We love enrichment - How your pet can benefit from a pet stroller
WHY WOULD I CONSIDER A PET STROLLER?
Just like us, animals can have permanent or temporary mobility issues as a result of a variety of health challenges; arthritis, injuries, illness, and missing limbs, to name a few.
Baker is a geriatric dog with hip dysplasia, arthritis, and muscle atrophy. His walks and home have been modified to accommodate his changing abilities but I thought I could do more. I had been thinking about pet strollers for a while but had some doubts if this would actually be a good idea. Would he like it? Would it help or hinder exercise? What would it be like when walking with human/dog friends? Was this just a bougie idea that wouldn’t really benefit anyone in the family?
Well after Baker asked to go home after just 5 mins of walking (on a bad arthritis day) from one of his favourite parks I made a purely emotional, spontaneous, online purchase of a pet stroller as soon as I got home. I had no preconceived notions of whether it would actually help. Thinking back, I realize I didn’t really have anybody to ask about this. So I decided to share my experience with others who might also be curious if a pet stroller could benefit their dog. So here goes…
INTRODUCTION
So after this thing arrived, I set it up in my living room, locked the back wheels, and loaded it up with treats. Day 1 was super casual. Both dogs were free to check it out, investigate on their own terms, and find treats. I basically ignored it and their interaction with it.
Day 2-3 I invited them inside the stroller and to lay down. I would steady it a bit to make the stroller more stable. Eventually I closed the screen so they could experience being closed in. I also rolled it around a bit while they were inside so they could get the feel for it. At this point they were comfortable with the stroller and knew it was theirs.
COMMUNICATION
I am not a professional dog trainer and I haven’t tried out those interesting speak buttons (yet!). My communication style to date has been to observe/react/observe and repeat until we understand each other. I think of it as mutual training to encourage our common language. So like with anything new in our lives I encourage you to learn to communicate with your dog about their new stroller by giving and receiving feedback. This will make it more enjoyable for them and you.
For me, the intent of the stroller was to give Baker an option depending on how well he felt on that particular walk. Every day is different for Baker, so I wanted him to be able to express when he wanted in or out, instead of me just giving commands. With this in mind, I knew I needed to figure out how Baker was going to communicate when he wanted to get in and out. This was relatively easy.
He stops and looks at me and then the door when he wants to be hovered in (he needs help in)
He does a little ‘tap out’ move with his paw when he wants out
He hops around the stroller when he sees me bring it on walks, smiles, and is visibly happy. Without it, he stands still while looking at me and then looking around (for the stroller presumably), is reluctant to start the walk, and will inevitably ask to go home much sooner if I do leave home without it.
In the first month of stroller use -
He felt a little vulnerable (reactive, wiggly, growly) inside it when new dogs would come up to the stroller. To remedy this, I kept calm and kept distance and it has quickly become his safe space and he doesn’t react to new dogs when inside.
He wanted to see the whole party we were walking with or he would get restless. To remedy this, I walked in the back of the group. This made him more comfortable because he could keep tabs on everybody. The other dogs would also periodically swing by for a ‘check in’.
Baker mostly uses his eyes (gaze goes from you to what he wants) and paws (taps what he wants) to communicate but your dog might be more vocal than visual. If that’s the case, you might be observing verbal cues that indicate whether they want in or out, or if they are feeling uncomfortable in the stroller (ie; too bumpy, too fast, etc.)
PROS / CONS
Baker has been using his stroller for 3 months now. Here is what I have noticed so far.
PROS
More activity and improved muscle tone. Baker actually walks longer when I take the stroller with me than if I don’t. This has been the most surprising result of this little experimental purchase. In the past, on bad pain days, you could almost see the wheels turning as Baker seemed to be calculating if he could walk away from home by 1 more block and still have enough giddy-up to walk all the way back home. For Baker, just knowing the stroller is an option has resulted in longer more confident walks. This means building or at least maintaining muscle which is critical as they age.
More mental stimulation. Even when in the stroller he is using his senses (smell, sight, sound) and is socially engaged with the people and other animals around him. This kind of mental stimulation is so important and I have seen a difference in his alertness and activity levels outside of these stroller walks and I believe it is because of the mental and social engagement they provide that he wasn’t getting on a modified walk schedule. Instead of curling up by the fire every night you may notice your dog eager to get out and go for another stroller/walk or at the very least be a bit more mentally alert and satisfied.
Keeps every body exercising together. Instead of modifying walks for everyone according to the least able body, or worse, not taking out the one family member who has mobility issues; walks, play, and exercise can be enjoyed at a pace that challenges every body. So no matter the age or ability of multi-dog households, or group walks, everybody can walk together and exercise in a way that challenges them and keeps them happy and healthy.
A tool to monitor and assess pain. As animal guardians we are always looking for ways to monitor and assess the health of our animal family members. Your pet stroller can help you do this. The walk vs roll ratio is an indicator you can use to monitor and assess pain levels. Maybe you start noticing changes in strength, pain management, and mental brightness as the walk or roll ratio changes.
Pet transport for short distances. For those of us in cities, with larger dogs, and no car or easy car access (some car services refuse dogs), this is another option to transport your dog short distances. Basically any distance you would typically walk to, like the vets office, friends, outdoor events etc. you can now bring your dog if they are unable to walk.
CONS
Many models are foldable, but you probably won’t. Like most things that claim they are foldable and take up little space, they are actually really inconvenient to fold. The wheels and handle need to come off to make them truly flat for storage. So when shopping I wouldn’t make ‘foldable’ a purchasing criteria and instead just ensure you have some space to store it assembled and out of the elements. Bike locker, garage, covered patio, etc.
The wheels are plastic and the axles aren’t that robust so it’s best to keep to flatter terrain and make sure you check the weight capacity. I also recommend braking the back axle with your foot, or using the actual back brakes, to offer stability as the dog hops out.
VERDICT
Baker loves it! and with all the advantages listed above that he, and the rest of the family has experienced because of the pet stroller, I love it too. Our canine family members are living longer than ever and will unfortunately, but inevitably, be confronted with some of the same age related issues as us humans, so it only makes sense to me that canine mobility challenges be addressed with the same science, technology, and compassion.
Please share what your experience has been with pet strollers, or if you have any questions, in the comments below.