Soul Touched by Dogs

Welcome to the Soul Touched by Dogs
Podcast, the show for dog lovers who

see dogs not as toys or tools, but
wise souls worth our respect and care.

I'm an Herrmann, and I'm your host.

I talk to poor some humans, people who
do great work for dogs and their people.

So come and join us for
today's conversation.

Anke: Hello and welcome, Renee and Jim.

I'm

Rene: super excited to have you here.

It's great to be here.

Thank you so much.

This is Renee, everybody.

Jim: Thank you.

I'm Jim from Tripawds.

Thanks for having us.

Anke: Awesome.

Awesome.

So the name already gives a little
bit away, but before we, well, what,

what we're talking about today, but
before we go there, give us like

the two minute bird's eye overview.

So where are you based and you
know, what are Tripawds all

Jim: about?

So Tripawds is a virtual organization
that's based on your desktop.

It's around the world, and
we'll get into the story of why.

Um, we traveled full RV for 16 plus years.

But currently, we're
based in Willow, Alaska.

We have never experienced winter
in Alaska, so we're currently

in Alaska for the winter.

Technically, uh, our foundation
is formed in Texas, United States.

Rene: And it's funny because dogs
are what brought us to Alaska.

Um, we are here because one of our
members had a three legged husky

who was a competitive sled dog.

And, uh, they have always come
up here for winter and they kind

of talked us into coming up here
after knowing them for many years.

And we're so glad we did.

We're having a blast just living
life, being surrounded by dogs and

helping people through Tripawds.

Normally we go south.

Yeah.

Anke: That sounds, that sounds amazing.

I'm like, wait, wait, what?

Alaska?

Jesus.

Like who would go there in winter, right?

If you're not a husky, let's say.

Right.

So tell, tell us a little
bit about Tripawds.

I like, I can see like, you know,
if you're watching the video, you

can see it, but there, so it's like,
well, it's like tripod, but with bows.

So what, what, what's this all about?

Yeah.

Yeah.

Rene: Well, way back in 2006, our
dog, Jerry, he was a German Shepherd

mix, he lost a leg to bone cancer.

And at the time, we did not know that
three legged dogs could be happy.

We didn't, we had never
seen a three legged dog.

So when vets told us that the
best way to help him get rid

of the pain from the cancer and
hopefully live out a longer life.

was to amputate his leg, we were shocked.

And we went ahead and did it after
being inspired by seeing a three

legged Great Dane who lost his leg
to the same cancer, and that was way

back when YouTube was still a baby,
and we saw this video of this Great

Dane, and we're like, hey, if that dog
could do it, our shepherd could do it.

So, we decided to go ahead with amputation
and wanted to chronicle how he did.

Just for our own mental health,
you know, just to write down the

highs and the lows and things.

So Jim started a little blog and he named
it Tripawds, T R I P A W D S, because we

found out that vets, veterinarians, call
three legged dogs Tripawds and P O D S.

So Jim took that word and empowered
it because it sounded so like, oh,

my dog's not a piece of furniture.

What's, what's up with that name?

So he started this blog and we started
writing about how Jerry was doing.

And then before long, uh,
the blog grew because people

started asking us questions.

They started finding it and we
found out that we weren't the only

ones out there with a three legged

Jim: dog.

But at the time, we were operating our
own business and we worked from home

and Jerry was our chief fun officer.

So we, he would save us from
the stresses of everyday life.

And when he got cancer,
Renee said, I got an idea.

Let's sell the business.

Let's sell the house.

Let's buy an RV and travel the country.

So we were going to give Jerry
this road trip of a lifetime

to pay him back for everything.

And he ended up living two years.

So we traveled around the
country and here we are 16 years

later, still traveling in an RV.

I'm not currently in Alaska in our
RV, but, um, we operate remotely.

I love it.

Anke: I love it.

So, so, so what's the, what's
Tripod grown into over the years?

Because it's not a blog, it's
not just a blog now, right?

Correct.

Jim: So it was a blog just talking
about Jerry and my amazing three legged

dog, and we started getting lots of
emails from people with different

types of dogs, different cancers,
cats that we knew nothing about.

So I started the discussion forums,
and then I added a live chat.

And then, once we were starting
to burn through our savings, we

decided to start selling helpful
products for three legged dogs.

And we had all sorts of
information developing on the

website, so we created e books.

So at Tripos.

com, we have loads of resources
available for anyone facing amputation,

recovery and care, the type of gear
they might need, how to prepare, and

most of all, a sense of community.

Because everyone feels
lost and alone like we did.

And we want them to know you're
not alone, but we only had one

type of dog with a certain cancer.

So now we host more than 2000 three
legged dog and cat blogs on our network.

So people can share their own
stories, connect with others

and get the help they need.

And eventually it evolved
into the Tripawds Foundation.

So in 2014, we established a
nonprofit and now we are helping.

People pay for amputation
surgery for families in need.

We will reimburse anyone who takes
a three legged animal to a certified

rehab therapist, or to get some,
uh, physio, as they say in Europe.

Um, we have a toll free helpline
people can call and free brochures

that we will send to any vets.

So that the people, when they're
handed that bag of medicine and

discharge papers and sent home
with a dog with a massive scar.

They do panic and they Google,
but now they can find us

and know they're not alone.

That's

Anke: incredible.

So, so who, is that funded
by donations or, or how does

Rene: that work?

It is funded by, the Tripawds Foundation
is a donation based non profit and

so donations that go there help to
fund our programs for physio and,

um, we pay for amputation, surgery
for people who can't afford it.

We chip in towards that.

Um, And then as far as, uh, the
gear and things like that, that's

what helps support us and, uh,
also helps to keep the website

Jim: running.

But also in the Foundation, we
have campaigns throughout the year

for fundraising, but an annual
event that's going on its fourth

year now, or fifth year, is, um,
our annual Painting Dogs Auction.

And this is literally dogs Who paint,
not paintings of dogs, but we've got

all sorts of fun videos of dogs who
are painting with brushes in their

mouth and creating these beautiful

Rene: abstract artworks.

I know, it sounds kind of crazy.

I've seen

Anke: videos of that.

I've seen videos.

That's just hilarious.

Rene: Yeah, if you can train
your dog to hold an object,

you can train them to paint.

It's, it's really a cool thing.

And the people who started it,
uh, the woman who started it.

She was one of our members and her
dog was a really well known trick dog.

So her dog could do all sorts of
things, um, you know, acrobatics

and open refrigerator doors and
she's a very well trained dog.

She taught her how to paint and
when that dog passed away from

cancer, this member, Natasha, wanted
to do something to honor her dog.

So she started holding this
auction for us every year.

And it's, it's grown into a
worldwide collaboration community

of dogs who will do this each
year and the proceeds go to the

Jim: foundation.

So, uh, the dog's name was Kizerin.

So we established the
Kizerin Cancer Care Fund.

The proceeds from this auction go to help
The pets and the parents with helpful

devices and nutritional aids and e books

Rene: and Just things that make life
easier for when your dog has cancer.

Jim: They help both the person and the
animal get through the recovery period.

And how many dogs last time?

Painting?

Rene: Yeah, oh, each year the auction
is anywhere from 14 to 16 dogs.

Jim: And this year it'll happen in when?

Rene: Oh, we're going to
have it at the end of May.

It's coming up.

And we, every year we choose
another species to help us.

So, um, we, we've had
a, a capuchin monkey.

We've had, um, a sloth.

And this year we're going
to have a painting pig.

I know.

Anke: That is so cool.

So when, when somebody comes, when
somebody finds you and somebody comes,

so there's obviously two parties there
that have a bit of a problem, right?

So there's the dog.

Mm-Hmm.

Rene: Dog or cat, just for,
you know, for cat out there.

We do have cats too.

So, so the,

Anke: the, the animal itself.

Mm-Hmm.

you know.

Do you find, who suffers more?

Who struggles more?

Because sometimes I feel actually
the dogs are so much more resilient.

I mean, I've got like, you know, a friend
of mine, she's got, she's got, uh, well,

her little cocker, like she passed, she
had some sort of knee and leg problems, so

she would use like her little wheelchair.

And she was just the happiest, like
she just didn't have any, um, you know,

there's no dislike, oh my god, and there's
no overthinking, you know, so they just

kind of, well, if they have physical pain,
they have physical pain, but anything

beyond that, they don't, that's more
the people who kind of have all these

kind of emotional struggles around that.

