When Lee Asher of the Asher House Rescue first adopted Tony the German Shepherd, he was 50 pounds overweight and seemed to have given up on life. But Lee had not given up on him.
Before Lee brought him into his home, Tony had been a stray, adopted into a house and returned to the shelter. “I don’t think he ever felt that he would ever really experience love,” said Lee.
Lee knew that what Tony needed was a forever family that would believe in him when he did not believe in himself. And with Lee and his eight rescue dogs, that was precisely what Tony got.
At first, Tony was distant in his new home. “How a dog is feeling on the inside, is what you see on the outside,” said Lee. After not receiving affection for so long, Tony seemed to believe he would never receive love. Lee was determined to shower Tony with affection.
Lee’s strategy for helping Tony get into better shape was to channel his motivation to keep up with the rest of the pack. Every step of the way, Lee was by his side motivating him and encouraging him.
Even after his first workout, Tony seemed to know that he was home. He bonded the most with the Chihuahuas, and his trainer, and the one who would stand up for him when the Chihuahuas were getting annoying, was Bo.
After a few months with his loving, supportive family, Tony lost the 50 pounds he needed to be a healthier version of himself. “It doesn’t matter the size, what the breed is,” said Lee. “We accept each other no matter what.”
Share because your action will give animals a voice.
