Final
Adjustments.
Knuckles (A)
should be on the hips. Front clips (B) high on the shoulders. Back straight. Back
toes just touching the ground or up in Stirrups. Top bar (C) parallel to the
ground. Leg rings flat and tight like a saddle. Optional – Insert set screws (shown
Below) for stability.  |
Proper Fit |
Leg Rings need to be tight to make a firm
seat for the dog.
Front harness attaches at the shoulder
blade.
We created the Walkin’ Wheels in the hope that you will adjust the
cart, put it on your pet, and in a few moments watch him or her running and
playing again. It can happen that way,
but it doesn’t always. A wheelchair can
be a major adjustment for an animal. On
the one hand, the frustration of painfully dragging an immobile back end is
suddenly gone. Freedom! On the other, there’s a strange device
following him around; sometimes making odd noises and getting caught on
furniture and doorways.
· Walking
Backwards. Animals use their back legs to move and their front legs to stop. It
is normal, therefore, for the dog or cat to push back on the front legs and
move backwards. With encouragement, they quickly learn to move by pulling
themselves forward with their front legs.
· Be
calm, quiet, and slow when putting on the cart for the first time. Lots of
stroking and reassurance is needed here. Treats help, too.
· Let
the pet get used to the harnesses before attaching it to the cart. It may take
a few minutes or a few hours for him or her to get used to the harnesses.
· Keep
in control of the animal’s movement at first. Keep him or her in a clear area
at first and on a short leash. If the animal becomes frightened, then disconnect
the harness from the cart and try again later.
· Until
your pet gets used to the Walkin’ Wheels, limit the amount of time spent in it.
The Walkin’ Wheels is designed to allow your dog to get exercise and physical
therapy. Animals cannot lie down in the
cart.
· If
he does not move at all, check for harness comfort and encourage him with patience
and treats.
· After
the first few uses, check for chafing from the harness. Adjust if needed.
· Most
pets will be able to pee and poop while in the cart.
· Watch
the videos at DogWheelchairMovie.com.
The
black plastic pieces that connect the Blue or Pink Legs to the Cart Frame are called Knuckles. The Wheel Struts, silver with wheels attached, fit up inside the legs
and snap into place with the Snap
Buttons. Once you know the correct position, the Cup Screws can be inserted with the allen wrench to hold the struts
in place. Cup Screws can also be used to hold the silver back Width Connector and the two side Length Extenders in place. Depending on
how your cart was purchased, there may be an extra width connector to
accommodate different sized animals.
As
shipped, your cart will fit most sizes of small animals, there is, though, an
additional adjustment that can be made to further adjust the height. The legs
can be in the UP or DOWN position. Carts are typically shipped with the wheels
in the UP position. A Phillips head screwdriver is needed to make this
adjustment.
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Legs in the UP position for shorter
legs. |
Legs in the DOWN position for longer
legs |
To
change the position, (1) remove the cup screw and the wheel strut, wheel strut,
(2) remove the knuckle, (3) reposition the leg, (4) then re-tighten the
knuckle.
1 – Remove the Wheel Strut.
If
you have already inserted and tighten the Locking Cup Screw, using the Allen
key provided with the cart, loosen the leg locking screws. Press the Snap Button with your fingertip, pen,
or sharp object and remove the Wheel Struts from the cart.
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Remove the locking cup
screw, if used |
Remove the wheel struts |
2 - Remove the outer plastic knuckle and leg
Using a Phillips head
screwdriver remove the 4 screws and washers that secure the outside plastic
knuckle. After the screws are removed, the plastic knuckle and leg will be
loose. Make note of which side is the TOP of the two plastic parts. Also, do
one side at a time. There is a difference between the left and right knuckles
(they are labeled).
3 – Reposition the leg.
4 - Replace the outer plastic knuckle over the leg and install the
washers and screws.
Tighten the screws until
snug +1/2 turn more.
Troubleshooting:
The knuckle pieces fit
together without force.
There
is a left and right specific knuckle. If
your parts do not fit easily, check that you have the correct left or right
part. Each part is labeled on the inside
with an R or L as shown
Repeat for the other side and
re-insert the leg struts.
Adjust the
length extender so that the loop on the front harness is at the shoulder blade
of the dog. The cart will connect to the harness right above the front leg.