Is that

Rene: your experience?

Absolutely.

It is always harder on the
people than it is on the animal.

You know, we have so much
emotional baggage when it

comes to something like this.

And it's not just about the fact that our
dog's gonna lose a leg, but it's about

we're mourning the fact that we can't go
on longer walks like we used to with that

dog anymore, which technically you can.

We recommend gear that can
help you do that, like dog

buggies and things like that.

But People have a really
hard time processing it.

So we tell folks, we are your
emotional support community.

We are here because that is the hardest
part to get through when you find

out your dog is going to lose a leg.

That's what we're about.

We offer.

input that they can take to their
veterinarian and discuss, but really

we're an emotional support community.

And

Jim: like you said, the dogs
are incredibly resilient.

They adapt and overcome and recover.

They'll wake up with one less leg and
they adjust their stance, they adjust

their gait, they get on with life.

And as we say, the dogs are born
with three legs and a spare.

So they now have lost a spare leg and
they can't afford to lose another.

So we're there to help people
understand that rehab is very important.

Weight management is very important.

Nutrition, because you want to keep
those remaining limbs healthy and strong.

And

Rene: that's also not to say that
it's always easy for the dog.

I mean, they do have highs
and lows during recovery, just

like a person would, but they.

absorb our emotions and our
energy when they're going

through those highs and lows.

So it's up to us to help them
through it and not pass along

what we're feeling to them.

It's in their best interest for
us to, you know, just stay as

Encouraging and optimistic as we
can, even when things get tough.

Jim: You know, real quick, one of
the best things we ever, best advice

we received from a rehab therapist,
a canine rehab therapist, was a

little tough love goes a long way.

Because you do want to focus on the
recovery, but the worst cases I've seen

have been from people who are doting
on the dog and feeding them by hand and

sleeping on the floor and coddling them.

And the dog needs to know
that this is a new normal.

And if all of a sudden you're
acting different, you know,

they turn to us for leadership.

We need to be there to help
them know that this is our new

normal and life's going to go on.

Yeah.

That

Anke: makes sense.

I mean, to be honest, like people are
just like that, you know, I think, I

think it's the same with, you know,
if a person ends up in a wheelchair,

it's exactly that same thing.

Right.

So, yeah, actually, you know, what
pops to mind, I've seen things where

people would use like 3D printers.

to create, um, is that something that
you've played with or explored to kind

of say, well, you know, especially if
you can, if you can catch it before

the amputation, you know, to have
like a 3D model of the leg to use as a

Rene: prosthesis or something?

Well, um, you know, the technology
has come so far in the last few years,

and there's some really good options.

for people if they want to
explore the possibility of an

artificial leg for their dog.

Um, they can be really beneficial for
the right dog and the right person.

So, uh, a 3D printed, uh, prosthetic
is great if it's done in conjunction

with a physiotherapist and a veterinary
surgeon because you really have to think

of these things before the amputation
and also be prepared for what to expect.

It's not a one and done, um, a prosthetic.

We'll always need a certain
level of maintenance over the

years and training for the dog.

Uh, it's up to the owner to really
get the dog used to it and see where

they're headed as far as are they
going to accept this thing, aren't

they, you know, what can we do to
encourage the dog to use it more.

It's a little bit of a process that,
that people should be aware of.

And that's one reason why we have
the, uh, Rehabilitation Therapy

Fund for new tripod parents so that
they can meet with a therapist.

And say, hey, is my dog a
good candidate for this?

And you

Jim: said something very important
there about considering a

prosthetic before the amputation.

Because one of the best orthopedic
surgeons out there in the veterinary

world told us that for a prosthetic
device to work best, you really should

have two articulating joints remaining.

Um, one possibly, but preferably two.

Otherwise, it's more of kind of like a
pogo stick that the dog might hop along

on and it's not going to adapt well to it.

So just because it's available doesn't
mean you should necessarily use it.

It could actually throw off gate.

So always consult with an expert
before, um, turning on your 3d printer.

Yeah.

No,

Anke: I was just curious because
I thought maybe, maybe it's

technologically technically
possible, but not really a good idea.

Maybe it's like, well, actually,
you know, they get on better

on three of their own legs.

rather than that full thing that's like,
you know, like a spanner in the wheels.

