Question 1

What kind of dog? Size? How old? When was accident? How long have you had him?

Accepted Answer

Dexter is a Brittany Dog. He is a medium-size dog weighing 42 lbs. Dexter was born in April 2015. On March 14, 2016, he was in an accident 🚕 and his Vet saved his life. We have had him since he was a young four-legged puppy.

Question 2

How did you train Dexter to walk upright?

Accepted Answer

Dexter taught himself to walk upright as he was healing and going through rehabilitation.  He did not trust his front paw to walk on but he really wanted to move and go, go, go!  So he did!  One day he even walked upright up the front porch stairs!  This was caught on video so you can see it too!

Question 3

Does Dexter have a wheelchair?

Accepted Answer

The good news is Dexter has a wheelchair !! He used it during rehabilitation. Once he was strong enough, he stood upright with the wheelchair attached to his stomach 😮! The wheels were sticking out from his stomach hitting everything as he walked upright...  It was such a Dexter thing to do !! I called our Veterinarian. Our vet determined it was so much safer without it. He said "It's not ideal but I think we just have to let Dexter move the way he wants to move"

Question 4

Can you get him a prosthetic leg?

Accepted Answer

We were told by our Vet that the surgery for a prosthetic leg is a very different kind of surgery. At the time, Dexter was not quite a year old so we were just trying to save him and we thought a typical tripawed dog would be just fine. We never knew we would end up with a bipedal dog!

Question 5

Why does Dexter walk like this?

Accepted Answer

Dexter was in a major accident: escaped the yard and in a car accident 🚚. He has had 5 major surgeries. Only 2  fully working legs because his elbow is pinned and does not bend. He is monitored by the vet who saved his life and is seen every six months.
Dexter is loved by his family and community. He has adapted, learned how to move on his own, and is disabled. He lives a super happy, spoiled dog life with a family who loves him so much. He is living his best life!
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Question 6

What kind of breed is Dexter?

Accepted Answer

Dexter is a Brittany dog but you might know them better as a "Brittany Spaniel".  This breed is a middle size breed originally from the North of France.  American Brittanys are larger because they had more ground to cover when hunting.  This breed is known for a love of all people, a love of other Brittany dogs, great with children, hunting small birds and game, smart, happy-go-lucky attitude, athletic, lots of energy, a good family dog.  
 
AKC took off the Spaniel name off a Brittany because after a DNA test they realized Brittany dogs should be a part of the pointer family not the spaniel family.  https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/brittany/

Dexter loves his treats, family, friends, training, walks, and has never met a stranger.  He loves to show off, be confident and kind.

Question 7

Does he walk around the house like this?

Question 8

Why did you put Dexter on TikTok?

Accepted Answer

Dexter was caught on camera by @pvmal in June of 2020 as she went through town early one morning during his morning walk.  Dexter had an instagram account @dexterdogouray because all of his local friends wanted to make sure he was okay and it was a platform to help show his progress in life.  At the time this account only had about loyal 2,000 followers most of whom were local friends or Brittany lovers!
 
So in June 2020 the outcry of comments were so great the need to bring Dexter's story came into being.  Dexter really needed his voice heard and his story told.  It became not only about Dexter's story but also about being positive and learning a new normal with COVID-19 pandemic happening all around us.

Question 9

How do I get Dexter Gear?

Accepted Answer

Dexter Gear can be purchased via email at dexterdogouray@gmail.com

FAQ

Frequently asked questions