Cal's Story

CAL=raw food-1The scene is A.D.O.P.T. pet shelter, fall of 2011: Noseworks training class. “Bring in the Beagle!” they said.  I could hear him breathe before I saw him furtively enter the room.  Eyes and ears lowered, nose to the floor, he barely looked side to side.  Here was our third obese Beagle in a month….what were we going to do about this?  More to the point, what was I going to do about it?? That night, sleep was replaced with the memory of Cal, the tick-shaped dog with the labored breathing...and  shortly thereafter, the Bodacious Beagle Program at the shelter was begun.  He and the two others were not put on a “diet”—rather they were given high quality kibble in amounts appropriate to their size, and  encouraged to play outside with the other dogs.  However, as time went on it seemed as though nothing we did helped them lose weight.  Cal spent days and weeks looking soulfully out of his kennel as everyone around him went to their forever homes. So, last Christmas, Cal became a member of my own Blue Sky Beagle pack. On the day he came home he weighed in at 38 lbs., his chest measured 26" and his waist measured 26".  That night, he ate his first raw food meal with the rest of the pack.  Again, he was not put on a “diet,” no extra exercise, nothing except excellent nutrition in normal amounts for his size.  Treats were fresh fruits, vegetables, and dehydrated raw meat.  In the first week, things clearly began to change. He lost 3” off his waist, and as the bloat left his body, energy started to flow. By May he had reached his current weight of 22 lbs., and proudly pranced into his intended life.  He had lost 9” from his waist and 6” from his chest. Today Cal is an excellent example of the transformative power of a raw diet. By eating Raw Bistro, he escaped his “fat coat” jail. He was 4 years at adoption; now he's about 2 years old!  Although his weight kept him from having normal life experiences, Cal is now in school “catching up” and loving life. LouAnn & Cal Maple Park, IL
Tags: Rescue, Stories

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