Reviews for dog wheelchairs on Amazon. Are they Fake or Real?



If you research dog wheelchairs on Amazon and check some of the reviews, you’ll notice that some of the really obscure brands that look cheap and flimsy have hundreds of great reviews while the top-selling high quality chair has fewer reviews. Ever wonder why?


Well, I think I’ve figured it out.  Turns out that Amazon reviews are not always real (surprise!)  Often, the seller of an inferior product will “arrange for” good reviews. Fortunately these can be detected.  A site called ReviewMeta.com has an ingenious way of detecting reviews that are probably fake. I'll explain some of their logic, but first, let's look at some of the results.



Untrustworthy reviews on amazonDog Wheelchair with fake amazon reviews
fake reviews



18 Reviews of 4.6 or higher have been deleted. This could indicate that the reviews were flagged as suspicious.
29% (61 highly positive reviews) have unverified purchases. Verified purchaser reviews are less happy. That means that 61 people who have no record of purchases love the product while people who definitely bought the product, well, not so much.
14% (31 highly positive reviews) reviewed only this product. That is suspicious because most people who review products review several others. Are they fake accounts?
17% (36 highly positive reviewers) have no verified purchases. People with verified purchases were not so impressed.
10% (21 people) have had previous reviews deleted. Are they repeat offenders?
15% (33 highly positive reviews) had repetitive phrases. They don’t sound natural and the ones without repetitive phrases rated the product much lower.

 Overall, ReviewMeta was not impressed with the reviews of this product.

Let's contrast this with a top-selling, high-quality brand, the Walkin' Wheels
Quality dog wheelchair with real reviewsdog cart on amazon has real reviews

dog wheelchair with genuine reviews

Although the reviews are fewer, ReviewMeta likes them. They appear to be real.


Here's a Really bad one!

Dog Wheelchair with fake reviews
fake reviews

fake reviews on amazon
After adjusting this product's ranking for unnatural reviews, it gets just over a 2.5 star rating!



Bullet’s new dog wheelchair



Thank you for sending Bullet’s new dog wheelchair out so quickly!   He instantly accepted both the harness and the chair and soon began to walk.

He was able to help himself to his water for the first time in months without assistance!  His Walkin’ Wheels was easy to assemble and it is well built.

- Carol, Bullet's Owner


Sucky has a new lease on life


Sucky has a new lease on life and we're so thankful that we can give him not only wheels to keep him mobile, but the best retirement he can have. Sucky is an inspiration to just about everyone who comes into the shelter. We're hoping his health will allow him to participate in a 5km run with our staff at our Annual Memorial Dog Walk and Carnival fundraising in August this year. 

Since receiving his wheels, he has put on some weight and gained some muscle tone in his back legs again. We've seen him improve with his mobility when out of the chair as well. I think he's happier knowing he can get outside and go at his normal speed. Someone commented that he would take a while to get used to his chair, but he embraced it. He doesn't see the disability, he sees only ability. 

When our volunteers take him out for the first time we always tell them to stay out of the way and try to keep up! They come back with huge grins and surprise at how able Sucky is.

 – Dana

Katie Belle ran like the wind in her dog wheelchair



We sadly lost our Katie Belle at the ripe old age of 18 early in 2016. She was a girl who could run like the wind! She covered many miles each day hiking through woods as well as neighborhood streets. When a disc problem left her too unsteady to walk on her own, a shiny new set of Walkin' Wheels gave her mobility back for her final two years of life. She took to the wheels like a fish to water! 

Exploring the world, nose to the ground, was what she lived for. Our walks changed over those two years in the wheels - smaller hills, less rugged terrain, though still they undoubtedly remained the highlight of her days. We were so fortunate to have her, and so very fortunate to have been able to extend her pleasures and her life for an additional two years thanks to our wheels! So many people learned about the possibility of extending the life of a handicapped pet after meeting Katie. She was most definitely a show stopper where ever we went! 

PS - This video was taken about 5 months before the end and as you can see, there was still a lot of GO in this old girl on wheels!




The Story of Shark's Wheels

I wanted to tell you the story of Shark. There is a link below that really shows you how he is functioning.
Shark was diagnosed with Canine ALS in August. Because of Handicapped pets, he is still alive and kicking. Thank you for extending my friend’s life with your amazing chairs.
-Lisa

Crash is back on the trails with his Walkin' Wheels

After a month in his new Wheels, Crash is back on the trails! He was completely non-weight bearing on his back left leg before rehabbing with the Wheels. I attached two short videos to show you all how great he's doing.
Thank you very much, from Crash and his family. 

