Handicap Dog Cart

Here are my designs for two types of dog carts: one for dogs with rear leg paralysis or amputation, and another for dogs missing both front legs. My goal in sharing these is to provide practical starting points, inspiration, and open source files so others can adapt the designs to fit their own dogs’ needs.

Rear Leg Cart

Getting a dog comfortable in a rear leg cart is usually straightforward, and I’ve built some adjustability into this design. The current version is best suited for a small dog, likely under 10 pounds. To allow for size adjustments, there are interchangeable parts such as:

• Short or long frame
• Short or long rail
• Small or large wheel (note: the large wheel only works with the tall frame)

The frame is held together with M2 screws, and the straps are made from 1-inch nylon webbing. I included multiple strap attachment points to help fit the cart properly to different dogs.

Front Leg Cart

This design addresses a much more challenging disability. Building a front leg cart requires custom measurements for each individual dog, and even with a proper fit, some dogs may never be comfortable pushing one around. Because of that, I view these files more as a source of inspiration than as a ready-to-print solution. They can serve as a guide for designing your own cart.

I’ve also included a link to an Instructable I created years ago. While some of the files in it are outdated, it still contains helpful information and examples. If anyone has questions about designing their own cart, I’ll be happy to offer guidance.

Disclaimer

I’m including all the source files so others can adapt these carts to their dogs. Please keep in mind, however, that I am self-taught in SolidWorks. As a result, the files contain many revisions and reflect my trial-and-error learning process. They may not be tidy, but they should give you a strong foundation to build from.

BOM: 

1" Nylon webbing https://a.co/d/dDVlGo3

¾" Velcro https://a.co/d/g4vzOQQ

M2 X 20 self tap screw x 14 https://a.co/d/4hdVxUZ

5x14x5mm Flanged ball bearing x 4 https://a.co/d/6eM5gn7

M5 X 40 Machine screw x 2 (can be slightly shorter for rear cart) https://a.co/d/777D3Zh

M5 Nylon lock nut x 2 https://a.co/d/1ex6Cbt

Front cart only--

1/4x20 2" Flathead machine screw x 2 https://a.co/d/bRf3jiu

1/4x20 Nut x 2 https://a.co/d/6L5kHhW

1" Metal loop for nylon webbing x 2 https://a.co/d/haXnMAe

Thin double sided Velcro roughly ¼" wide https://a.co/d/9oCz3Sl

https://www.instructables.com/Small-Front-Leg-Dog-Wheelchair

Update 7 Sept 2025 : Added several more pictures to show the webbing setup I use. The rear cart is designed to allow for many different configs so just experiment to see what works for your pup. 

 Also added many more wheel designs. Key things to take into account is that only the smaller wheels listed as 146 will fit the short frame rear cart. Also there are a flat rims for both sizes. This is useful if you are using the cart with the dogs legs still on the ground. The solid face prevents the dogs nails from getting caught in the wheel as it spins.