Obese dog once frozen to sidewalk doing better in new home

[undeterred]

SHEBOYGAN FALLS — For Jiffy the dog, the little things can be the most rewarding, like being able to relieve himself once again with one leg lifted off the ground.

As simple as it sounds, those moments bring smiles to the faces of his owners, Patty and Peter Geise, because it means Jiffy — who was deemed morbidly obese when the couple adopted him last spring — is acting like a real dog again.

Several months earlier, Jiffy had been found frozen to a sidewalk after being left outside overnight in single-digit temperatures because his former owner couldn’t get him back inside. The elderly dog didn’t suffer any lasting injuries from the incident, which attracted widespread media attention and resulted in the owner relinquishing the rights to Jiffy.

But it belied a larger problem — Jiffy, who likely survived the night due to his dense layers of fat, was obscenely overweight, to the point he could hardly stand up. Now, a little more than a year after the incident, Jiffy appears happy as can be, and with his slimmed-down body, he’s even got a little bounce in his step.

more story and pictures at link: http://www.thenorthwestern.com/article/20100125/OSH0101/100124047/1987/OSHnews/Once-obese-dog-gets-new-lease-on-life

I had to post something good tonight.

[flvegan]

1. Success!!

You posted something very good tonight. Thank you!

[smalll]

2. Only in America.

/nt

[bertman]

3. Very cool. Thanks, undeterred. nt

[xchrom]

4. Good boy Jiffy! -- awesome, lovely story. Nt

[undeterred]

5. kicking for warm fuzzies

[earthboundmisfit]

6. Thanks

for a much-needed upper of a story :)

[Quantess]

7. I wonder if the other dogs judged him for his weight?

:hide:

[tomm2thumbs]

8. thanks for posting - all good news is welcome!

[dmr]

9. I love happy ending stories like this

Thank you for posting Jiffy's story.

:)

[Tony Campbell]

10. Amazing

Thanks

[undeterred]

12. Welcome to DU!

[PassingFair]

11. What a beautiful dog....my dog has "weight issues"...

I have two Corgi's.

The male spends almost 100% of his life cruising for molecules of
food everywhere.

He is a total chow-hound. I have friends that can feed their dogs
and the dogs will LEAVE FOOD in their dishes to graze on throughout
the day.

My dog, like a goldfish, would eat until he popped.

My female is very active and more into playing, but she is
only a year old. She is a chow-hound as well, but can be
distracted.

She is also not as easily trained as the male, who will
stand on his head and whistle "Dixie" as long as there
is a treat involved.....

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

14. Weight issues can be a challenge

The peke mix I adopted 2 years ago has weight issues. He's probably 5 or 6 now -not at all old - but has breathing issues, esp.in the warm weather, due to the lack of a snout and his closed nostrils. He also throws up if he exercises too much. I measure his food and don't give him a lot of treats, but can't get the extra 5 lbs off him. He was skinny when I pulled him from the shelter, but he had a tapeworm.

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

13. Thanks for posting some good news

Rec'd

[roguevalley]

15. awww, sweet baby. put your dogs on a treadmill. Hold the leash in

front of them and start slow. Five minutes a couple of times a day and they will bark to get you to do it. My dachsies have their own treadmill and love it. They keep trim this way.

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

16. He loves to chase after thrown balls, so I try to do that for him

for a few minutes at a time every day. I'll have to look into the treadmill. He's not the sharpest tack in the box, so getting him to do it could be a challenge !