Ryder

My story

Ryder is a truly special boy. He's a Dogo Argentino. His front legs are extremely deformed and we call him Jelly Legs. We've been down this road before (some of you may remember our original Wonky Legs, aka Jem). We figured we'd be taking on a major medical case, have to do lots of fundraising, but we'd find a way to "fix" his legs if possible. Well, months later, our sweet Jelly Legs is always going to remain Jelly Legs. We have consulted with some of the top orthopedic teams in the country, and the answers have always been the same. It boils down to this: "...feel that any surgery options he has would only have very minimal impact on his lameness and would do little to slow the progression of his arthritis. He may also require several surgeries to achieve even minimal improvement. Essentially, the surgical process and recovery would not outweigh the benefit." All of the teams have been lovely and we really appreciate their input and their honesty that surgery wouldn't have the outcome we hoped for. And so, we move on and look to Ryder's future! He does not act as if he's in pain, but he has to be - at the very least - in a measure of discomfort. This bubs never lets on though. He's such a happy-go-lucky lovebug! Because of his legs, he can't really hold a bone or toy in between his front paws, like you've seen a million dogs do. His foster mama will sit with him on the couch and hold a bone for him, and he will happily gnaw away on it for an hour while she watches TV or reads a book. He still loves to play, he LOVES to give kisses, he loves to cuddle. He's such a handsome guy! We asked Ryder for his wishlist and here was his response: - Need to be the one and only pet - Carpet is nice but not a requirement! It's so much easier for me to navigate (even walking outside, I prefer to walk on the grass over the sidewalk, more cush for my joints) - No more than 3 steps to get in and out of the house is also ideal, stairs aren't my friend - I gets vocal when I'm lonely. I can howl with the best of them. I'm not at all destructive, but I'd be sad with someone who was gone 10 hours a day - Cheese. I need lots of cheese. - A dad with a bald head would be ideal. Polishing my foster dad's noggin is my favorite pastime. - I may weigh 85 lbs, but I'm a lapdog. Yes, I am. I fit, I swear. - I love to give kisses, it's my favorite Ryder is neutered, vaccinated, microchipped and in much better health than when he came to us. He and his brother were found in an abandoned building in Chicago Heights, with some severe skin infections and grossly underweight. This boy looks SO much better than he did, and he really is a happy and healthy guy. He doesn't let birth defect get him down at all! His adoption fee is $250.

If you have any questions or would like to adopt Ryder, please reach out to the adoption group directly. PetSmart Charities does not facilitate the adoption process. Thank you.