Pig the dog is certainly one special pooch.
With her unusual short spine and distinctive features, Pig has garnered tens of thousands of fans on Facebook, regularly attends animal festivals, and even inspired her pet parent, Kim Dillenbeck, to found the rescue animal nonprofit, Pig's Foundation, in her honor.
Pig has an unusual look and physique because of a rare genetic condition called short-spine syndrome, and so far, only eight dogs in the USA and in Italy are known to have it.
Animal experts are still unsure of how this condition will effect canines later in life, if at all, but so far Pig has been leading a normal, happy life. It's amazing what the body can do to make up for physical differences!
Pig is also doubly unique as she is a mutt, and appears to have some Akita mixed in her bloodline. Kim recently had a DNA test done for Pig, and the results astounded her.
"I felt like a cartoon character with my head crooked sideways going, 'huh?'" she said to Alabama Media Group. "I don't see any of those close to her by appearance."
Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the page to see a video of Pig in action!
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1. Pig is an unusual dog in more ways than one. According to her DNA test, she does not have Akita in her (although it is still possible it is a part of her ancestry).
2. Pig is a short-spined Boxer, Chow Chow, American Staffordshire Terrier mix!
3. The test also indicated that her ancestry may also include Portuguese Water Dog, Alaskan Klee Kai, Scottish Deerhound, Lakeland Terrier and Maltese.
4. Despite Pig's short-spine syndrome, she still leads a rich, fulfilling, and happy life!
5. Everywhere she goes, she makes plenty of doggie friends!
6. Pig is a small dog, weighing only 16 pounds, which Kim jokes is "the smallest muscle breed you ever saw."
7. Pig lives with her devoted mama in Helena, AL. She was born in a wooded area outside of Atlanta, GA.
8. "To me, she is just 1 in a million," said Kim. "As much as I can see her potential in all these breeds, she is still just Pig.”
9. She definitely made for one adorable and special puppy. Just because she is different does not mean she is any less beautiful inside OR out!
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