Tilly, a Tibetan spaniel dog is a very special girl. Her mother found out about her from an online ad about a litter of puppies being put up for adoption, but one of them was different; one of the cubs was born with a very short spine.
But Anna Marie Giannini, Tilly’s mother, did not care that her cub was “different”, for her she was a very charming and perfectly normal little girl. She knew that she should take care of her and that with a lot of love from her part, the little girl would move forward.
Anna told The Dodo:
“When I arrived, I had been told that one of the puppies was deformed and that they could not find a home for it, which could lead to euthanasia. I had already fallen in love with her and planned our next year together in my head before he finished saying that horrible statement.”
Dog was born with a very short spine
The little dog was born with short spine syndrome. This condition is rare, and prevents the correct development of the vertebrae, which makes the dog look without a neck and with a very short back, in addition to reducing its movements considerably.
When Anna finally held Tilly in her arms, she was so moved to see how beautiful and fragile she was hers, and she couldn’t believe that no one wanted to take her home.
For Anna, the decision was already made; she would take Tilly home with her and give her all the love she was being denied.
The mother of the dog told:
“When I got it, it was a dirty little ball of hair. She fit perfectly in my hand, and as we drove home from where I picked her up, she lay down on my lap and looked at me with her big brown eyes, and I knew she needed me and I needed her.”
Over time, Tilly’s condition has become more apparent, but she hasn’t stopped her from leading a life like any other inquisitive and mischievous dog.
Anna assures:
“He was born with a syndrome and, like humans born with a syndrome, his body has learned to adapt and is thriving. He has had no health problems or complications due to his short spine, and [we hope] that he will live a long and healthy life.”
Tilly is quite independent, and even her mother has come to overlook her limitations; the only times the dog requires help is getting on and off furniture and beds, so she has hers of her own special stairs.
Due to her stiff spine, she also can’t turn her head to help herself when something bothers her on her body and she wants to scratch herself. So Anna makes sure to take a little time to scratch her and give her some relief with gentle massages.
Sweet Tilly is very spoiled, she enjoys being close to her mother all the time and showers her with kisses every so often; she is her way of showing him how much she loves her and how happy she is with her by her side.
Anna adds:
“She sleeps in bed with me like a little human, resting her head on the pillow and tucking her legs into the blanket. She always has to be close to me, touching me. When I cook, she stands right between my legs. When I’m doing homework, she is lying next to me with her paws on me.”
Anna assures that she has learned a lot thanks to Tilly, she has reminded her that she should always be grateful for everything that she has and to be happy with that. She believes that her dog does not know that she is different and although her appearance usually attracts stares on the street, that does not seem to matter to her at all, she is happy and that is what matters most.
Anna finally says:
“I am very grateful to be the one to provide her with a good life and to be able to spend all this time with her. She constantly reminds me that being different is something special.”
@tillythefriendlyloaf We don’t need a holiday to spread lots of love ❤️ thank you for all of your kind words! #dogsoftiktok
♬ The Office – The Hyphenate
If you want to know a little more about Tilly and her adventures, you can visit her accounts on Tiktok and Instagram.
Images: Instagram / tillythefriendlyloaf
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