Pepe is a lean 48 lbs., a good weight for his size.

The Pepe Ear - age about 3 here, soon after adopting him. He no longer sleeps in the crate, but his "safe place" is under my art table on his elevated bed.

Couch potato!

Eyes that melt you!

I lined up his nylabones and called him into the room to see which one he'd choose. He just sat there staring at me as if to say where's the new one?

Pepe loves to look out the windows especially if there's a stool to stand on.

A more recent photo. He's been getting a "frosty mug" this past year.

Pepe's nearly hairless underside

Dark brindle and very handsome!

Exploring someone's front steps at the shore off season, early fall - he loves walking the sidewalks, not the beach! At home we have no sidewalks and he doesn't like walking on grass. But Cal gets him running out there with the leash.

Every year upon arriving at the beach house he wiggles on his back as soon as he hits the wall to wall carpeting, which we don't have at home, so funny!

Happy boy tuckered from rolling all around on the carpet.

At home in the art studio.

In the old neighborhood with Cal and Lucy in the background. Earlier photo before Pepe got more white furs on his muzzle.

Pepe has always been very nice to walk on the leash, never pulls.

During the ice storm in 2014 we lost power and stayed with these friends. Pepe was very well behaved in their house.

Pepe's first and only walk on the beach. he was clearly terrified of the ocean and soon after this photo freaked out.

He does beg, lol.

Pepe and me. This is the closest we get to the ocean, sitting on the beach path. We go off season.

Last winter Pepe sporting his new coat with fur collar out back at our home.

Pepe has big feet! Very long toes.

Pepe was diagnosed in May 2021 with degenerative myelopathy. I take him twice a week for physical therapy consisting of underwater treadmill, cold laser therapy using class IV laser, and alpha-stim. He's had over 40 sessions so far and is still walking on all fours although his hind legs are weak and wobbly. But it's over 7 months since we noticed this starting so the PT plus daily exercise, low carb diet, and natural supplements plus deramaxx have proven to slow the progression of DM in him.

Pepe receiving class IV laser therapy. It's the one thing proven in clinical trials to slow the progression of degenerative myelopathy in dogs. The towel over his head protects his eyes from the laser. I also have to wear specially tinted glasses when present. Pepe's DNA showed both variants for DM. I had never heard of it before but when I saw his gait changing it was a red flag to get him checked out.

Here is Pepe on Valentine's Day 2022 in his Help-Em-Up harness. He now needs help by lifting to use his hind legs. We have continued to take him twice a week, since end of May last year, for PT which includes underwater treadmill and class IV cold laser therapy. It's nearly a year since his DM started to show in his gait, so he is on his way to beating the odds of survival time with this dreaded disease. I do PT exercises with him at home too, plus using Assisi loop lounge bed therapy.

Celebrating Pepe's 12th birthday, January 10th, 2023. We don't now if it's the actual date - it was on his shelter adoption papers and is probably pretty close. He is in month 23 of DM but is still very spirited and his front legs remain as strong as ever for walks using a Help-Em-Up harnes to support his rear end.