Patriota

Patriota is one of the few dogs we have gotten that came to Aware clothed. Yes, he was wearing a shirt when he came, a baggy orange shirt which dwarfed his already shrinking body. We were not sure if we were being given a dog or some sort of sad exotic animal. Patriota was entirely nude. He had maybe 4 hairs on his entire body. Skin tight, greasy and blotchy. Face sad and depressed. We were not sure that he was going to make it much longer, he had a look of complete defeat on his face.

The family who brought him in were very nice and wished him a full recovery as they left. Patriota was put in his own pen and fed 3 times a day. He weighed about 30lbs when he came in. From his facial features we could tell that he was a Chow, but with no hair it was a guess. Patriota stayed in his pen for many weeks alone, receiving his 3 meals a day and his medicated baths. Patriota not only had mange, he had a staph infection on his skin. It took a long time for Patriota to recover, but little by little we saw his depression lifting and his interest peak. We were amazed when he started to grow  sprouts of orange fur all over his body. Once we gave the all clear for him to start going on daily walks his confidence soared.

You would never recognize him now, but today he lives in a pen with 2 other friends. He goes for a slow and ambling walk every day with his pen mates, and stops to be petted by anyone he sees.