An emaciated Weimaraner named Alex who survived by eating twigs and rocks and was rescued in October has made a remarkable recovery. Even better, he has been officially adopted by his foster mom!

“When I first met him, he was really thin that drew me to him and his eyes were so haunting and piercing,” Diane Lundeen explained to WVUE.

Alex was found wandering the streets in New Orleans back in October.

“We saw a terrified and emaciated dog that needed help and need help fast,” Deanna Theis, assistant director of the Southern Animal Foundation, told Fox 8.

“Seeing the picture was one thing, seeing him in person was very emotional. When I picked him up I couldn’t help but tear up, and feel very sad for him,” she told HuffPost in an email. “I hugged him and kissed him on the head and told him he will be OK now.”

“He was hesitant coming out of his transport crate, but when out, immediately kicked my hand and began wagging his tail.”

An X-ray revealed that the poor boy’s stomach was loaded with rocks and twigs. His stomach flipped almost immediately after being taken into care, requiring emergency surgery.

The 45-pound dog was in for a long-term recovery period. After some intensive care, he was fostered by Diane, mom to two other Weimies.

“He gained 10 pounds in his first 10 days he was staying with me. That told me he was definitely a good match,” she said.

In December, Diane gave SAF fans a fantastic update:

“Alex update. He is doing great. I woke up with him in my bed with his head cradled gently on my chest. He loves his brother and sister. He is the peacekeeper in the family so if play gets too rough between the baby and Anya, he speaks up. The three went through all of the new squeaky toys I bought them, filling my living room with stuffing snow.

“We have moved on to antlers and heavy duty rope toys that keep everyone happy. The tug-o-wars are a big favorite. Yesterday, Alex went for his Santa photos at Petcetera and stole everyone’s heart. He is eating well. He is cat curious so we are keeping them separate still. Despite his big voice when he objects, he is all bark and no bite – even when his little brother steals his food. All great signs so far! I will keep you all posted on his progress.”

Alex and his siblings got to spend Christmas in Oklahoma City, romping around in the snow. He’s now up to 80 pounds, and his health and happiness continue to improve.

“He has good color in his gums, his eyes are bright, when he goes to sit down he doesn’t whine,” Diane said. “He has this incredible joy for life that’s awesome.”