Walter's weight loss journey: Meet the lab with a lot to lose
It's going to be ruff, but Walter the friendly lab has to drop at least 50 lbs. to get his health on track.
Weighing in at a whopping 147 lbs., a recently rescued dog in New Brunswick is nearly three times the size he should be.
Now, Walter the lab is on his new diet and starting his weight loss journey.
"When I first saw Walter I was a little shocked, seeing an overweight dog is something that we see a lot but to that extent was a little wild," says trainer April Saulnier.
The eight-year old lab mix was surrendered to Saulnier and the Fulfilling Hearts Rescue after his elderly owner became sick and couldn’t care for him.
“Walter was not an abused dog, he is very well-loved, but sometimes we can over love dogs and I think that's what happened in this case - he was loved a little bit too much," says Saulnier.
A little too much love in the form of treats. Adult male labs should weigh between 60 to 80 lbs when full grown but Walter is pulling in at 147.7 lbs.
"So he's a very large boy," says Saulnier.
Veterinarian Dr. Carolyn Train works at the clinic where Walter first stepped on the scale. She says it's quite common for pets to be overweight.
“A lot of people will equate food with love, so if I don’t give my dog a Cheezie I don’t want him to think I don’t love him as much as I did before we started this diet," says Train.
Saulnier says the plump pup has a long road ahead.
"I would like to take a good 50 lbs. off, which is a lot. If I can get more I'd be happy. So we’re just going to go and see how things are going, what he looks like as he loses weight, and see if we can get him to a healthy lifestyle," she says.
Saulnier and the team at Fulfilling Hearts hope the public will contribute to Walter's success and donate to help cover the cost of his care.
“The vet food unfortunately is a little bit pricey, but we feel that we’ll get him where he needs to be faster," says Saulnier.
To get to his goal weight, Walter will take it slow.
“We will start with exercise. Hopefully, when he drops a little weight I’ll be able to bring him swimming which is a little bit lower impact than running and walking him all the time," says Saulnier.
But for now, Walter is on his way to a fitter future full of lots of love but a few less treats.
If you'd like to help with the cost of Walter's food you can donate directly to the vet clinic or to Fulfilling Hearts Rescue.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Weather alerts issued for 7 provinces, 1 territory
Warnings of up to 60 millimetres of rain and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces and one territory ahead of the Easter weekend.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
Luxury cruise line selling world cruise suite for US$1.7 million
Luxury operator Regent Seven Seas Cruises is raising their price tag to eye-watering levels, with a suite on an upcoming 140-day world voyage costing US$1.7 million.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
A Filipino villager is nailed to a cross for the 35th time on Good Friday to pray for world peace
A Filipino villager has been nailed to a wooden cross for the 35th time to reenact Jesus Christ’s suffering in a brutal Good Friday tradition he said he would devote to pray for peace in Ukraine, Gaza and the disputed South China Sea.
Ontario homeowner on the hook for $27,000 when contractor severed power line
An Ontario man who built a garage on his property has been locked in a battle with his electricity provider for a year and half over a severed power line.
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
'Oppenheimer' finally premieres in Japan to mixed reactions and high emotions
'Oppenheimer' finally premiered Friday in the nation where two cities were obliterated 79 years ago by the nuclear weapons invented by the American scientist who was the subject of the Oscar-winning film. Japanese filmgoers' reactions understandably were mixed and highly emotional.