Three-legged Golden Retriever living her best life thanks to new bionic leg

frankie the golden retriever
What a good girl (Picture: Mercury Press & Media)

A three-legged dog is living her life to the fullest thanks to her new bionic leg.

Frankie, two, was born with her umbilical cord wrapped around her front right foot, which resulted in a lack of blood circulation.

She was also the runt of her little, and breeders were worried she wouldn’t make it because she had a tough time gaining weight after she was born.

When Joey Bennett, 59, and Jodie Reid, 65, from Ontario, Canada, heard about little Frankie, they became invested in her plight and promised to give her a good home if she made it.

Thankfully the pup defied the odds and pulled through, and after she was brought home she was fitted for a prosthetic.

Joey said: ‘It took her quite a while to get used to her bionic limb because the muscles hadn’t developed properly, but now she can do anything other dogs can do with enough rest for her shoulder.

‘The bionic leg has improved her quality of life so much, she loves it.

‘At therapy she blew every activity they had out of the water; she’s got that will and that strength, she wouldn’t have survived if she didn’t.

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‘The whole process wasn’t cheap, but it was worth every cent! I don’t have children, so my pets are everything to me.’

Newborn Frankie A three-legged golden retriever
Frankie as a newborn (Picture: Mercury Press & Media)
Frankie’s leg is made of an extremely strong and lightweight fibreglass resin and plastic mix.

It’s specially designed to work with her shoulder, which was severely damaged because her leg was pinned behind her head by the umbilical in the womb.

Joey said: ‘For three days after she was born it was really touch and go, said Joey, ‘And for five weeks she didn’t really gain any weight, and they still weren’t sure if she was going to survive.

Frankie and Gabby the golden retrievers
Frankie and Gabby (Picture: Mercury Press & Media)

‘We were incredibly worried and the breeder actually held back another puppy in case Frankie died.’

The puppy who was held back in case Frankie didn’t make is now named Cedar, and found a happy home with another family on the breeder’s list. They stay in touch, along with other members of Frankie’s litter and one of Frankie’s fellow Golden Retriever buddies, Mia.
frankie the golden retriever with her bionic leg
Joey said: ‘The bionic leg has improved her quality of life so much, she loves it’ (Picture: Mercury Press & Media)
Joey and Jodie had lost Tucker, one of their Golden Retrievers, to cancer just three days before Frankie was born, and were looking to get another puppy to keep their other dog, 11-year-old Gabby, company.

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Joey said: ‘It ended up being a blessing because we were so worried about Frankie that we stopped grieving over Tucker.’

Gabby and Frankie have now bonded very closely, and they spend every day going on adventures in the Canadian snow and forests. Joey said: ‘It took a while at first for them to bond because Gabby missed Tucker, but now they sleep and play together all day, they’re best buddies.

‘Their active lifestyle keeps Frankie’s core strong, allowing her to run despite the tiny stump left on her front leg.

‘Frankie is unable to compete in official dog events because of her disability but as a graduate of intermediate dog school we hope to progress her training and see her become a therapy dog one day.’

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