MR SWEET HOTCHNER our new Foster Great Dane baby!

Here he is the day we picked him up and set out on the long drive home!   He never moved, just lay there and quietly rode on the back seat with his cozy comforter.

Hotchner totally relaxed on the ride to his new home with us.

 Now before we go any further... on the way over... check out the snow in the mountains....

AND I SAW WILD ELK!!!!!  Too cool!!  

Back to Mr Hotchner's story!  It's a pretty long story but I will do a really brief summary....
We were contacted by a close friend of ours about this boy.  He became paralyzed for unknown reasons as a pup (about 9 weeks old) and was going to be euthanized.   A vet examined him and said with the right care, he might recover but there was nothing known to be causing the paralysis: xrays showed nothing at all.....  

Day ONE - Hotchner's here!

 His current owners felt it was best to put him into a shed 'for his own safety' (unfortunately he was alone) when he became 'disabled' and was there for about a month until we came to get him.   It's unknown what happened to his ear before we got there but it's healing great with ointment we are putting on it.  He is only 31.1 lbs and is 3 1/2 months old.

Day 4 -  he loves people!

He also has a pressure sore on his hip from not being rotated BUT! he is getting around here!  He is like a drunken sailor but he is getting up on his own and going places.  My vet was scheduled to see him Friday morning since we returned home Thursday night & scheduled his appointment before we left on the 2 day trip to get him.  He was sure right when he told me he would be a tough one to keep down once he started going. 
  Here's two videos of him walking.  As you can see, he can walk, but he's quite wobbly.

http://youtu.be/Bwz_OIlxSMc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWV2KTybFd8&feature=youtu.be

Yes, he is fitting right in like he's at home, he has his bed in my room for night time and spends the day in the TV room to be with us & the other dogs.  He does NOT want to be alone.

Hotch and Puppy - enjoying a raw bone.

   I thought after being left in the shed, he'd not want to be around people, but he thinks us humans are totally cool and just *has* to be by us all the time.
 
   The ear is healing nicely and he's a real trooper.  I am so thankful he was not euth'ed, that'd have been such a waste of a sweet guy.  The goal, however, is to get him up healthy and walking well as he will be a large boy & must be able to function.
He likes to "talk back" to us now, is doing good on housebreaking....and LOVES his new diet!

It's been 8 days now since we arrived home.  His diagnosis from our vet is Rickets so we are treating him accordingly.  If no improvements, then we'll have to consider other ideas, tests & options..... 

Keep your fingers crossed for this special boy!!  He deserves every possible chance!