don't notice it.

Btw, I think that's just wrong of your vet to discount joint supps, medical malpractice in my book, there are ample studies that show they help, and can slow the degenerative process.


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## debbiebrown (Apr 13, 2002)

i agree with Lisa, anything that might slow down the degerneration process that is non-evasive is worth doing. i don't know why any vet would discount that. sometimes you need to be your own avocate research, study alternatives and do what you feel is right.
Some vets believe what they believe in the scope of their profession, but it doesn't mean its right. if i had listened to some vets in the past about vaccinations and exisiting health issues that would be aggrivated by them, i would have had serious trouble.


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## Woodreb (Oct 27, 2008)

With Rica, my orthopedic vet gave me a prognosis that she would be completely crippled by the time she was 8. I do believe that the supplements and care we gave her kept that from happening. She was 10 before she started slowing down and it wasn't until she turned 11 that it was really noticeable.
That doesn't mean that I never saw her limping after a lot of exercise. But I really believe that the supplements made a difference for her over the years. I take the stuff, myself, for some arthritis in my fingers. I can tell if I skipped a few days - the fingers bother me a whole lot more.


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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

I stopped giving her glucosamine after her last bi-annual in May. Over the summer I didn't see any difference but maybe you're right, the effects have worn off. Maybe she's not getting 'better' on it but to slow down the effects, I'm all for that. When she was 6, she started having arthritis. The hips were fair when she was 2...


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## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

And your vet should have pushed for a good quality supplement.

This is a huge pet peeve of mine (lol, no pun initially intended!)......think of how the vets' personal dogma has failed to help all those dogs (and others) that they come into contact with. How many vets in a town? How many towns across the state? the nation? Just ticks me off......


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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

I really like my vet - he saved Old Romeo's life when we first moved here. My old vet said Romeo had a BB in his back - it was a cyst that had been there for years. When I tried out the new vet on neighbor recommendations, he said no that is a huge cyst and showed me how to tell the difference between a cyst and a mass. 

So that's I'm sure blocking my views - he's always taken good care of my dogs but he is getting old and I can't say I care for many of the vet techs he's hired recently. 

I think I will start looking for a new vet for her, more holistic and less old school, here feed your fat dog some science diet...


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## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

It doesn't mean your vet is all bad, or that you should change vets, just that you have to keep a watchful eye, and realize that *none of them* have all the answers. So much of it depends on how you are able to work with your vet....one of my favorite vets did everything I wouldn't, but we worked well together for many years. Unfortunately, we ran into a situation where we both drew a line in the sand....


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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

I've been thinking about switching for a while - becuase all his degrees say either 1950 or 1960 something. 

Morgan is the healthiest dog I've ever had so I'm not too worried about her coming down with something a younger less experienced vet wouldn't know what it is. Yeah she's got arthritis and the fair hips, but knock on wood, except for one ear infection when I first had her and a bout of dire rear, she has never been sick. In 7 1/2 years. (Knock wood again)

She's the rare german shepherd who can drink a bowl of milk and have a normal poop







She'd get very angry with me if I dump out that milk.


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## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

You are very fortunate!!


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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

I have been lucky with her. Breaks my heart to see her slowing down. She hasn't always been perfect though lol she was a teenage terror, way worse than Otto. He's a goober but she was a mental case!


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## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

I bought these stairs:
http://tinyurl.com/ygfumkx

To help the dogs to climb up on the bed. They won't use them. They hate them. They are a bit unstable for large GSD. The carpet is a bit slippery, so I bought some non-skid stuff and replaced their carpet. They didn't like it any better.

For the car, I have a ramp that I use for Max to get into the back area, but I found that these stairs work really well. They are really awkward to load in and out of the backseat, BUT, they are easier to lift and maneuver than the metal ramp, and I don't have to worry about nicking my car with the metal. If it's raining, no problem with them getting wet either. 

So, they may not work well for the bed, but they are working well for the car.


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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

I'm wrecking my brain trying to remember where I saw the folding step stool with rubber treads! Last few times she's been out, I've put her paws on the deck and lifted her into the car. She's very indignant about that.

She can get in and out of the car fine the back seat if I take out one of the kids carseats. Trouble with that is it undoes years of training not to jump in the backseat so she wouldn't jump on the kids heads!


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## jake (Sep 11, 2004)

I had BAAD probs with my recue greyhound-last dog before Jake-with spinal stenosis as he aged.One thing you might try is teaching "feet up" command.many dogs can manage to get feet up into bed or car but do not have ability to get their whole body up due to hind end weakness.After mastery of feet-up then you need to need to train compliance with YOU lifting hind end.Teach feet-up first then lifting.


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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

I've been trying that with her. She doesn't seem to want to jump up with just her front legs so I lift her front legs onto the deck and lift then she does the rest. She acts like I'm hurting her pride!

This is why I'm thinking folding step ladder for her - she could get in the car under her power and keep her dignity.


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## jake (Sep 11, 2004)

Hard for me to talk about my greyhound-but I always felt it was not a matter of hurt pride but that tootall realized he was becoming disabled and had a fear of it.On an animal level fear of disability is real (don't think fear of death is any way known by dogs)-they still live in a world where weakness is more of a threat than anything else.Sometimes humans can not take away that real and present sense of anxiety dogs have.


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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

Good point. Morgan was always the queen around here, Otto was her redheaded step child. She laid down the law the first few weeks - her booda tug, her water dish, try to beat him if he touched her crate, snark at him if he bumped into her while playing, pin him to the floor if he nipped my oldest son. It wasn't easy getting her to play nice with him. 

Starting in the spring, she started to transfer her aggression to him when other dogs were invading her territory. Couldn't can't bite that dog that just ran up on the front lawn and Otto's right there so she'd bite Otto. 

She did it to him twice in a few days. He's a good natured boy, if he's being a pest and she snarks him, he lays down and apologizes. They kiss and make up, it's done with. If he hasn't done anything wrong, he fights back. Then I have to separate them for a while - when they get back together, they kiss and make up.

The second time she attacked him over some dog outside the fence, he fought back. Gave her a huge wound over her eye that I can still see 5 months later. That really took Morgan down a peg. She moped around for weeks. He would lick at the wound and she'd just sit there. 

She still flies down the stairs like there's a rocket up her hiney but I know she sees how young and strong he is. In her mind I'm sure she knows she isn't anymore. She's not the crazy young dog who could take on my old DDR boy Luther - and win even through he had 50lbs on her.


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## jake (Sep 11, 2004)

maybe our dogs teach us something about growing old gracefully-as a skinperson sometimes I want to bite a younger skinperson


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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)




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