[JohnnyP]

My dog “Puppy” was hit by a car when I was a kid. It only damaged his right front paw . We didn’t have money for a vet, so we bandaged it and he dragged it around for a week. The neighbor lady couldn’t stand it so she paid the vet to take the leg off, leaving just a short stump. Puppy adapted right away and hopped around on three legs several more years.

[Vigilanteman]

My Dad was a vet. What you say is true especially for puppies and smaller dogs. Plus some mid-sized dogs. Ours was a border collie who didn't miss a beat as a tripod. She was running alongside the tractor and got too close to the hay cutting scythe. It took her just a couple of hours after surgery to adapt. Dad swore they are the smartest breed of dogs on the planet and once the dog showed she could keep off the stump, Dad had no further worries about infection and just let her go back to life as before.

Bigger dog breeds, unfortunately, are completely another matter. A large dog is carrying around a lot more weight on those legs and needs time to build strength in the opposite good leg. It can happen, depending on the dog's temperament, persistence and patience. But more often than not, these things don't end well.