# Saw a small dog in a weird aluminium contraption today **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 19, 2010, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saw-a-small-dog-in-a-weird-aluminium-contraption-today/547192 "2010-07-19T04:19:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![zeno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zeno/32/15040_2.png) [@zeno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zeno)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saw-a-small-dog-in-a-weird-aluminium-contraption-today/547192/1 "2010-07-19T04:19:23Z")
It was a smallish dog, about 10 lbs. He had his back legs strapped to this aluminium contraption that had wheels on the front. So the dog was more of less horizontal and his front legs were doing the walking while the contraption wheeled along behind him. The dog did not appear to be unhappy at all and he did not appear to be injured in any way. Can somone explain what I saw? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saw-a-small-dog-in-a-weird-aluminium-contraption-today/547192/2 "2010-07-19T04:22:35Z")
Did he have back legs? If he had legs, they are probably either paralyzed or immobilized (injury. surgery etc) and this allows him to still be mobile. If he didn’t have rear legs, then, again, this allows him to be mobile. ---
**Author:** ![zeno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zeno/32/15040_2.png) [@zeno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zeno)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saw-a-small-dog-in-a-weird-aluminium-contraption-today/547192/3 "2010-07-19T04:23:30Z")
he had legs, yes ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saw-a-small-dog-in-a-weird-aluminium-contraption-today/547192/4 "2010-07-19T05:10:55Z")
And I thought this was going to be about the old joke carrier that consisted of a muzzle on one end of a U-shaped handle and an auger on the other… ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saw-a-small-dog-in-a-weird-aluminium-contraption-today/547192/5 "2010-07-19T11:27:20Z")
Yup, sounds like a doggie “wheelchair.” [Any of these images](http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&q=dog%20wheelchair&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi) match what you saw? ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saw-a-small-dog-in-a-weird-aluminium-contraption-today/547192/6 "2010-07-19T12:57:00Z")
Dogs susceptible to degenerative myelopathy and others with proportionally long spines, like corgis and dachshunds, often suffer injuries that result in them requring wheelchairs. There are several manufacturers that specialize in them and breed groups that help people borrow or buy them. There’s a Facebook support group for corgis who use wheelchairs, but others are welcome. [http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=57598352536](http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=57598352536) ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saw-a-small-dog-in-a-weird-aluminium-contraption-today/547192/7 "2010-07-19T16:41:35Z")
Meet Coral, [pit bull on wheels](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=977HPTTu1TA). Many paralyzed dogs are able to live somewhat active, apparently very happy lives with these devices. ---
**Author:** ![zeno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zeno/32/15040_2.png) [@zeno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zeno)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saw-a-small-dog-in-a-weird-aluminium-contraption-today/547192/8 "2010-07-20T00:10:58Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > Yup, sounds like a doggie “wheelchair.” [Any of these images](http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&q=dog%20wheelchair&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi) match what you saw? that is it, sir