Sometimes people do bad things with good intentions. For example, a lot of dog owners will give in to their pups’ begging and feed them human food or junk food, or too many treats. It’s often something done out of “love,” but it ends up hurting the animal in the process.
It seems that’s what happened to an obese beagle named Wolfgang.
He was fed a diet of cheeseburgers and ice cream from the time he was a pup, and it wasn’t doing him any favors. Beagles typically weigh between 20-24 pounds, but Wolfgang tipped the scales at a whopping 90 pounds!
To make matters worse, he was so large he was struggling to walk and his owners ended up dumping him at a shelter.
That could’ve been the end for Wolfgang, fortunately, Erin McManis and her husband, Chad Schatz who are both lawyers began fostering Wolfgang in May from the Arizona Beagle Rescue.
According to PEOPLE, they’d both rehabilitated obese foster dogs in the past and thought they could help Wolfgang achieve a healthier weight through a proper diet and plenty of exercises.
It took a lot of work and patience, but Wolfgang slowly began to lose some weight. His walks increased and his attitude seemed to perk up as his weight went down.
Wolfgang has a thyroid condition. He is taking medicine to help get that under control, as well as a vitamin supplement to keep him healthy.
In August, Wolfgang weighs 74 pounds, and this month he shed another two pounds.
“I’m now 72 pounds from a starting weight of about 90 pounds!!!” captioned a video showing Wolfgang being weighed. “What is even more important than the number on the scale is how good I feel; I have not been able to move like this in years.”
Wolfgang’s goal weight is around 25 pounds. However, the vet wants to restudy the plan when he reaches 50 pounds.
In August, McManis and Schatz, who had fostered dogs previously, decided to adopt Wolfgang.
“We had a real special connection with Wolfgang and really wanted to see him reach his weight loss,” McManis told TODAY.
Aside from eating healthy foods, Wolfgang is additionally getting the right amount of exercise. In addition to taking regular walks, McManis is even helping him swim around in their pool.
“Even a little extra weight on a dog can add a lot of stress on the dog’s joints,” the couple explained. “We do firmly believe that small, consistent steps can yield big results.”
During the course of his weight loss journey, Wolfgang celebrated many milestones. For example, the couple documented when he was first able to fit through the doggie dog, when he walked his first mile, and when he completed his first 5k length race.
“’I still can’t believe I’m an athlete now,” the couple concluded the caption.
Speaking about how famous Wolfgang has become, the attorney said:
“I never anticipated that happening. It was just a way to update people and bring some attention to Arizona Beagle Rescue.”
McManis added that their only goal is to “bring awareness and let people know that dogs and shelters need to be rescued.”
She’s thrilled because Wolfgang inspires many people.