The Story of Muttley Button
This is the story of Muttley and how he came to spend his golden years with us.
Muttley, more affectionately know as Little Man, has been in my family for the last 14 and 1/2 years. He was originally a surprise for my grandfather, but he ultimately became my mom's dog and spent most of his life as my little brother. In the beginning of 2020, just before COVID shut down the world, my mom was diagnosed with dementia. In the last 5 years the progression of her disease has stripped everything from her, including the affection she once held for Muttley. Over time I noticed her interactions went from irritation to occasional aggression and finally to complete indifference. Gone were the daily walks, trick training, night time snuggles in bed, and what we referred to as honey hugs. I had considered bringing him home with me during previous visits as I knew I could provide for more than just his basic needs, but I felt terrible taking one more thing away from her, so he stayed and was cared for by her aides.
A few days before Labor Day weekend in 2024 I received a message that he had injured himself. He had been running around on the back porch and when he came back inside he was unable to jump on the couch, falling on the ground and then displaying lameness in his back leg. The next day he refused to eat and did not want to get up to go outside. Luckily, a pre-planned trip to visit was already scheduled for the long weekend, so I decided to assess the situation when I arrived and then make a decision about his future.
Based on the information I was given I expected a cruciate injury, I'd been down that road before with my Rottweiler and it seemed highly likely. When I saw Mutt, it wasn't just a knee injury, the dog I knew was....forlorn. His coat was overgrown, he was overweight, he was non-weight-bearing on his right hind leg, and he didn't want to eat - and this is not a dog that has ever turned down food. At almost 14 years old I didn't know what we would be able to do for him, but the decision was immediate, he would return home with us.
Muttley on September 1, 2024 before he came home with us
Besides memory, one of the things my mom lost early on was her ability to verbally communicate, but I could tell that she knew something was wrong with him. She kept pointing at him and the look on her face told me she was distressed about what she was seeing. I assured her we would take good care of him and get him all fixed up, but I knew I wouldn't be able to return him to her. He was losing the only mom he had ever known, and I was taking away her best friend - it was heartbreaking.
Getting back to Buffalo, my first concern was getting him groomed as I knew he had to be badly matted. While unconventional, grooming him in the back of my husband’s pickup truck in my driveway got the job done and seemed to immediately improve his comfort. I was able to get him into our vet right away and they diagnosed him with, surprise, a cruciate injury. Luckily I already knew what my options were so I got him a second opinion from a vet with surgical experience. After some discussion, it was decided that physical therapy would be the best approach based on his age and assessment. We started PT and red light therapy, I purchased neoprene leg sleeves to improve his stability, we slowly increased exercise and changed his diet in an effort to reach his ideal weight.
He lost weight, he got stronger and more stable, but the biggest change was emotional. Even Mr. Supernova noticed a difference right away, and I will never forget him saying, "I didn't know dogs could get depressed but after seeing the change in Little Man, I believe they can". Over the previous couple of visits to my mom's house, I had seen a dog that was often lethargic and seemingly uninterested in human affection and interaction. In just a few short weeks at our house he was playful again, seeking out his purple puppy toy, tossing it in the air and zooming around. He was begging for pets and snuggles and giving his famous honey hugs again. He was eager and excited to go on walks, often running as fast as his little legs could carry him, ignoring any concerns I had about his injured knee. When his 14th birthday arrived just over a month later, he was 14 going on 7; It was like he was aging backwards, he was the new Benjamin Button!
I was thrilled that he was improving so quickly, but caring for him was also difficult; He was a constant reminder of what I had lost, of what we both had lost. But his resilience and newfound joy for life helped me start to see things from another perspective. Feeling like I stole something from my mom shifted to feeling like I was doing something for her. The person that she was would have wanted him to be living his best life, she would want him to be well cared for and loved, she could no longer do that for him, but I could.
September 27th, 2025 - Little Man on the Summit of Black Mountain in Lake George, NY
His transformation this past year has been nothing short of incredible and he has certainly exceeded all of my expectations for a senior dog with bad knees! The love and happiness he exudes every day fills me with joy and I am so grateful for this small senior dog that has changed my life in all the best ways.