Stella Adapting to the Walkin' Wheels

Stella is adapting very well to her dog wheelchair! She was doing lot of just backward movement the first 2 days, but has started moving forward, even chasing Emme a bit. Potty needs have been going well. It's so nice to see her able to pee or poo without having to drag herself in it! Today she even tried to raise up her hind quarters when she wasn't in her cart and tried to walk a bit on her own. I'm not thinking she'll be able to, but, just that she even tried. Pretty cool.





Pink Walkin’ Wheels for a Happy Callie Anne

I am SO very impressed with our Hot Pink Walking Wheels for our fur baby, "Callie Anne." We had just installed wood floors and the ONLY thing we can think is that she slipped. She was fine one minute and diagnosed the next day as paralyzed. We attempted to "make a cart" via YouTube examples. Major fail! We decided she deserved to have something that would really work. I received it and put it together myself in no time. At first, Callie Anne was frightened and didn't want to move. Except for some bacon treats that got her moving. It certainly was a big relief to us, considering my knee replacement and my husband's back. NOW, she thinks her PINK HOT WHEELS is for play time! Her back legs that dangled for the first couple of weeks are now moving! She has been receiving acupuncture, and to my excitement the outcome is she is beginning to walk. Not anything steady yet, but we are certain she will be able to walk, for sure on carpet, and outdoors. These wood floors just may have to have a path of rugs.HandicappedPets.com customer service was fast, responded to my questions within 24 hours or less, and everything arrived in perfect condition. I am so impressed; I have started a fundraiser with my vet in my personal business to be able to raise funds in the event someone needs Walking Wheels for their dog! Callie makes Secretariat look slow in her new Walking Wheels! DiAnne

Do You have an elderly dog?


Do you have an elderly dog?

Whether or not your dog is considered elderly depends of the size, age, and breed of dog, and also (like a person) on the attitude of the dog.

Typically, smaller dogs live longer than larger dogs and mixed breeds, longer than purebreds.

Although these are vastly oversimplified, this chart shows when your dog may be considered a “senior” dog.

Dog size (pounds)     Age considered Senior (Human years)
    Under 20                               9-13
    21-50                                      9-11
    51-90                                      7-10
    Over 90                                  6-9
Dog Wheelchiar

Mac loves his new Wheels

Mac loves his new Wheels. It took a few tries before he got used to them, but now he takes off and loves the freedom. He also uses his back leg, the one that was paralyzed, which is great exercise for strengthening that leg. When he sees his "Wheels" being readied, he gets excited. Thanks so much!

Walkin’ Wheels for Valentine


Furkids, Inc., the largest no-kill animal shelter in Georgia, recently obtained Walkin’ Wheels for Valentine, a two-month old Lab mix puppy we rescued. Valentine was born with a spinal abnormality and had no use of her back legs. Since using her Walkin’ Wheels, Valentine has made incredible progress. In addition to allowing Valentine to walk on all four legs, the wheelchair has helped to strengthen her back legs. When not in the wheelchair, Valentine can now stand on her own for several minutes and can even take a couple of steps. Valentine loves her wheelchair!

Her tail wags the entire time, she runs around in it, and she can finally play with and even chase other dogs. Furkids is extremely thankful for how the Walkin’ Wheels have improved Valentine's quality of life. We strive to provide the best loving care we can for all of our animals, and this product has allowed us to fulfill our mission for this deserving puppy. We also greatly appreciate the time and help that Jamie, Customer Service Representative, gave to our volunteer who purchased the Walkin’ Wheels for Valentine.

Dino Loves Exploring New Places with Walkin’ Wheels


Thank you for calling me back and answering my questions. The Walkin' Wheels is the easiest dog wheelchair of all on market. One measurement is all you need. Fully adjustable, too. Dino loves his dog wheelchair. Every day we went for longer walks as he got used to the cart. We also got the optional harness for dachshunds and the drag bag. Again, thank you for giving him a second chance on seeing the outdoors and going places.  - Douglas H.

Walkin' Lift Rear Harness for a Happy Customer

Walkin' Lift Rear Harness
Photo Supplied by Handicappedpets.com
I bought this Walkin' Lift Rear Harness for my cousin’s boxer, Docker. We all love him so much! He was having so much trouble holding his back legs under him and they were at a complete loss as how to help him. My cousin was literally in tears thinking that they had tried everything and his time was coming to an end. We all were so sad. This product truly is a lifesaver! Docker walked out with this on today and my cousins help. We were all so happy to see him up and moving with so much ease. What a back saver as well! Truly the best product ever! We will never be able to express in words how much we love this and how it gave life back to one happy boxer! 