You know, I don't know, like, it's
just kind of, I think it's, you have to

decide it on a, on a case by case basis.

Rene: Absolutely.

And

Jim: the same thing goes
for wheelchairs and carts.

Oftentimes people think,
oh, my dog's locked a leg.

He needs a wheelchair without
consulting to an expert who might.

prescribe some exercises instead,
but if you do a wheelchair out of

PVC because your husband's handy and
it's not perfectly fit to the dog, it

could actually do more harm than good.

Anke: Yeah, so what are some,
what are sort of typical questions

and issues that people come, come
to us, look for support with?

Rene: You know, the number one
question people ask is how is my

dog going to go to the bathroom?

Because they think of a dog using
all four legs either to lift one leg

or to get down and Believe me, they
figure it out, but people, people don't

believe it until they actually see it.

And normally a dog will not,
um, will not poop for at least

a couple of days after surgery.

So the whole time the person
is like super nervous.

I don't think my dog's
gonna know how to do it.

And when they do it, they're so happy.

They do a little dance and yeah,
I mean, dogs totally figured out.

That's a really common

Jim: case.

So it can be because of the pain meds,
uh, and this, you know, different gait.

But as our vet told us, he said,
when they gotta go, they'll go.

Rene: Yeah.

And the other question
is, is my dog in pain?

So that is the biggest
challenge during recovery is to

manage the dog's pain levels.

And a lot of people aren't sure
if their dog is getting too

much medication or too little.

So it's one thing we really help a lot
with is let's look at all of the behaviors

of your dog and figure out how we can
help you have a conversation with your vet

about adjusting their pain medications.

Jim: Another question that we often
get is, will my dog ever swim again?

And the answer is yes, and no, they
won't swim in circles, but a life vest

or a float coat can certainly help.

And or they say, my dog's a hunter
or a hiker, when are we going

to go on 10 mile hikes again?

And well, it comes back
to that new normal.

Um, they may or may not go that
10 miles, but it's definitely

going to take time and it's going
to depend on the dog's condition.

And most importantly, you want to
focus on recovery and core strength

to compensate for the missing limb.

Anke: Do you find, um, because I
don't know, like, you know, I've been

interviewing people for the summit.

So I've talked to a lot of like
holistic vets and all kinds of people.

So my mind is going so well to
kind of off to sort of compensate

for these sort of off balance.

Would they benefit from, you know,
body work and massages and things

like that going on to sort of just.

Kind of help them, you know, not
getting tense because you know, it's

like, I mean, I don't know, like, you
know, when your knee hurts, all of

a sudden you start walking funny and
then you have lower back pain and it'd

be the same for them, wouldn't it?

Rene: Absolutely.

Three legged dogs have such a
different gait after they lose a leg.

Their, their body is moving in
ways it was not designed to move.

So anytime you can help a dog with
Physiotherapy and hands on work like

massage, it's a real benefit to them.

Some dogs are very accepting of it,
as you know, and some dogs aren't,

but the more you can get your hands
on the dog and get somebody to show

you how to do that, the better and
healthier they're going to be over time.

Does it impact

Anke: like lifespan or can they
be, you know, I mean, obviously

if it's cancer, then the cancer
might be somewhere else, right?

But if it's like a physical thing,
like, you know, that the dog you

mentioned earlier where, okay, it's
just literally a mechanical, like

they fell and it's broken, but other
than that, the dog's just fine.

Does that impact up the
health in other ways?

Jim: It can if we don't
moderate their activity.

So if we just go let them be a dog and
all of a sudden they end up blowing

out a cruciate limb, a cruciate on the
other limb, or what I'm getting at is

it comes to the other comorbidities.

Of course cancer is going to,
you know, limit the lifespan.

But if you lose a leg, it doesn't
necessarily limit the lifespan

unless the dog is overweight.

And all of a sudden has, you
know, arthritis seriously develops

Rene: and such.

The veterinarians tell us that
three legged dogs are more prone

to osteoarthritis and all of
the conditions that follow that.

So if a dog is overweight, it's
going to impact their life over

time, which may, you know, these
conditions may shorten their lifespan.

But If you have a dog, whether you
adopt a three legged puppy or your

dog loses a leg very young like our
second dog did, he lost a leg to

neglect at about eight months old.

