After a serious health scare and needing to be given oxygen to breathe, the tiny puppy that could isn’t just doing well; he is thriving. Maremma Sheepdog Beaux is a big puppy now, all gangly limbs and covered in a thick coat of white fuzz. He is both confident and snuggly. Having put the challenges of his early life behind him, he now calls a two-year-old quarter horse named Dash his best friend.
Owner Carlie Wilkinson says, “I wish he was a little bit afraid of the horses.” His lack of fear could one day get him in trouble if a horse should startle around him. But for now, “he’s doing pretty awesome. He’s good with all the other dogs here and doing the barking and growling [of a flock guardian] when strangers show up.”
Born much smaller than his siblings and having lost a littermate, the decision was made to bottle feed him and he went from the Dobrin’s farm down Shakespeare Road to the acreage that Wilkinson and her partner Reny Kitto call home. He then asphyxiated on some of his puppy formula and became gravely ill. After emergency veterinary care in Kelowna was deemed too expensive with no guarantee of a favourable outcome, the owners put out a plea on social media to buy or borrow oxygen. The Facebook post received dozens of responses and offers of help and support. The oxygen was provided by Coleman Mackintosh, a local welder and business owner and ended up being a big part of his recovery. Antibiotics and plenty of TLC also played a role in saving Beau, as the News reported in our cover story on April 20. https://www.arrowlakesnews.com/local-news/puppy-fighting-back-with-support-of-community/
According to the Maremma Sheepdog Club of America, “Maremmas, and other livestock guarding breeds, have been selected to take responsibility and to make their own decisions in the absence of a master. This means that they want to make up their own minds, and decide for themselves, how best to deal with a potentially dangerous situation.”
Wilkinson who picked him up for a cuddle, said, “He’s getting confident. Fascinating how smart he is already for being away from his mother and brothers and sisters. We are planning on taking him by there eventually to see them.”
Nakusp Veterinarian Dr Amber Robinson said, “Thanks to the excellent nursing care of his owners, Beaux has gained weight and appears to be recovering well from his pneumonia. We are optimistic he will grow into a healthy Guardian Livestock Dog.”
Beaux will be heading back to the vet but this time just for his shots. His owners are beyond pleased with his recovery and his prognosis, saying that he appears to have no lasting medical issues to do with the ordeal.
“He’s wandering out. He’s pretty solitary already. You won’t find him for like an hour. He’ll be parked out on the deck up there snoozing away,” she says.
Wilkinson wanted the community to know that they are grateful to everyone who came together in support of the little white pooch.