Obie the dog, who was known as the World’s Fattest Sausage Dog, now has his own calendar to inspire animal weight loss.
The Daschund had quite an incredible journey as he went from 77 pounds to 37 pounds, even having to wear a special harness to prevent injuring to his expanding belly, according to the U.K.’s The Telegraph.
Before Obie the dog was adopted by former veterinary technician Nora Vanatta in August 2012, he lived with his elderly and sickly owners who overfed the little dog, according to the NY Daily News.
“He was obviously loved and his elderly owners just couldn’t say no to those big brown eyes,” explained Vanatta, who has a degree in Animal Science.
She continued, “I was thrilled to be able to help him with his new life. Now I want his journey to inspire other big animals and maybe even their owners to get healthy in the new year.”
After he was adopted by Vanatta, Obie the dog was reportedly put on a strict diet and exercise regimen and after two years of hard work and surgery to remove excess skin, the seven-year-old dog is now a model for his own calendar.
“I feel blessed to be involved in Obie’s rehab and hope he can be an inspiration to any person or animal trying to lose weight,” explained Vanatta.
She added, “It is so important to introduce pups and kids to a healthy lifestyle and food choices as early as possible.”