A French Bulldog puppy, brown and white in color, wearing a dark helmet indoors with an adult male hand holding its chin. 3:05
GeoBeats Animals channel icon GeoBeats AnimalsOriginal creator 2.1M views Save

He drove 17 hours, then made his dog a helmet

Mr. Muggles has two holes in the top of his head that will never fully close. So when the little French bulldog leaves Blake's lap to roam, he wears a helmet Blake made by hand. more

He was born with hydrocephalus, a condition in which spinal fluid puts pressure on the brain. Blake believes the breeder gave him up because of it. A rescue called Road Dogs stepped in, and a volunteer nursed him to good health before his foster mom, Bella, took over his care.

Blake got in touch with Road Dogs and flew down to Los Angeles. Getting home was another matter. Dogs with hydrocephalus can't fly, because of the pressure on their brains, so Blake drove 17 hours back to Seattle with Mr. Muggles in the passenger seat. "Loved every minute of it," he says.

This is not Blake's first dog with the condition. It varies a lot from dog to dog, and many don't live long, but his last dog had a severe case and still had a great life for six years. Mr. Muggles is a bit of a simple guy, Blake says, who loves some things and not others, a kind and cuddly dog who loves a lap. "Overall, he's a good man."

Then came the helmet. Most helmets made for dogs have no padding, and padding was what Blake cared about most. He has a background in cars, so he took a pattern of Mr. Muggles's head, made a stencil for the padding and laid the carbon fiber by hand. One viewer's favorite part is the stencil making, because Blake keeps kissing Mr. Muggles the whole time.

A French Bulldog puppy, brown and white in color, wearing a dark helmet indoors with an adult male hand holding its chin. The headline runs in white letters across the lower third.Save
Mr.

Blake calls this one a prototype and plans to make a better version. The soft spots on Mr. Muggles's head won't ever close, so the risk will last his whole life, and Blake admits he will always be a bit of a helicopter dad. "But the helmet definitely gives him freedom," he says, "and me peace of mind."

A small dog with large ears and a short snout stands on wet ground, facing the camera. A headline runs in white letters across the lower third.Save
The helmet is what lets Mr. Muggles leave Blake's lap and go exploring.

Mr. Muggles is not in any pain, and Blake doesn't think he knows he has much going on at all. He just enjoys his life. Spending time with him, Blake says, can make a good day even better or turn a gloomy day into a joyous one.

Blake has a name for dogs like Mr. Muggles."They're the lovable lemons," he says. "They're the underdogs." Helping them win at the simple little tasks of life is, in his words, so worth it.

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