Obie is a dachshund that is very beloved by his former owners, a senior couple living in Washington. They spoiled him rotten by giving him all the food and treats that he wanted. Couple that with the lack of exercise, it was no wonder that the dog ballooned to 77 pounds. This definitely made it even more impossible for the large pooch to get some exercise.
Because of his weight, and his naturally short legs, Obie couldn’t even walk properly anymore. He stayed most of the time inside the house with his owners. Eventually, one of the couple’s relatives convinced them that this was not healthy for the dog. it was going to shorten his life.
So despite their great love for their pet, the couple agreed to surrender Obie to a shelter where he could get some help. From the shelter, he moved to the house of Nora Vanatta.
Weight loss journey
Nora is a certified veterinary technician with a degree in animal sciences. She heard about Obie’s plight and offered to take him in as a foster and help him lose weight.
She immediately put the obese dog in a weight-loss program that eliminates all high-calorie foods and replaces them with healthier high-protein meals. From that one big change alone, Obie started losing weight. In just one week, he shed seven pounds.
After a while, Nora got Obie to do some low-impact exercises. He needed to do it gradually so that there wouldn’t be sudden negative effects. Besides, he was still too large to do anything strenuous. They started with regular short walks and frequent playtime with Nora’s other dogs.
In six months, Obie was able to lose 45 pounds. He was very close to his target weight of 23 to 25 pounds.
Surgery
One of the setbacks that they encountered where the mounds of loose flesh left by the massive weight loss. It was making it difficult for him to walk or run. So he went under surgery to have the extra skin removed.
Soon after, Obie was nowhere looking like he did before. He was a new pup who was very energetic and playful. And he has become an inspiration, not only for dogs but also for humans too.
After all their experiences together, Nora couldn’t bear to see him go. So she decided to adopt Obie herself.
Source: The Dodo via Youtube