Use the snap
buttons on the width connector to
adjust the cart to the proper width. There should be about ½ inch of space on
either side of the animal at the animal’s widest point. The cart comes with the
small width connector (A) installed. For wider pets, remove the small with
connector (A) and insert the wider width connector (B).
The width connector
shown below is the ‘small’ connector shown at its smallest position (thinnest).
The larger width connector, when installed, does not allow the cart to close
all the way.
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Short width connector (A) installed
– wheelchair at its thinnest position. |
Short width connector (A) installed
– wheelchair at its widest position. |
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Wide width connector (B) installed –
wheelchair at its thinnest position. |
Wide width connector (B) installed –
wheelchair at its widest position. |
The correct
height setting is based on the condition of the dog.
If the dog
has some use of his back legs, then set the height so the toe pads are on the
ground.
If the paws
are scraping on the ground, protect them with boots.
If the legs
are paralyzed, use the stirrups to hold them two to three inches above the
ground. Typically, if you use the stirrups, you will need to put both legs in,
even if one leg is stronger, so that the dog maintains balance. The stirrup
should be placed above the dog’s hock and adjusted snug by using the push-lock.
When taking
the dog out of the cart always remember to take the feet out of the stirrups
FIRST.
The RED strap
goes under the dog, in the back of the front legs. The Blue (or Green) strap
over the back. The black strap goes to the front. The base of the “T” faces
forward.
Place the
Black & Blue straps over the head, then buckle the red strap underneath the
dog and clip into the front harness. It may be helpful to remove the comfort
sleeves while adjusting the front harness then replace them once the harness is
adjusted. Typically, the top strap is fairly tight and the other two are just
snug. The clip should be positioned just over the shoulder blade.
Two types of rear harnessing systems
are available; the Leg Rings (included) and the Optional (Needs to be purchased
separately) Walkin’ Lift Cart Compatible Rear Harness Support System
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Leg
Ring Support System |
Optional
(Purchased Separately) Walkin’ Lift Cart Compatible Rear Harness Support
System |
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The
Leg rings need to be tight to create a firm ‘seat’ for the dog. When the dog
is in the leg rings, the knuckle should be at the mid-hip level.
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The rubber tubing of the leg ring can
be shortened if necessary with scissors. Avoid cutting the strap inside. Try
cutting about an inch off all four ends of the rubber then adjusting the
clips on the straps to tighten them up. |
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The Velcro wrapper can be moved
forward or back to avoid putting pressure on the dog’s genitals. In addition,
the Velcro can be wrapped loosely so that there is a space between the rings.
The Velcro must be used. Adjust for best comfort and fit. |
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The
Lifting handles can be attached to the harness clips for help lifting the dog
when not in the cart. Use one or both handles based on your comfort and the
comfort of the dog.
Secure the clips by passing the webbing back through the clip
Your Walkin’
Lift may come with plastic clips or Velcro. Both work equally well. To attach
the Rear Harness to the animal, put the
rear harness on the floor.
Put the animal’s rear legs through the leg-holes. There is no Front or
Back to the harness. Reinforcement strapping is on the bottom side.
Pull up the harness like a pair of shorts and clip or Velcro the
back-strap(s) to hold the harness on the dog. Back straps may be crossed.
The four plastic clips hanging at the side are for attaching the harness
to the cart. They can also be used to attach the optional lifting straps.
Optional
Walkin’ Lift Harness is sold separately.
Slide harness around extension tube. There is a loop
in the strap. Put the metal (side-rail) length extender tube through the loop.
Clip the side buckles on each side to cart.
Attach the four cart-clips to the silver pegs sticking out of the side of
the cart and click the clips into place. To take the dog out of the cart,
un-clip the cart clips by pulling down on the clip.
Unclip the cart clip
Position the
animal with its hips lined up to the plastic knuckle section of the cart.
Loop the harness clip over the cart frame and lock it into the peg by
pushing up (or the weight of the dog will do this) until you hear a click. To
unlock, put your finger in the round plastic loop and pull down.
The harness is made of Neoprene so that it can be safely cut with
scissors and adjusted to the animal’s body. Remove the harness from the animal
before cutting it and make sure not to cut the reinforcement strap material.
