Puggles are bred to be companion dogs. They are loving, intelligent, and have the great potential to gain weight. However, they are not very enthusiastic when it comes to going through training.
Meredith Wille, a Certified Canine Fitness Trainer at Steel City Canine Rehabilitation in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, found out firsthand how challenging it could be to train a Puggle. When she saw an overweight Puggle named Bertha on Facebook, she knew she had to help her. She reached out to Stark County Humane Society in Louisville. She volunteered to foster and rehabilitate the dog.
Bertha weighed more than twice the normal weight for her breed. She would need a lot of work, but Meredith believed she could have a chance to get better if the right person would help her.
As soon as Bertha arrived in Pennsylvania, Meredith planned a complete weight loss program for her. Bertha started with a healthier diet. After about a week, she began the underwater treadmill sessions. She wanted to give up after taking five steps on her first session.
It took a lot of effort for Bertha to do anything. She easily got tired and preferred to eat and sleep instead. Meredith had to get creative to motivate her to get some exercise.
Meredith filled the tank and let Bertha swim until she got used to treading water. Finally, she was able to go on the treadmill again. She would only walk for a couple of minutes at a time, but it was an improvement. They continued with the program, and Bertha kept progressing.
Bertha started losing weight and was more mobile. Meredith noticed that she could do the basic things a regular dog could do, like scratching her ears, going up and down the stairs, and exploring the yard. She cried tears of joy when Bertha could finally fit in the life jacket that they used during her underwater treadmill training.
At last, Bertha was down to her ideal weight, and Meredith was so proud of her. They had grown really close over the course of the training, so Meredith ended up adopting her. Bertha was lucky to have found someone who helped her and changed the course of her life.
Source: The Dodo via YouTube
