BARKY
AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION
Male, 10 years old, Wheelchair Dog.
Degenerative spinal disease (specific diagnosis unclear, hard to differentiate between the two main potential diagnoses), declining ability to walk, becoming incontinent, uses a wheelchair to get around
Frosted Faces Foundation
PomChi, 10 lbs, Small Collar and Harness.
Pretty friendly, but can get a little growl-y/snappy with big dogs if they make him nervous.
GUARDIAN
Kendra Ramada/Frosted Faces Foundation
BIO
Barky was recused by Frosted Faces from the San Diego Humane Society. He had been dropped off by his owners who indicated due to his medical needs, including a declining ability to walk, they could no longer care for him. At that time, Barky was in pretty rough shape, with open wounds on his back legs. Upon arrival to Frosted Faces, he was immediately friendly and cheerful and showed a willingness to trust anyone who offered him a warm lap. Right now, he lives on site at Frosted Faces Foundation but is a popular option for “volunteer outings,” where volunteers come and scoop him up to do fun activities during the day.
Barky is up for anything and is the best adventure buddy. He loves going on hikes, where he cruises in his little wheelchair (but has no shame in stopping and looking at you with “please carry me” written all over his face). He’s great at restaurants, but will totally steal any meat product right off your plate. He has even gone rollerblading and I think he may be the cutest backpack dog I’ve ever seen. He just chills in a backpack like he’s been adventuring his whole life!
Barky is very friendly with people, and usually has a big toothy smile on his face. He gets along well with other dogs, and loves “pack walks” with his friends at Frosted Faces. He’s even met some cats and some horses and did fine with them too!
Barky does have some function in his back legs, but a wheelchair provides support and a backpack is nice for when he gets tired. It does appear that Barky’s back leg function is declining, and he is also becoming incontinent. While a vet thought it was more likely that he had IVDD, degenerative myelopathy (DM) is also a potential diagnosis. Both diseases are degenerative and will further impact Barky’s mobility over time. Despite these challenges, Barky is such a happy and sweet dog. He has been looking for a home for over 4 months, which is surprising given how cute and easy he is! Our best guess is that a lot of people shy away from adopting wheelchair dogs who can’t always control when they have to go to the bathroom. Not everyone wants to bring a diaper dog home. While Barky waits, he is getting so much love and attention from the Frosted Faces family of staff and volunteers. This little guy has a lot of people wrapped around his tiny, turned out paw.
