Back end traction!??

[pookie_karmalina]

Hey Guys...

Just wondering if anyone has any recommendations for creating better back end traction for Pookie. To say that she is in her "Golden Years" is a bit hard to swallow. We still count our lucky stars she is with us... but it is really hard some days to see her struggling to get around.

Anyway, for lack of a better description, she currently looks like Bambi on ice when she is eating. I have tried elevating her food dish, but something about eating makes her totally tipsy. Her back legs just slip and slide all over the place. Her back legs are actually in the splits sometimes. My husband thought we should "moisturize her paws"... but I seriously doubt that would help. I have winter boots, but she is even more slippy when she wears them, although I thought if I replaced the soles of the boots with something even stickier it might help. I have also seen little balloon boots (like they are made of balloons)... but when I asked the manufacturer, they said that you shouldn't leave them on for long because it messes with the temperature regulation.

Anyway, any ideas out there to help my old girl with not falling all over the place??

Cheers,
Julie

[ajones]

Poor Pookie...I'm sorry to hear she's having problems staying balanced at mealtime.

How does she do on a fluffier surface, like a bath mat or other kind of high-pile rug? When my William was having mobility problems in his senior years, we created paths across the linoleum with our bathroom rugs lined end-to-end. Between the rubbery grip on the back of the mat (to keep it adhered to the floor) and the higher pile (to stabilize his feet as he walked), this solution worked pretty well. I wonder if you could put a big rug (or a couple of them) in her eating area so that her feet and her bowl could all be held in place a bit.

The only other thought I had was if she'd eat lying down (I know some dogs are more fond of this position than others), out of a shallow dish?

[pookie_karmalina]

We always feed her on a rug, but she sometimes forget to appropriately position herself... then we go and try to help her get her back end on the rug she gets all offended and upset (she is very touch sensitive in her old age). Nevertheless, we could get her another more comfortable rug too. Actually, I think the bathmat is a great idea too, especially since everyone (Dogs and Calla) like to play with the water bowls, and there is often alot of spillage.

If she would eat lying down, I would be all for it, but I don't really know how to convince her to do that. Poor thing is so edgy that Karma is going to come and take her out at meal time... she is always looking over her shoulder (although Karma is always crated during mealtime... she does bark ferociously at Pookie every once in awhile to scare the B'jezuz out of her). Sisters!!

Thanks for the ideas Ange!