How Our Lives Went To The Dogs

With some dogs, it's always a toss-up as who is "master" of whom, and whether the dog is man's best friend or vice versa.

Our blue Doberman, Buddha, was on of those incredibly self-possessed beings who always took the attitude that eventually she would get her humans fully trained. She was a working dog, a companion and guard dog while Eddie was a field service engineer, and covered a territory that included Southern New England and New York. She had her favorite pit-stops and nudged him at mealtimes when they'd pass the golden arches.

So when she lost the use of her rear legs at the age of 10 due to spondylosis and disc disease, we felt we owed her the time to heal. She had always treated me like a servant, but now I was carrying her around in a sling, scrambling eggs for her breakfast, and doing massage therapy every night. In the meantime, Eddie, dissatisfied with what was available commercially at that time, decided to build her a wheelchair that would restore her to decent quality of life.

That was in 1989; the cart was clunky by today's standards, but it allowed her to walk in the woods and fields again, harass the woodland critters, and go wading in the swamp. A new symbiosis evolved, as she trained me to lift her and the cart over obstacles. We served her needs, and were rewarded several months later, when she began to walk on her own again. She taught us about the value of convalescent care, and awed us with her ability to rehabilitate in her cart.  After only a couple of months, her paralyzed legs started moving again, and shortly afterwards, she was able to stand and walk on her own without the cart.

Our vet was impressed with her recovery, and over the years referred people to us who needed wheelchairs for their disabled dogs. With each cart, Eddie refined the original design to make it lighter and easier to use. Finally, his own disabilities forced him to leave corporate life and he decided to devote himself to helping disabled animals. A feature article in the local newspaper produced a spate of orders and Eddie's Wheels was born.

Now the dogs really ruled our lives. Our first local customers taught us about all the different special needs that needed accommodation. Katie, the border collie, wears her cart with a pool noodle strapped on so she can go swimming in her cart. Voytek, the ancient dachshund, needed a four-wheeler. Shala, the pup rescued from the town dump with missing front legs, inspired the first front wheel cart. There were amputees who needed counterweighted carts; arthritic dogs who needed counterbalanced ones, and too many dogs with degenerative myelopathy who needed carts that could be upgraded to deal with their progressively worsening disabilities. Carts with detachable front training wheels for rehab, and full quad carts with head rests and tow handles were developed in response to requests from people who needed these tools to manage their beloved pets’ disabilities.

Since the website went up in January 1999, we have sent carts all over the world including Australia, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Israel, Greenland, Turkey, Ecuador, and Europe. Veterinarians, who once believed that carts don't work for big dogs, have seen how successfully our carts have met the needs of larger breeds. We attend the International Symposium for Animal Rehabilitation and the Western Veterinary Conference, where vets and rehabilitation specialists have enthusiastically supported our products.

In 2001, we adopted Daisy, a delightful 6 year old dachshund with four herniated discs, bladder and bowel incontinence, and a feisty indomitable spirit that sends our other two dogs cowering, as she chases them in her cart. We have learned so much from watching her slowly rehabilitate over time, gradually regaining function of her legs so that now she uses her cart as a walker, using her rear legs to propel her as she climbs the hills. Living with her has given us invaluable insight into the challenges of coping with little dogs, who can wiggle out of any sling and never seem to notice whether or not they’re wearing their wheels when dinner is at stake or the cat needs chasing. Daisy is the company mascot and loves to show off her driving expertise when customers bring their dogs to our shop for measurements and fittings.

In 2002, we began our association with our Japanese rep, Mari Hiruma (www.dogwill.com) who directly imports carts made here for our Japanese customers. The Japanese requested a variety of colors for their carts, so we started powder-coating carts at a local motorcycle shop in order to meet their esthetic standards.

In 2004, we outgrew our business incubator and built a new shop in the village of Shelburne Falls. Our new space gives us room to continue to grow, as well as offering space for complementary alternative health care services such as healing touch, massage, acupuncture and chiropractic services by a variety of practitioners.

In June of 2006, we received a call from the NYC – ASPCA to help find a home for Sweet Pea, a disabled incontinent pitbull for whom we’d donated a cart several months earlier.  What started out as foster care quickly turned into a full adoption, with her story featured on Animal Precinct.  Sweet Pea’s disabilities have been a challenge we’ve been happy to meet, since she is such a loving and intelligent dog. 

Despite our growth, we continue to take each order individually with careful attention to making sure the cart will serve each pet’s level of disability. Our well-trained and experienced crew, headed by Amanda, Gordon, Scott and Nina still design and build each cart by hand with the dog’s name on it. We continue to be moved by the stories our customers tell us about the special qualities of the dogs they love. We feel privileged to be part of their lives.

Eddie's Wheels' New Home

After 6 six years incubating our business in a small rented building, it was time to grow to meet the increasing demand for our mobility carts. In September 2004 we bought a commercial building at the gateway to the Village of Shelburne Falls. On June 1, 2005, having completely renovated the building, we moved into our permanent quarters.

The new facility has room for our complete machine shop and CNC milling machine.  This allows us to prototype new products and special carts as we meet the challenges of designing carts for dogs with unique disabilities.  All the parts of our carts, except for the actual wheels, are fabricated in our shop. 

The new home of Eddie's Wheels has 2 acres of gently rolling fields to try out carts on, and handicapped accessible ramps for dogs on wheels.

We have always enjoyed meeting our customers, doing measurements and fittings for dogs who live within driving distance of our shop. Dogs come from as far away as Boston, Albany, Connecticut, Vermont and New Hampshire for personal service. These are the dogs we learn the most from, and we are grateful that their owners make the trip to see us.

Visitors can look down to the workshop level from above. Our new showroom includes retail space for the common accessories owners of handicapped dogs need - diapers, slings, booties etc.

Driving Directions:

We are located at 140 State St., Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts, 01370. Our property is on the corner of State St. and the Mohawk Trail.

If you are coming from the east, south or north...

Take I-91 to exit 26, Greenfield. Go around the rotary and proceed west on the Mohawk Trail, Rte 2 West, for 10 miles. After you cross the Deerfield River, turn left on to State St. (Rte.2A East) , and we are the first driveway on the left..

If you are coming from the west of us...

Take the Mohawk Trail (Rte.2) to Shelburne Falls, and take your first right into the Village after you pass the Shelburne Veterinary Clinic on your right.