Dexter Lost a Leg in a Traffic Accident, but This Has Taught Him a New Way to Move.
Dexter – a dog living in Ouray, Colorado, has amazed his owner and family members by skillfully walking on two legs without any training.
According to Kentee Pasek, Dexter’s owner, the dog suffered a terrible car accident over a year ago. At that time, family members were unsure if Dexter would survive.
Although he received timely surgery, Dexter’s recovery was very slow. He subsequently underwent four additional surgeries within less than 12 months.
As a result, his front leg was amputated, and the dog had to adjust to life on three legs. It took him several months to relearn how to move proficiently.
However, instead of learning to balance his weight on three legs, the dog actively used his two hind legs to move, which surprised his owner greatly. After some time, he can now stand upright and walk in a manner very similar to that of a human.
The six-year-old dog has also become a “star” on TikTok, amassing over 634,000 followers. One of his most recent videos is titled: “Can a dog walk on two legs? Yes, this has really happened.”
In the short clip, you can clearly see the dog shaking its head, jumping up to stand on its two hind legs while letting its front leg dangle, then walking like a human into the next room.
The dog’s owner mentioned that whenever Dexter goes for a walk on the street, he attracts a lot of attention. “Dexter is a super funny and friendly dog. Sometimes he acts silly and humorous, but he usually maintains a cheerful and positive attitude. He greets everyone,” the owner added.
Dexter has a unique ability to balance on two legs.
According to Dr. Patricia Alderson from the Animal Welfare Committee at the Canadian Veterinary Association, sometimes dogs will move on their two hind legs without training. This could be one of their habits, or they may have done this before and received positive reactions from humans, leading them to want to repeat it.
However, if a dog continues to walk on two legs for an extended period, it can cause health issues. “Walking on two hind legs continuously is not a natural posture for dogs, putting a lot of pressure on their joints, which can lead to various muscular and skeletal diseases,” Alderson explained.
