Picking up a large dog?
- Thread starter Back40
- Start date
Gee .... I do it anyway I can that doesn't hurt them ! Females I did in front of back legs ... males the rump . ( watch those family jewels in either case ! ) Right arm behind front arms . Helping oldsters into a car means placing front legs in and a rump lift from lower hip . Now ask me in 10 yrs if Ollie and I are still around !! An 85 yr old lifting a 100# 13 yr old pup !
I just went out and practiced on Sophie, she had pretty regular vet visits now but can't get herself into the back of the car anymore so we lift.
I don't do the basket hold, she's 36kg but quiet light for her size (was well over 42kg when she was younger)
To lift her in I put her front legs up then lift in her back end.
To get her out I hold her in front of her front legs, she has a big chest so the pressure isn't really on her neck and my other hand goes in front of her back legs.
She's quiet top heavy so lifting her in the basket way probbly wouldn't work aswell, her front end is huge compared to her back end and it would over balance her.
And when I put her down, she relaly needs to land on all 4 feet to keep herself up, If I bent her legs up she'd stumble around trying to get her footing everytime.
Buster I pick up using the basket method though, he's only 21kg and still fit and helhty though.
I don't do the basket hold, she's 36kg but quiet light for her size (was well over 42kg when she was younger)
To lift her in I put her front legs up then lift in her back end.
To get her out I hold her in front of her front legs, she has a big chest so the pressure isn't really on her neck and my other hand goes in front of her back legs.
She's quiet top heavy so lifting her in the basket way probbly wouldn't work aswell, her front end is huge compared to her back end and it would over balance her.
And when I put her down, she relaly needs to land on all 4 feet to keep herself up, If I bent her legs up she'd stumble around trying to get her footing everytime.
Buster I pick up using the basket method though, he's only 21kg and still fit and helhty though.
Oh...we don't pick up Giant breed dogs...hernia is bad mmkay, lol? You train the dog to put it's front onto a surface then lift the rear...this is the easiest way.
If Cleo were injured and down I would drag her on a blanket where I needed her to be or team lift her on said blanket.
One of the things you learn quick with a dog destined to be 100lbs+ is that you cannot outmuscle them...so you have to be creative with making them do what you want on their own.
Cleo is not to the point where she will UP for me consistenly but she will ALWAYS allow me to lift the front...then the back to put her in the car, say...in fact she often stands at the tailgate and gives me the look "Well...lift me up...DUH" :rofl1:
If Cleo were injured and down I would drag her on a blanket where I needed her to be or team lift her on said blanket.
One of the things you learn quick with a dog destined to be 100lbs+ is that you cannot outmuscle them...so you have to be creative with making them do what you want on their own.
Cleo is not to the point where she will UP for me consistenly but she will ALWAYS allow me to lift the front...then the back to put her in the car, say...in fact she often stands at the tailgate and gives me the look "Well...lift me up...DUH" :rofl1:
