3-Legged dog defies norms by learning to walk upright on two legs like a person

Everyone can be taken down by adversity.

But what sets some people apart is what they do after.

Some may sink, some may swim, and others will stand up on two feet after losing their other two.

A dog from Colorado shows what resiliency looks like. And with the support from his family and the community, he became some sort of a local celebrity.

Meet Dexter

In the streets of Ouray, Colorado, Dexter is turning heads.

The Brittany spaniel, unlike other dogs, walks in a different way. When his counterparts are on all fours, Dexter struts confidently on two.

The dog walks like a little kid – waddling and swaying about as it tries to keep its balance.

And all around him, amused people are smiling, gasping, or taking pictures of him.

Walking on his two hind legs isn’t a trick that was taught to him, however.

He learned it on his own.

Kentee Pasek, Dexter’s owner, said that this ability was born from a catastrophic disaster. One day, when Dexter was just a little puppy, he escaped the property.

The curious fellow strayed too close to the road unfortunately he met an accident.

He was hit by a passing car

The impact left him severely disabled. One of his front legs was mangled and the other one had to be cut off entirely.

But as they say, what matters is how you get yourself back on your feet.

The family gave him a custom wheelchair so that he could get around the house.

But all of that changed one morning when Pasek got her coffee before setting the dog in his adaptive device.

“I ran in to go get my cup of coffee, came out … and I was like, ‘How is this going on?'” she told CBS News about the moment she found her dog on top of the stairs.

She then took Dexter back down, took her phone out to record, then waited to see how Dexter made his way up.

Dexter taught himself to walk upright.

But since this isn’t really the way their bodies work, Pasek brought Dexter to a veterinarian to see the condition of his hips, joints, and legs.

The veterinarian agreed that this was the best way for Dexter to move around.

YouTube Screenshot - CBS Evening News Source: YouTube Screenshot - CBS Evening News

Now, Dexter enjoys the attention he has been getting in their town. His Instagram account has over 160,000 followers and he has participated in local parades.

His story, however, goes beyond the amusing sight of seeing a dog walking on two legs.

His story is about overcoming adversity.

People from all over the country who saw his videos shared with Dexter’s owners how inspiring their dog was.

YouTube Screenshot - CBS Evening News Source: YouTube Screenshot - CBS Evening News

“Dexter shows us, why aren’t you out there writing the book you want to write? Why aren’t you out there doing the things you want to do? Because he has,” Pasek said to CBS News.

Adversity can happen to everyone.

Sometimes, the only way to see how strong you really are is by seeing your way through hardships and marching out to the other side on your two feet.

If a dog can do it, why can’t we?

Learn how Dexter overcame the odds and taught himself to walk tall in the video below!

Please SHARE this with your friends and family.

Source: YouTube – CBS Evening News, CBS News, Instagram – @dexterdogouray

Advertisement