Thank you so much and I will definitely be recommending this to everyone!

-reggieroo24

How Do I Choose the Right Dog Wheelchair?

Dog wheelchairs, also called dog "carts" are used by dogs that have had some type of injury or disease process which affects their ability to use their hind end. Don't worry though; you don't have to push your dog in the wheelchair. Like a person in a wheelchair, a dog in a cart gets around just fine.

Most dog wheelchairs are designed so the dog can use its front legs to walk, while its hind end is supported. Dogs acclimate surprisingly well to the cart, can maintain muscle tone and get much needed exercise.


There are also dog wheelchairs available for dogs with front leg amputations or diseases that affect the chest or front legs of a dog. There are even four-wheel dog carts for pets that are quadriplegic.

In the past, otherwise healthy dogs suffering from diseases like degenerative myelopathy, (DM), neuromuscular disease, fibrocartilaginous embolism (FCE) osteoarthritis, hip dysplasia, cancer, severe muscle or back injuries, spondylosis, lumbosacral disease and balance disorders have had to be needlessly euthanized. Dogs that were recovering from arthrodesis (joint fusion surgery), joint replacements, fractures, cruciate (ACL) injuries, amputations, and patellar luxations needlessly suffered.

Many dogs spent much more time in the healing process, sometimes never really healing completely because it was so difficult to keep the dog from being active. There are a number of different brands of dog wheelchairs, also called dog carts and canine carts (K-9 Carts), you can find on the internet for handicapped pets. Top sites include HandicappedPets, WalkinWheels, DogKarts, and several others.

Until recently, your dog had to be custom fitted to the wheelchair, a lengthy and exacting process. The dog’s owner needed to take up to 13 exact measurements and wait two to three weeks for the wheelchair to arrive.

Once the wheelchair arrived, sometimes it didn't fit and would need to be returned to the manufacturer. In the meantime, the handicapped or injured dog who needed the wheelchair was experiencing a very poor quality of life. These custom carts, the only kind available until now, certainly served a purpose, but they were cumbersome, couldn't be easily put in an automobile (most didn't fit in the back seat or even the trunk of a car) and of course, were difficult to resell. If the dog's size changed, the cart had to be sent back to the manufacturer to be refitted. Plus, they were not very attractive!

The Gold Standard of dog wheelchairs is Walkin' Wheels. Released in 2008, Walkin' Wheels is a unique, patented dog wheelchair invented by dog lover Mark Robinson, founder of the Handicapped Pets Website and the recently formed Handicapped Pets Foundation. The cart is portable, adjustable, easy to use, lightweight, and attractive!

The Walkin' Wheels dog cart was designed with both the dog's comfort and the owner's convenience in mind. A Walkin' Wheels dog cart can be easily ordered online. Tedious measurement of your dog is not necessary, the online "Cart Wizard" takes care of the details after one approximate measurement. The cart can be adjusted, without tools, to fit your dog or any other dog. It's lightweight, folds flat with the twist of a knob and is shipped next day.

No wonder there is a dog cart revolution! So don't lose hope - pets that might otherwise suffer or even be put to sleep can have a new lease on life! Dogs in wheelchairs can not only walk again, they can run, play fetch, and even swim! Unlike the other dog carts on the market, the Walkin' Wheels dog wheelchair company has a decent return policy, and the resell value is very high. So, if your dog has trouble with his back legs, consider the Walkin' Wheels dog wheelchair to help him enjoy life again!

Dog Wheelchair and Canine Rehabilitation

Taffy in her Walkin' Wheels dog wheelchair
Many dogs will require the use of a dog wheelchair for an extended period of time or even permanently to provide mobility that has been lost as a result of injury or a degenerative condition.  However, advances in the area of canine rehabilitation are making it possible for an increasing number of dogs to fully regain the use of their rear legs.  The Walkin' Wheels dog wheelchair can be used very successfully as a rehabilitative device to aid dogs in recovering their full mobility. 

We were thrilled to see a recent report on the canine rehabilitation success story of a dachshund named Taffy who fully regained the use of her hind legs while a client of the Carolina Animal Rehabilitation and Exercise Center in Aiken, South Carolina.  Taffy used a Walkin' Wheels dog wheelchair as part of her canine rehabilitation program.

