Meet Ranger the German shepherd. He looks like a puppy, and he always will. Here's why

KiMi Robinson | The Republic | azcentral.com

PHOENIX – Ranger the dog got big on Instagram because of his famous head tilts – you know, when you’re using your dog voice and they tilt their head like they’re trying to understand you. His cuteness earned him 10,000 followers.

When Ranger became known as the dog that will “forever be a puppy,” his following exploded over the past month. The 2-year-old German shepherd, a Phoenix native, has more than 115,000 followers on Instagram.

"It's kind of been a roller coaster,” said Shelby Mayo, 18, who runs Ranger's account with her sister Darcy, 21.

Darcy Mayo started the pup’s Instagram page in 2017 to track his growth because as a German shepherd, he was supposed to grow pretty big. It was “a twist” when they realized he was not getting any bigger. Then “there was a point where he lost nearly all of his fur," she said.

How Ranger was diagnosed with pituitary dwarfism

“When we first got him, we didn't really know what was going on. He was very sick,” said Shelby, a freshman at Grand Canyon University.

Ranger suffered from parasites for several months – coccidia, then giardia. For a year, he didn’t lose his baby fur or grow. After he got neutered, most of his fur fell out and didn’t grow back.

When Darcy, a senior at Arizona State, documented his condition online, other pet owners chimed in with advice, suggesting various remedies and procedures. Following others’ recommendations, the Mayo family had Ranger’s thyroid levels tested.

“Our vet thought he was a dwarf before any of us were willing to even accept that that could be a possibility,” Darcy said. “Luckily, we had an awesome vet who did a lot of background research to try to figure it out.”

Jennifer Fitzpatrick at the Desert Hills Animal Clinic in Phoenix is to thank for finding the right medication to treat Ranger's thyroid problems, they said.

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Overcoming medical issues

Despite experiencing challenges early in life, Ranger has been “really healthy and happy” since he received treatment.

“We have two other dogs, and he's the most energetic out of all of them, and he's also the oldest,” Shelby said. Ranger’s siblings include Jessie, a German shepherd, and Hazel, a Labrador.

A regimen of allergy and thyroid medication keeps Ranger healthy. Fish oil and goat milk soap keep his skin from being dry and flaky.

Though no one can predict Ranger’s lifespan, Shelby and Darcy said his perseverance inspires other people who own pets with pituitary dwarfism.

“Although they have health conditions and issues, they’re still normal pets,” Shelby said.

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Handling Instagram fame

Ranger’s social media following has grown so much in the past month that the Mayo sisters can’t keep up.

Lilli Reinhart, also known as Betty Cooper on “Riverdale,” follows Ranger and his siblings’ journey.

“I didn't even know that! That's crazy!" Shelby said when she learned Reinhart is a fan.

"We've actually talked about how cool it would be if a famous person followed Ranger,” Darcy said.

"I'll go on the set of 'Riverdale,' " Shelby joked.

Like many others with large followings, Ranger has been offered sponsorship opportunities.

“People who reach out to us, a lot of them even ask what our rates are now,” Darcy said.

Though the sisters have sold some Ranger-branded merchandise on Etsy, they don’t plan to create a business out of his stardom.

“We're not trying to become professional Instagrammers for our dog,” Darcy said. “It'd be cool if he could kind of pay for his own medicine,” she added.

Follow reporter KiMi Robinson on Twitter @kimirobin.

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