Trim the harness so that the neoprene material avoids the animal’s genitals,
thus allowing the pet to pee and poop when in the cart.
Note that the straps can be cut if there is excess. After cutting, you
can seal the end of the strap by briefly touching it with the flame of a
lighter. This will melt the end and keep it from fraying.
If feet are dragging or knuckling under, use stirrups.
Place the animal’s hind legs in the foot straps so that the foot rests
well above the ground and tighten to a snug fit.
Some animals
will need additional support under their belly. You can tell if they need
additional support if the dog’s spine bows downward, or if dog is elderly or
overweight.
To put the
belly belt on the cart you can either (photos below).
a) place
the siderail through the looped opening in the strap or
b) undo
the tri-clip and loop the strap over the siderail, then feed the strap back
through the clip
The purpose
of the rope is to prevent the belly belt from sliding backwards toward the rear
of the dog.
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Loop strap inside side rail |
Clip and secure with rope to keep the belt from
sliding back. |
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Your Belly Belt is equipped with Velcro (Photo to Left)
on one side. Loop the strap over the railing and attach the Velcro under the
dog’s belly. A rubber band can be used to secure excess strap if needed. |
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Belly Belt,
Installed |
Belly Belt |
The belly belt is looped around the side rail from the
inside, through the rope, then back through the clip. The rope looped around
the front clip is used to prevent the belly strap from sliding backwards
underneath the dog. Cut and tie it if desired.
See a video of how to put on the belly belt at DogWheelchairMovie.com.
When the cart is adjusted properly, the animal stands in a ‘natural’
position. Here’s what to check..
A –
Knuckle at the hips. If you were to draw an imaginary line from one black
plastic knuckle to the other, the line would pass right through the dog’s hips…
where the bone of the leg meets the bones of the body. If not, tighten harness
and/or adjust length. Allow ½” to 1” on each side between dog and black
knuckle. Some animals will be comfortable further back or forwards from this
point.
B – Front
Support loop at the shoulder. The loop on the front harness that the length
extender goes through should be at the shoulder. Adjust the straps so that the
loop is held firmly against the shoulder. Then clip into cart. If the loop is
too tight, you can cut the plastic tie-wraps. Replacement tie wraps are
available at no charge. It will loosen up over time.
C – The pet’s
back needs to be straight or arched UP (slight hunch). In this photo the dog’s back is
arched down a little. This is NOT correct and this dog needs the Belly Belt.
D – The
back paws/toes need to be just touching, or just off the ground,
depending on the health of the back legs. If the animal wants to use his back
legs, then allow his paws to touch lightly. This can be adjusted by tightening
the leg rings – this brings the dog’s seat up. (Take the dog out of the harness
before adjusting.) If the height of the harness cannot be changed, then adjust
the wheel height. Consider boots if the
feet drag. Use the stirrups if the dog cannot use his back legs or the feet are
dragging on the ground.
E – The
horizontal side extender needs to be parallel to the ground.
With proper
use and maintenance, the cart is designed to last a lifetime. The wheels will
wear out, but are easily replaced. If you need replacement parts, they may be
purchased on the website. In addition, the stickers on the side may fade or
develop scratches, but this will not detract from the usefulness or resale
value of the cart.
The cart will
not rust, you can hose it off. If dirt or sand gets inside the cart, all
components can be removed and cleaned. Oiling is not necessary.
The snap
buttons that hold the railings in place could, with a great deal of use, become
bent. These are also easily replaced.
Walkin’
Wheels is guaranteed by the manufacturer, Wheels for Pets, LLC, for one year
from the date of purchase against defects in materials or workmanship.
Should your
cart need service, please contact your dealer to arrange a return. You will be
asked to ship the cart back to be serviced, repaired, or replaced, at the
manufacturer’s option.
All shipping
charges are the responsibility of the cart owner.
Walkin’
Wheels is provided as a walking aid for animals that are under the care of a
veterinarian and for which a dog wheelchair has been recommended. Wheels for Pets, LLC, and its affiliates,
agents, and distributors make no representation as to the effectiveness or
appropriateness of this product.
Please see
the website for the return policy. Note that all returns must be authorized.
Please contact your dealer.
