Dogs always find a unique way to impress us, and Theo, here, exemplifies true brilliance in this regard.
With his owner gone, this senior Chihuahua found himself all alone in a Texas shelter. On top of his loss, he coped with extreme weight gain that impacted the overall quality of his life.
He lived a life on the edge, waiting for the inevitable since he was already put on the red list. Then, within just a year, everything changed – and Theo left everyone in awe with his amazing transformation!
Theo’s Past Was Not An Easy One
Losing an owner is never easy for a dog. When Theo was left without his beloved hooman, he was quite devastated. He unwillingly replaced the loving home with a shelter, where his new life began.
Sadly, this senior Chi had only a limited amount of time left. He was already put on the red list, which only meant one thing – he was in need of a new home urgently!
“He was put on the red list and he had a limited amount of time left,” his mom told GeoBeats Animals.
When Addison and Brendan, from Colorado, first saw the picture of Theo on Petfinder, they immediately fell in love. They instantly rushed into action and offered a forever home to this unfortunate dog, which turned out to be the best thing ever!
Even though he was quite lethargic at first, Theo’s spark never disappeared.
“It was a little sad meeting him at first. He didn’t move much, he kind of wobbled,” said Brendan.
The Transformative Journey
Theo’s new hoomans immediately rushed into action to help their new family member get better. When he first entered his new Colorado home, Theo was 14.4 pounds.
He was breathing heavily, didn’t bark much, and had multiple health issues. At the vet, he was diagnosed with knee, teeth, and spleen problems, which required a strict approach.
Theo was completely cut off from human food. Instead, he was fed with special diet food alongside medications and supplements.
Then, his pawrents started to take him out to walk!
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At first, Theo found it really hard to adjust to the Colorado weather. Coming from Texas, he didn’t like the snow and he definitely wasn’t very fond of walks. But then, as his first pounds came off – the total transformation started to take place!
He finally came out of his shell and displayed the sassy, enthusiastic self he is. He even started barking more, which truly amazed his mom and dad.
Underneath those layers of skin and fat, there was a true little adventurer. And now, he was unleashed!
Rocking In His Dad’s Arms
It took Theo around a year to transform into a brand-new dog. Despite his age, this tiny doggo lost more than a third of his body weight – now weighing a little under nine pounds.
“In a perfect world, our vet would like him eventually to be somewhere in between 7 and 8 pounds, but he does also have a lot of extra skin, so that kind of adds to his weight too,” says Addison.
Together with his hoomans, Theo is now living the best life possible. He goes out for walks, takes road trips, and accompanies mom and dad wherever they go.
Even though his mom was always fond of bigger dogs in the past, Theo changed her perception completely. Now, she can’t imagine life without him, and she definitely has room in her heart for small canines, too.
As for Theo – he’s definitely a dad’s boi!
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He just loves being in Brendan’s arms and lap, as if they have always been soulmates. During their walks or trips, Theo always follows his dad around and makes sure to be near him. And, Brendan reciprocates!
His new mom and dad couldn’t be more thankful for having the opportunity to have Theo in their life. Every time this little guy breaks into a run, they get super emotional.
Knowing how hard his life was in the past, they are now over the moon to see their Chi companion thrive.
