Moose came to me when he was just five months old—

Tiny, weighing only 4.5 pounds, and already named “Moose.” I laughed at first. The name felt wildly optimistic for such a small Papillon, but it didn’t take long to realize it fit him perfectly.

Moose was meant to be my next agility partner, and we dove right in. He loved the teeter, the weaves, and especially the thrill of the chase. Then one quiet spring evening, everything changed. While settling in for the night, Moose suddenly fell from the bed and screamed in pain. I rushed him to the vet, where surgery revealed a broken leg that required a plate and seven tiny screws—each one larger than his fragile little bone should have ever had to carry.

The leg didn’t heal as planned. The screws caused irritation, and Moose began chewing at his leg to tell us something wasn’t right. One by one, over months of careful procedures, each screw had to be removed so his bone could slowly heal. Just as we reached the finish line, another accident happened—one quick collision with another dog—and Moose calmly looked at me as if to say, “It’s broken again.”

This time, we went straight to the Veterinary University of Missouri. There, Dr. Fox—a specialist in limb deformities and canine sports—rebuilt Moose’s leg using bone grafts and laser therapy. It took eight long months for the bones to finally mend. We came heartbreakingly close to amputation, but Moose held on.

Agility eventually returned—not as a competition goal, but as something joyful. Moose took his first real classes at four years old, simply because he loved the game. And through every surgery, setback, and recovery, he became my therapy dog—the one who grounded me, comforted me, and reminded me to keep going.

Then, one day in mid autumn, Moose collapsed in his crate while we were heading to an agility trial. He was diagnosed with Addison’s Disease, a lifelong condition where the body doesn’t produce enough cortisol to handle stress. Now, this mighty little dog relies on daily medications to keep his 4.5-pound body thriving.

Moose may never have the agility career we imagined—but he became something even bigger. His resilience, heart, and determination are the reason this business exists. That’s why it’s named after him.

Because Moose isn’t just small.
He’s The Mighty Moose. 💛