Erin McManis, a 37-year-old attorney from Phoenix, Arizona, fell in love with a stray beagle named Wolfgang. Wolfgang was a sweet dog but extremely obese, weighing in at a whopping 90 pounds. While she doesn’t know what kind of life the dog had before that led to him becoming so overweight, it’s likely Wolfgang was surviving on human food and not getting the nutritional dog food his body needed. As a result, he had a variety of health conditions including a thyroid problem. But Erin and her husband Chad were determined to help Wolfgang enjoy a better quality of life by helping him to lose weight, according to Today .
Wolfgang is currently in the midst of a weight-loss journey that the couple is documenting on social media. The pup’s page has gone viral and many people are getting inspired by the progress he’s made so far. On average, Wolfgang is losing about a pound a week. Instead of getting to eat whatever he wants and how much he wants, he gets a set portion for each meal. In order for the decrease in food levels to not cause a shock to his system, McManis slowly decreased his portions over time to cut down on his calorie intake. He’s also getting way more exercise than he did before.
Since beginning his weight loss journey in May, the pup has lost 18 pounds, bringing him down to 72 pounds. His healthy goal weight is 25 pounds so he’s got a ways to go still, but clearly making progress. He’s also helping other dogs throughout the process. Wolfgang is friends with a pair of older dogs and helps keep them active by running around with them during play dates. Fred is 16-years-old and Andre is 12-years old. They enjoy playing with the slightly sluggish Wolfgang. Of course, exercise is still somewhat of a challenge for Wolfgang because his body isn’t used to it, but he is expected to get there in time.
“He keeps them going. They are helping him stay active, and he is maybe keeping them younger, so to speak. He is not as mobile as he will be. He is definitely playful,” McManis said.
Obese beagle’s weight loss inspires healthy choices for dogs and people, too https://t.co/TPzqMgpYZk
— MSN (@MSN) September 6, 2019
Wolfgang’s owners never expected their dog to get as much media attention as he has been getting.
“I never anticipated that happening. It was just a way to update people and bring some attention to Arizona Beagle Rescue. Our goal is really to bring awareness and let people know that dogs at shelters need to be rescued,” McMannis emphasizing.