Tazy, though, has another problem... he's blind!

Tazy is doing Great! He took to the Walkin' Wheels Dog Wheelchair almost immediately.
Tazy, blind dog in a dog wheelchair

Tazy, though, has another problem... he's blind!

It is a little hard for him because he can't see where he is going but he should adapt. His back legs are getting stronger and he pushes himself up so I hope he will walk again someday.

Kevin

Dog Wheelchair Rental Extended her life.

Spot had her 16th birthday last week. About 45 days ago we had rented a Walkin' Wheels dog wheelchair. Her birthday coincided almost exactly with the end of our 45 day rental period of her Walkin' Wheels.

It worked so well and we are so happy that she is doing well. We converted our rental to a full-on purchase.

Dog Wheelchair Rental was a success
Dog Wheelchair

Dog Wheelchair Extended her life
Dog Wheelchair extended her life
The ability to rent let us to learn about the wheelchair and watch it work for her. Also, we were not sure how much longer she would live. We have no doubt that her life has been extended by having this wheelchair. It has brought a new joy into her days as she can once again explore familiar territory and move about on her own.

It has also allowed Spot to exercise and get stronger in her forelegs and to get some aerobic exercise again that was denied her because of her spinal stenosis.

Thank you so much for having the rental option that made it easy for us to decide to give it a try.

The Walkin Wheels, and the Dog Wheelchair Rental Program has worked out so much better than we could have anticipated and we are thrilled to tell everyone who asks about it.

Thank you!

Melanie

Dog Wheelchairs - Interview with the Inventor

The Dog Wheelchair Review had the opportunity to interview Mark C. Robinson, inventor of the Walkin’ Wheels adjustable dog wheelchair.

DWR: So Mark, your invention has moved the dog wheelchair industry to a new level. Where did you get started with the idea?

MCR: Many years ago, at a veterinarian’s advice and before the advent of the internet, I put a dog to sleep before her time. My Keeshond, Mercedes, was diagnosed with Canine Epilepsy. I was told it was incurable and the attacks would reoccur and probably increase in intensity. About 10 years ago, once the internet became popular, a dear friend was diagnosed with Epilepsy. With the research I did online, I realized that it was very treatable for my friend, and would have been treatable for my dog. I started the site as an information source and a discussion forum.

DWR: is the “Help and Advice” section at HandicappedPets.net?

MCR: Yes, it has become the most popular forum of its kind with over 70,000 messages – people helping others care for their handicapped pets. It’s run by a team of volunteers led by CarolC; an amazing group that keeps the forum clean, healthy, and on track.

DWR: So at first, the HandicappedPets.com website was a forum?

MCR: Yes, but soon I added some products to the site to help me cover the costs.

DWR: Like dog wheelchairs?

MCR: No, not yet. They were mostly slings and harnesses from Cathy Erwin of Walkabout Harnesses. Dog wheelchairs didn’t come in until a year or so later. There were so many questions about dog wheelchairs on the forum so I did some research and wrote about them. I did comparative reviews of the custom-made dog wheelchairs from Eddies Wheels, Doggon Wheels, and K9 Carts and took orders for them on the website, making a small sales commission.

DWR: Which dog wheelchair did you like best?

MCR: They all had advantages. Eddies Wheels was brilliantly engineered but, in my opinion, so dog specific as to make it difficult to re-sell. In addition, his 50% up front, non-refundable deposit and return policy of “All Sales Final” was difficult for many dog owners struggling to make ends meet. K9 Carts was well built and very effective, but somewhat cumbersome – often impossible to carry around due to its size. The original owner of K9 Carts, Lincoln Parkes, was the holder of the first patent for a dog wheelchair back in 1983, although his current model is not patented. He and I are the only patent holders. Doggon Wheels was a nice, simple design with flexible harnesses. It was put together, though, with pipe and radiator clamps and looked pretty cobbled-together.

DWR: So how did you come up with your design?

