Moose's story: How a 150-pound English mastiff got a new leg on life

It had been eight years since Patrick Walkenhorst had a dog. He and his wife, Brandy, were living in a small apartment in Northside where they were comfortable with their two cats. Dogs also weren't allowed in their building, which was another reason why Patrick was on the fence about taking in a puppy when Brandy first mentioned it. Especially an English mastiff -- a breed known for its size and slobber. "Patrick wasn't necessarily onboard to start. We kind of went with, 'Oh, we're just going to foster him,'" Brandy said. Brandy's coworker was trying to re-home the 8-week-old puppy who was otherwise destined for a shelter. Finding him a permanent home was difficult not because of his looming size, but because he was born without his front right limb, an attribute that would have likely not made him a desirable adoption candidate.