Second Chance: Elyse’s Un-Fat Chance

16 Mar Second Chance: Elyse’s Un-Fat Chance

For today’s Second Chance Pet Column, I want to share the importance of maintaining your pet’s healthy figure and how that can have an important impact upon their general well-being. My name is Elyse and I’m a gorgeous two-year-old hound mix, who arrived at Second Chance Humane Society with an overly “generous figure.” Now there is full-figured and there is “I can’t get in the car without assistance figure.” I was the latter and wasn’t enjoying life as I should have been.

Elyse

I am now, however, the new Poster Girl for the importance of a healthy lifestyle, both in body and mind, and how getting healthy can result in a happier and more fulfilling daily experience. (For people too, right?)

When I arrived at Second Chance, I weighed over 80 pounds, which is 30 pounds over my ideal weight, and that extra weight really egatively impacted my life. (All I wanted to do was lie around and kiss people all day.)

I was immediately put on a regimented die, but for my benefit, staff mixed pumpkin in with my food as healthy filler that helped keep me from feeling hungry. But cutting back on food wasn’t enough, because even though I would run (ungracefully) to receive affection, I never did have much interest in the active life.

Along with my diet, I got two long walks a day with staff and volunteers. In the beginning, I panted excessively when we reached the summit of my hikes, but now I breathe easy and enjoy the beautiful view. Additionally, whenever I’m out in the play yards with my dog friends, I have more pep in my step. (Although I still prefer to just roll over and get a belly rub…)

And now that I am fit, I enjoy life more and finding it easier to get around – which will make a great difference to my bones, joints, and heart as I age.

As an added bonus, I get to go into schools where children read to me. I even got to strut my stuff on the runway during last weekend’s smashingly successful Wine & Whiskers Weekend. I swayed my hips before a packed house of people to Michael Franti’s “I’m Alive” and Abba’s “Take a Chance on Me.”

It just felt – just feels – so good to be alive and really ready for my second chance.

Future plans for the new me are to continue shedding pounds and feeling great – and I would like to continue my modeling career.

Most importantly, my healthy lifestyle started here at Second Chance, but I know finding a loving home will be my final step towards true happiness.

Please consider adopting me, so we can enjoy a happy and healthy life together.

Editor’s note: It’s no secret. The Telluride region is dog heaven. Well, pet heaven. Unless you are one of our furry friends who gets caught in the maw of neglect and abuse. Then heaven is on hold until Second Chance Humane Society comes to the rescue. Second Chance is the region’s nonprofit dedicated to saving animals’ lives and promoting responsible pet parenting and human-animal bond. In her weekly blog, executive director Kelly Goodin profiles at least one, generally two of the many animals now living at the no-kill shelter, Angel Ridge Shelter, a dog and a cat, hoping to find them loving permanent homes. The column is sponsored by Ted Hoff of Cottonwood Ranch & Kennel, who from time to time exercises his skills as a dog whisperer, partnering with Kelly and her staff to help train a particularly challenging animal.

Ted Hoff &  Magnificent Mae

By the by, there is no better place to park your pup than Cottonwood whenever you head out of town (for locals) or are heading to town and staying somewhere that does not allow pets. Consider joining Ted’s Very Important Dog (VID) Club for added benies. (Details on Ted’s website.)