An overweight rescue dog’s incredible one-month weight loss journey garnered over 10.4 million views on TikTok, leaving viewers speechless as his transformation unfolded.
An owner who runs Contented Critters in Ely, Minnesota, adopted Frank the dachshund from an animal rescue after he was relinquished to animal control following the previous owner’s arrest. The nearly 10-year-old dog had been severely overfed. At the time of his adoption, he weighed about 37 pounds.
Hoping to get him down to about 17 pounds, his new family started the weight loss journey immediately after seeing his condition. His belly dragged across the floor as he tried hobbling around.
An August 10 TikTok video posted to the account @dotsfarm showed his progress after one month, in which he had lost over seven pounds, making him unrecognizable.
Newsweek reached out to @dotsfarm via TikTok for comment.
The video showed Frank adjusting to his new life surrounded by love and support from both people and other dogs. Despite being on a strict, raw food diet with zero treats, Frank still kept a positive outlook on his journey, with his tail constantly wagging.
His exercise consists of sniffing around the yard, taking bathroom breaks, and walking around the room to collect small pieces of food left out for him. He recently received a kiddie pool that will give him a pain-free way to burn calories.
Another video explained that the mass on his chest is only fat, which the owner expects will go away as he continues to lose weight. Time will tell if he will need surgery to remove excess skin.
About 59 percent of pet dogs are overweight or obese, an article from Purina Institute reported. Time will be critical for Frank’s weight loss, as overweight pets do not live as long and can suffer from serious health conditions. Plus, his senior age plays a factor.
Although his journey is only beginning, TikTok users are dedicated to following and supporting Frank. The video amassed over 708,800 likes and 6,000 comments as of Thursday.
“Yay for Frank finding people who are working hard and supporting him. All dogs deserve this kind of love,” wrote one viewer.
“Awww….Frank you can do it!!!! Thanks for helping him!! Can’t wait to see his progress!” another commenter said.
“So proud of Frankie boy,” a third person commented.
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