He was a German Shepherd and we
had him until he was 12 and he, uh,

eventually got just so tired from
being on one back leg and he had,

um, IVDD, Invertebral Disc Disease.

And severe.

And severe osteoarthritis.

from the compromised
gate over his lifetime.

So he lived out his normal
lifespan that a shepherd would.

But there were challenges that he had
during that life that were probably

exaggerated because he was on three legs.

So that's just things that, that
pet parents need to be mindful of as

they go through life with their dog.

Jim: And we attribute Wyatt's
lifespan, the longevity, to the regular

rehab and conditioning that we did.

We were exercising with him All the time.

So that gets back to what I was trying
to point out is that if you aren't

on top of it and stay on top of these
things and just go let them be a dog

and sprint around, it could possibly
have affected Wyatt much earlier.

Anke: So what kind of
exercises are we talking about?

So what would be typical?

Rene: It's really interesting
how much their needs closely

follow our needs as humans.

It's all about core strength and,
you know, strengthening those

abdominals and back muscles so that
your body can move as it should.

Um, a lot of people think they need
to strengthen their dog's legs.

But that's not the case.

It's just like with people.

If you have a good core,
you're going to sit up better.

You're going to walk better,
not feel lower back discomfort.

So a lot of exercises like standing on
a balance disc, um, or BOSU ball, people

have seen those in human exercise classes.

Um, same kind of equipment for dogs.

Um, Even something as simple as having
your dog walk on a sofa cushion that

you put on the floor, because that
surface is uneven, it's strengthening

their core muscles, and it's also
teaching them proprioception, which

is awareness of the body in space.

So they're, they're learning how
to place their paws on the ground

and not fall over, basically.

Um, little things, there's, Once
you go to a physiotherapist for

your dog, you learn these little
exercises that you can do at home.

You don't need to buy
a bunch of equipment.

There are things you can do on your
walks, like Helping your dog walk on and

off curbs as you go down the street, um,
step over little objects, just things

that keep them balanced and, and always
moving in a different way to challenge

their body and their mind at the same

Jim: time.

Weight shifting, weight bearing,
but every dog is different.

You know, the exercises might be
different if you're missing a front leg

versus a rear leg and the type of dog.

That's why we always recommend
rehab, rehab, rehab, and why

we'll pay for the first visit.

I

Anke: love that.

I love that.

I mean, it feels like it's very
similar to, you know, to what we'd go

through if as a person you lose, right?

Absolutely.

You know, there's the physical part to
look after and there's the emotional

part where, you know, obviously
here we look more on the other end

of the leash, but at the end of
the day, it's not that different,

Rene: right?

It's not.

The only real difference is that dogs
just do so much better emotionally than

people do in a situation like this.

Anke: Yeah, and that's, that, yeah,
totally, I can totally get that.

So, so what's the easiest way
to find you, to get in touch,

to ask questions, to donate, to
You know, submit a dog painting.

Of

Rene: course.

Yeah, thank you.

Well, Tripawds.

com, so t r i p a w d s.

com is our main community.

Um, if you go to our discussion
forums, uh, you will find lots and

lots of conversations from people
who have adopted a three legged dog

or their dog lost a leg to cancer.

That is the heart of our

Jim: community.

The resources.

That's where the podcasts, the
resources, the interviews, the blogs,

the e books, that sort of thing.

Tripawds.

org is where people can find information
about the rehab program, the reimbursement

for amputation, and the helpline and
things like that, and where you can

find links about the And the one thing
we didn't mention is, um, we kind of

tell this whole story and how Tripawds
evolved in our book called Be More

Dog, Learning to Live in the Now.

And that's available at BeMoreDog.

net.

Love it.

Anke: Love it.

We all got to be more dog.

Yes.

Jim: We do.

Absolutely.

Or at Tripawds everywhere on Facebook and
then at Tripawds Community on Instagram.

So it's not too hard to find us.

Anke: Awesome.

Well, thank you so much for coming and
sharing this incredible story and this

resource you've created to help other
people, you know, balance the tripod.

Rene: Aw, thank you.

It's great being here.

Our pleasure.

Jim: Thank you.

Thanks so much for listening.

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Email me at Anke.

That's A N k E at Soul
touched by dogs.com.