Love of animals
Shepherd dog remains puppy for life due to a rare phenomenon
Forever small and yet happy: Ranger, the mini sheepdog
German Shepherd "Ranger" looks like a puppy, but is fully grown – in the video you can see how it came to its "eternal youth".
Wait – what is the matter with this dog?
German shepherd "Ranger" actually looks like a cuddly little dog that romps around the world. In fact, Ranger is already grown.
How is that possible?
The cause is a genetic defect that has prevented Ranger from changing his appearance since childhood: "Pituitary dwarfism" prevented a body from growing any further. Owner Shelby Mayo had no idea about this when she bought her dog – there was nothing to suggest that her pet had any particularity that would make it so different from other animals.
When did she notice that her dog was something special?
Shelby had noticed, of course, that her puppy was smaller than other dogs and had other health problems to contend with. On the spur of the moment, she finally had a vet examine him thoroughly. The surprising diagnosis: a change in the dog's pituitary gland caused Ranger to never grow any further and to remain as small as a puppy for a lifetime.
Oh no! Isn't that bad for the little dog?
Initially yes – side effects of the disease initially included hair loss and severe skin problems. But these problems could be best treated with medical help. And now Ranger is a happy, lively dog who doesn't mind for a second that he's smaller than other dogs he plays with. Especially since he and his mistress have now even achieved little fame.
Oh yes?
Yes, actually – in order to generate more attention for the rare "pituitary dwarfism", Shelby started an Instagram account with her ranger, which quickly became a great success: meanwhile, over 130,000 fans follow everyday life like the mini dog enjoys with other dogs.