Anyone who has ever owned a dog knows that one of their favorite things to do is run around and play. Mental stimulation is extremely important to them.

That’s why we take them on walks or play dates in the park. It’s amusing and also gives them a chance to socialize. But what if that wasn’t the case for some dogs?

River was born with a very rare problem. She had swimmer syndrome, and it basically meant that her legs splayed out laterally.

This caused many problems in her life. She couldn’t even walk properly, but this would not stop her from achieving her dreams. Soon enough, she would meet someone who would change her life completely.

A Unique Problem

When Jen and Mike lost their pup, they were completely devastated. However, they wanted to find some way to honor her memory, so they decided to continue helping special-needs dogs.

One dog who caught their attention was River. Because she had swimmer syndrome, this family wanted to give her a new chance to walk and enjoy her life.

Jen told The Dodo: “We learned on really short notice that River needed another foster home. So, we went and picked her up, and we started to foster her.”

When they brought her into their home in Washington, they realized that River fit in perfectly. The family had no problems with introducing her to the other dogs there.

They were very welcoming to River, and she liked them, too. She made friends with Hogan, who was always there for her.

When deciding on how to treat her swimmer syndrome, Jen and Mike realized that she hadn’t received any treatment for her problem.

This could cause some issues in the long run as swimmer syndrome is usually treated right after birth.

River’s Treatment

However, River’s new foster family was determined to help her walk again. They took her to see specialists in Washington who would treat her.

Jen said: “They did intense hydrotherapy, some traditional physical therapy, as well as acupuncture.”

Her foster parents understood how hard this was on her, but she was lucky to have them and Hogan at her side every step of the way.

They helped her adjust to all the changes and made her healing journey a lot easier. Jen was so proud of Hogan for being such a good friend to River.

After about a month of treatment, this dog recovered pretty well. She was a lot better at using her legs for everyday tasks.

Her foster parents were surprised that her treatment worked so well. Mike said: “All of a sudden, she started to zoom outside. When I watched it, it’s like I wish I had that freedom.”

River’s Foster Fail

After making such an amazing recovery, River received a lot of goodies and toys. She was absolutely delighted to receive all of these gifts.

Mike and Jen were so incredibly proud of her for making this recovery, and River is so grateful that she got this chance.

When they realized just how much they loved her, they just couldn’t give her up, so they decided to adopt her. 

She is now living the most amazing life with people who have lifted her spirit up and shown her that she is really a special dog.