A miniature Australian Shepard wakes up when his owners come home. They let him out of his crate and he howls with excitement. He jumps up to lick their faces, welcoming them home. He runs from the couch to the kitchen in no time, which is what one would expect from a puppy just a little over three years old. The only thing missing? His front right leg.
Meet Nemo. He’s from Valparaiso, Indiana, and he's just about the cutest dog you’ll ever come across.
Nemo, affectionately called TLD (three-legged dog), was born with a birth defect that left him without a right front leg. Instead of a leg, Nemo has a few toes that blend in with his fur near his shoulder. Besides the missing leg, Nemo is a perfectly healthy dog with tons of energy.
Nemo got his name from his owners, the Deutsch family. They recalled the Disney Pixar film "Finding Nemo," remembering that although Nemo had a bad fin, he was able to overcome that with charisma and resilience.
Nemo certainly lives up to his name. He walks with ease. He can almost jump over his fence in the backyard, and sometimes, you may find him on the counter chowing down on leftovers. He climbs stairs, and he honestly does it better than I can. Nemo loves playing and cuddling with his owners, and he never fails to jump to your face to give you kisses. Nemo is incredibly friendly and treats anyone he meets like an old pal; but only after requesting a belly rub, which is understandable.
You would be surprised what you can learn from a three legged dog. Nemo taught me that you can overcome any obstacle life throws your way—it’s in the way you look at it. Life is full of dilemmas and nothing is perfect, but any problem is conquerable with the right attitude.
Nemo also showed me that everybody is different on the inside, and you shouldn’t count anybody out just because of the way they look. Nemo’s family embraced his three legged-ness and this quirky aspect of him. He still has a big heart and a loving attitude and truly, that is what matters most.
So, thank you, Nemo, for showing the world that just because you’re missing a limb, doesn’t mean you’re missing any love.
Oh, and if you’re wondering about when he goes to the groomer, it still costs the same price as a dog with four legs. You would think there’s a 25 percent off deal…
