Ouray, Colorado, is often called the “Switzerland of America,” drawing visitors in with its charming historic buildings, stunning alpine scenery, and abundant outdoor activities. However, as this YouTube video shows, many now visit the town for an even more unique attraction: Dexter, a cheerful little dog who walks on only two legs!
Dexter’s Journey
Dexter is a Brittany spaniel.
©YouTube/Good Morning America – Original
Dexter didn’t always walk upright. For the first year of his life, he was a typical, playful puppy. However, when he was only a year old, Dexter escaped and was hit by a moving van. Thankfully, only his front legs were caught by the van. However, the accident still resulted in surgeries and the loss of his right front leg. The family did not know if Dexter would even survive, let alone what his quality of life would be afterward.
The Road to Recovery
Dogs carry around two-thirds of their weight with their front legs.
©YouTube/Good Morning America – Original
As a certified personal trainer, Dexter’s owner, Kentee Pasek, took charge of his rehabilitation. She dedicated herself to his recovery, providing muscle massages and guiding him as he learned to balance on just three legs. She also trained him to use a front-body wheelchair. About two months after the accident, while Dexter was still undergoing rehabilitation and wearing a cone, he shocked his family with a surprising new skill. During a quick outdoor bathroom break, he somehow managed to climb the porch stairs using only his two back legs!
How Dexter Adapted to Two-Legged Life
Brittany spaniels are typically affectionate, playful, and family-friendly dogs.
©YouTube/Good Morning America – Original
As quadrupeds — animals that use four feet to walk — dogs typically carry almost two-thirds of their body weight on their front legs. However, after losing one front leg and with severely limited mobility in the other, Dexter could no longer walk normally. His front-body wheelchair was to help him regain balance and support as a quadruped, but determined as ever, Dexter had other plans: he decided it was quicker and easier to walk upright instead.
But dogs are not built to walk on two legs. Their spines are designed for four-legged movement and are relatively straight in the lower back. To walk upright, Dexter had to subtly change his natural posture, adopting a more inward, “s-shaped” curve in his lower spine. This adjustment helped shift his center of gravity over his back legs and absorb impact. Walking this way also puts more compressive force on his spine, meaning his ligaments need to be incredibly strong to keep him stable.
Because of these unusual adaptations, Dexter regularly visits the vet to ensure his unique stance isn’t harming his body. So far, his back legs are strong, solid, and able to handle the increased weight and impact of walking upright. It’s likely his gluteal muscles, quadriceps, hamstrings, and calf muscles have all grown in size and strength to support this new way of moving. His abdominal and back muscles would also need to be strong to keep his body upright and prevent excessive swaying, providing crucial spinal stability.
Mastering Balance and Coordination
Dexter has walked upright for most of his life.
©YouTube/Good Morning America – Original
Walking requires dynamic stability, where the body is continuously falling forward and being caught by the next step. For a four-legged animal, the center of gravity is usually closer to its front legs. That means that for Dexter to walk on two legs, his body had to learn to constantly shift and maintain his center of gravity directly over his hind limbs instead.
In addition, Dexter needed to develop incredibly precise timing and force in his hind legs to manage this “controlled fall.” This involves extensive motor learning. His brain continually creates new neural pathways and refines existing ones to control the complex movements needed for walking upright. Dexter likely developed compensatory movements, like subtle shifts in his spine and hips, to help him balance.
As you can see, Dexter’s unique ability to walk upright wasn’t easy; it required many unique physical adjustments and extreme determination on his part!
What Dexter Teaches Us
Dexter is the subject of an upcoming book, “Dexter, the Stand Up Dog.”
©YouTube/Good Morning America – Original
After Dexter’s accident, his family faced many difficult decisions about his future and quality of life. Even after he started walking upright, many of these uncertainties remained — but so too did Dexter’s remarkable determination. Dexter wasn’t just surviving; he was thriving and living his life to the fullest.
For a while, only his family and neighborhood witnessed the journey of this amazing little dog. However, when a tourist posted a video of Dexter on social media, he suddenly became a viral sensation.
Even now, at nine or ten years old, Dexter continues to inspire, as seen in the YouTube video. His story — and his joyful, energetic approach to life in spite of it all — teaches us so much about determination and resilience. People continue to travel to Ouray, CO, just to see Dexter. One veteran even said that the uniquely bipedal dog had inspired him to finally begin the physical therapy he’d been putting off.
Everyone faces their own unique struggles, but seeing how far this little dog has come has profoundly impacted people around the world. Dexter’s journey reminds us that our circumstances do not define our potential — even when life takes an unexpected turn, the will to adapt, strengthen, and keep going can lead to great things.
