There are numerous stories out there from dogs having to suffer through all sorts of malpractice, but today’s story is one of positivity.
Meet Kai, a Golden Retriever, who wasn’t mistreated by his previous owners for malicious reasons, but oblivious ones.
They weren’t aware of just how much they’d been overfeeding him until it was too late for them to handle, when Kai reached an absolutely insane 175 pounds.
For a dog of Kai’s size, this is crazy, so crazy that the only option that was suggested was for him to be put down.
A Final Hope
However, that’s when Pam arrived, Kai’s future pet parent who, upon seeing him in his state, decided that she’d be the one to save Kai from being put down by slimming him down.
Others believed it to be a nigh-impossible task, but Pam had hope and the drive to see it through.
She could see the will in Kai’s eyes, the will to live, to travel and to play, and she wanted to make it a reality for him.
One Step At A Time
The idea of it can only see you through so far. It takes a lot of determination and hard work to lose 100 pounds, but luckily, Kai seemed to have everything he needed.
Though, the start was still rough. Kai could barely get up and down the ramp to Pam’s car, let alone climb up a few stairs.
After any sort of labor, he’d already be out of breath and would need to lie down, and he was panting 24/7 from the strain his body was putting on him.
It didn’t look too good at the start, but the pair wouldn’t give up.
Perseverance Pays Off
Their persistence would start to bear fruit. Sure, it wasn’t fast, but over time, Kai just kept losing weight.
The pair kept pushing on with exercise and healthy foods.
Kai would be put on the water treadmill at the start to get him going and to allow him to walk without having to bear his full weight.
Once he slimmed down a little, he’d move on to the real thing, even if it was only a few dozen feet a day.
That mileage would increase with each passing day until Kai could finally manage to walk properly on his own.
He was still getting real tired, but he always put on a happy face and was determined to not give up.
Over time, he’d slim down far enough where stairs weren’t even an issue anymore and where he could run without feeling too overburdened.
This was an incredible milestone in his weightloss journey.
Pam’s Black Labrador, Abby, was like a sister to him. She too was in on the journey, always motivating him to push forward so he could play and keep up with her.
The two were almost inseparable as she spent a good amount of time trying to comfort and to help Kai find the strength to push forward.
Without her, I figure the weight loss wouldn’t have been half as effective as it was.
Getting Ready To Inspire Others
In just under a year, Kai had managed to reach his target weight of 75 pounds, a healthy one for a dog of his size, and Pam figured that he could apply to become a therapy dog.
So they went on over to the Pet Therapy Society to give him his final evaluation.
He performed incredibly well in front of the evaluators and passed with flying colors, becoming a therapy dog and an inspiration for others who are struggling with issues similar to his past ones.
The Goldie That Could
From a 175 pound chonker, to a prime example of a Golden Retriever in his peak, Kai is an inspiration to dogs and humans alike, showing just how far perseverance can get you.
Here’s hoping that this shows others that you should never give up and that you should be a bit more wary of how you treat your canine companions.
Hopefully, this helps avoid another 175 pound problem, but if it does happen, here’s hoping that there’s a Pam and an Abby out there to help the pupper out.
Until next time, pet parents.