German Shepherd's Rare Condition Makes Him Look Like A Puppy In His Adult Years

Dec 03, 2019 by apost team

Ranger is a German Shepherd. He's an adult dog, but you can't tell - because he looks like a puppy!

Ranger is from Arizona. He lives there with his pet-parent Shelby Mayo and family. When asked about Ranger's adoption, Shelby told The Mirror, "[Ranger] was smaller than all his other littermates." They figured this was because of a parasite he had at the time.

Once Ranger recovered from his parasite, his owners couldn't help but notice that he was still small. So, they took the issue to the vet.

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The vet is the one who finally put a name to Ranger's condition: Pituitary Dwarfism. Pituitary Dwarfism is a genetic disorder that causes stunted growth. It's very rare.

Time only proves this theory correct. Ranger is two now. Two-year-old German Shepherds are not small. As his size remains the same, Ranger's owners are now almost positive that's what's going on.

It's possible that this defect occurred because of Ranger's parents. Shelby told The Mirror, Ranger and his siblings were the first litter to come from these two dogs. "A responsible breeder will not breed the two dogs together again."

Ranger has suffered from a lot of health problems. He's had flaky skin, excessive shedding, giardia, and an infection on his neck. He has to be on special medication to help out his thyroid production.

Fortunately, Ranger has received the proper treatment. He's now happy and healthy. He loves to play and is living his best life. He even has an Instagram page!

Will Ranger be a puppy forever? Only time will tell. This condition is very rare, after all. But, he's happy and living in a good home. In the end, that's what really matters.

What do you think about Ranger? Would you like a dog that stayed a puppy forever? Let us know in the comments and consider passing this article along to your friends.