MCR: Basically, I listened very carefully. My customers were all having the same problems:
  1. Measuring the dog for a custom wheelchair was nearly impossible. A dozen or so measurements were needed and, if done wrong, resulted in a cart that didn’t fit!
  2. Waiting a week or two for the wheelchair to be built was agony for the dog and the dog owner.
  3. Return policies were very restrictive. There were cases where the dog suddenly recovered the use of his back legs but the cart couldn’t be returned. Now what?
  4. They were bulky. They didn’t fold up like wheelchairs for people and you couldn’t take them anywhere.
  5. They were stiff and inflexible. The frames were all bolts and metal – there was no ‘give’ to them. They were unnatural.
  6. They looked uncomfortable. In fact they were usually not uncomfortable for the dog, but they sure looked uncomfortable… like small torture devices. Frankly, people would say they were embarrassed to be seen with a dog in a wheelchair because people thought they were doing something awful to the poor creature.
My design solved all these problems. It set out to give handicapped pet owners exactly what they were asking for.
  1. No measurements are needed – we just need to know the height of the dog so we can snap in the right size wheel into the universal, adjustable frame.
  2. They can ship same day.
  3. Reasonable return policy, or the dog wheelchair can be re-sold on Ebay.
  4. Folds flat to fit in the included tote bag.
  5. Flexible design. The metal parts are allowed to move and flow with the dog.
  6. Walkin' Wheels looks great!
DWR: Have they been selling well?

MCR: Yes, I estimate that we sell more dog wheelchairs, US and Internationally, then all the other companies combined. We have retailers throughout the US and distributors in 20 countries around the world.

DWR: I’ve noticed that on one website, Eddies Wheels, there are a number of very disparaging remarks about your product.

MCR: Yes, they are not very nice. For example, we had a corgi in a few months ago that had an odd shape. Our cart didn’t work for him so I told him he needed a custom cart and sent him to Eddies. The “thanks” I got was a scathing editorial suggesting that even I thought Eddies cart was better than mine. The customer made Eddies take down the article. We all have our disgruntled customers. Eddies has one person, a pet care professional who claims that Eddies Wheels contributed to her dog’s death!

http://thepetpsychic.com/tag/eddies-wheels-hurt-my-dog/

My company policy is to focus on the benefits of our product. I have nothing negative to say about any competitors. We’re all helping the dogs that need us.

DWR: Where are your dog wheelchairs manufactured?

MCR: At first, 100% of our wheelchairs were manufactured in the US. Now about 80% of our carts are made in China. It’s no secret – it says so right on the box. 20% of our carts are made in the US and Canada. Part of the reason our wheelchair is so popular is because it is available in stores and sold by veterinarians and pet care professionals. They need to be able to make a profit when they sell products so they can stay in business. Our goal was to reduce the manufacturing costs so we could get the wheelchair onto the legs of as many dogs as possible. And, the fact is, the 20% we manufacture in the US probably amounts to the same number of wheelchairs that other companies make in the US. The sad fact is that, if we made these wheelchairs in the US, they would be too expensive for cash-strapped pet owners to afford.

DWR: What about people who can’t afford dog wheelchairs?

MCR: I founded, and am on the board of directors for a non-profit called the Handicapped Pets Foundation. This is a 501c3 non-profit that helps people with financial needs to get wheelchairs for their dogs. We’re actively looking for donors and people who want to help promote this organization. Please let your readers know they can go to http://HPets.org.

DWR: Thanks for being with us today, Mark. Anything else you’d like to say to our readers?

MCR: Thanks! I’d just like to say how grateful I am to the team that’s been responsible for helping the thousands of dogs in Walkin’ Wheels; the staff at HandicappedPets.com, the Message Board Management Team, the engineers, and all the people who write in with comments and ideas to help me make the product better all the time. Please join us and 36,000 fans on the largest handicapped pet community facebook at http://facebook.com/handicappedpets

Dog Wheelchairs Becoming A Real Option

I always find it interesting to watch a social attitude changing. Dog wheelchairs have moved from an odd contraption that strange people build to a perfectly reasonable alternative to euthanasia and expensive surgery.

The big break for the industry came when the adjustable Walkin' Wheels was introduced. This made it a simple, one-step process to order a wheelchair for your dog. Rather than taking dozens of accurate measurements, sending non-refundable deposits, and waiting weeks -- a wheelchair for a dog can be shipped same day and fitted to your dog in minutes.

Just a few days ago I heard about a dog that had injured his back end and couldn't walk. The vet said that a possible course of action was an MRI and hip replacement. The cost would have been $3,000 - $5,000.

"So how long is the dog likely to live once we replace his hip?'
"Well, " said the vet, "he's an older dog. Probably 3 - 5 years."

The dog's owner, unable to afford the surgery, opted for the dog wheelchair. The dog runs and plays, swims and hikes, and is living a happy, healthy life.

That was 4 years ago.

Dog wheelchairs are a simple, inexpensive, easy way to have many more years with your best friend.