About Dottie

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Described as a "beacon of hope," Dottie continues to inspire, with her supporters often sharing how her updates bring them a much-needed boost of serotonin! Dottie has gained a global following of people who enjoy her videos, photos, stories and sassy, charming little personality!

What is Dottie's story?

Dottie is a pedigree, papered Griffon from a registered DogsNZ (formerly NZKC) breeder. Both of Dottie's biological (griffon) parents are pedigree, average-sized dogs. Dottie has descended from a long line of international dog show champion smooth coat Griffons, although due to her unique appearance, some are shocked to learn she is a papered pedigree dog!

Dottie was NOT intentionally bred to be this small. Similar to some human cases of achondroplasia, Dottie she was a magical little "fluke" from two healthy griffon parents.  When Dottie was born, she was one of three puppies. Sadly, the male who was even smaller passed away within his first few weeks of life. Her litter-sister is average-sized and after showing and breeding was later fostered by Dottie's human-parents. They also fostered Dottie's half-sister until each girl was desexed, and adopted into loving homes via New Zealand Chihuahua Rescue.

Since being adopted by Casey and Alex at 5 months old in 2019, Dottie has lived in Christchurch, New Zealand. In 2021, Dottie's biological mum, Emily, an average-sized, (at the time) 7-year-old pedigree Griffon was also later adopted two years later by the couple, after retiring from showing and breeding. Dottie and Emily now share their home with their energetic Chihuahua "siblings" and, quite often, the New Zealand Chihuahua Rescue Trust, foster dog or two!

In 2017, Dottie's humans founded and continue to operate the rescue, which is a registered New Zealand charity dedicated to helping toy breed dogs. Dottie began to feature on their social media and was an instant hit! Dottie quickly became a friendly little ambassador for the rescue. 

Dottie began her online journey with a "just for fun" Instagram page on 30th March 2020 to share life and medical updates with those who followed her story on the social media of her dog rescue. What started as a small way to keep supporters updated quickly grew into a global community of dog-lovers  that adore her resilience, personality, and unique charm. Dottie’s followers enjoy watching her thrive despite her challenges. With her sassy attitude, Dottie  is a great example of how well special needs pets can live despite any limitations.

Medical Conditions:

Although she leads a wonderful life, Dottie has a complex medical history which requires a unique level of care. Dottie has a team of specialist vets, including neurologists and physiotherapists involved in her care. Dot has had a few MRI's and other countless diagnostics complete. 

One of the main reasons we created this website was to compile Dottie’s medical information in one place, so owners don’t have to scroll through social media to find specific details. We’re always eager to help other pet owners, so if her experiences could benefit your pet, please don’t hesitate to reach out! 

Dottie has been diagnosed with the following:

• “Extreme” Dwarfism (Achondroplasia type, diagnosed in 2020)
• Two luxating patellas (affects the knees)
• Hip dysplasia
• Chiari-like malformation (“CM”) . But no Syringiomyelia (“SM”) as yet, confirmed by MRI May 2022.
• Shortened ulna syndrome (affects her forearms)
• Incongruent elbows (ie. they don’t align properly - she had surgery for this in 2020).
• Carpal vulgus (which affects the “wrists".
• Scoliosis (a curved spine)
• Her pelvis hasn’t formed correctly (some of it is made of cartilage not bone) and it’s not fused together, so essentially always broken.
• Ectopic cilia in the left eye (Dottie had surgery to remove this in November 2021)
• Ventriculomegaly (a condition in which the ventricles - fluid-filled spaces in the brain, are larger than usual);
• Intracranial arachnoid cyst (IAC), also called intracranial intra-arachnoid cyst and quadrigeminal cyst (”Brain Cyst”) developmental brain disorder in which cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is thought to accumulate within a split of the arachnoid membrane.
• The most significant concern for Dottie is an issue with her spinal cord - An abnormal growth in her skull  Dorsal compression at the AA joint ("AA-band") The growth could be bone or tissue and essentially is compressing her spinal cord.  From the 2023 report, "Atlanto-axial band is a condition  resulting in compression of the spinal cord between C1-C2 caused by hypertrophy ("overgrowth") of a normal ligament of the atlantoaxial (C1-C2) joint or in some cases due to abnormal bone orientation. In Dottie, it is likely the result of the abnormal shape and rotation of C1. Instability at C1-C2 may also be present, however not definitive in the provided study. The bone of the dorsal lamina ("roof") of the first cervical bone is rotated and creating this indentation. There is often a soft tissue/ligament component that also participates in creating this compression."

For more details and answers to frequently asked questions—such as how we treat Dottie’s conditions, what medications she takes, or anything else about her life—please explore this website. We've compiled information from her Instagram to create an easier resource for pet owners. To learn more about Dottie and find answers to the most commonly asked questions about her life and medical journey, click the Q&A below!