Tiny Bald Bulldog Found Wandering Streets All Alone

It was never clear where Lilou came from, but the look in her eyes said everything.

At just 7 months old, the small bulldog puppy was found wandering the streets of Southern California with a case of mange so advanced that her entire body was covered in scabs.

She was also suffering from a respiratory infection — but luckily, Love Leo Rescue picked her up from the streets just in time.

As a severe medical case, the rescue placed Lilou with an emergency foster in California who helped her battle through the painful mange and infections.

Lilou was well enough to travel after a few weeks, so she went to another foster through Northwest Dog Project, a rescue that regularly adopts out at-risk dogs from California.

For several weeks, they treated Lilou’s damaged skin with medicated baths and rubdowns with coconut oil. Eventually, all her hair completely fell out — leaving her with bright pink skin that made her resemble a piglet.

But soon a fresh coat started growing in and, in December 2015, she was finally well enough to be put up for adoption.

Cora Frazer, of Eugene, Oregon, had been following the bald puppy’s story for two months, watching as she slowly grew back her fuzz. Once she became available, Frazer knew she had to meet her.

“We fell in love with her and her story,” Frazer told The Dodo. “We kept teasing about adopting her, but then kept making up excuses on why she wouldn’t work for our lifestyle. Like ‘We love hiking, and bulldogs don’t hike!’”

Little did Frazer and her partner, Carl Ernst, know, Lilou actually loved to hike. They put in an application soon after meeting her — and once she met their two dogs, they knew it was the perfect match.

“We wanted to introduce her to our pack and we were unsure how it would go,” Frazer said. “They took to her right away, barreling through the backyard together and wrestling. We could tell Lilou really got her confidence and comfort from being with other dogs.”

Frazer and Ernst officially adopted Lilou in January 2016. From hiking and playing to working at her parents’ vintage boutique, Lilou is there for it all — and although she’s the smallest member of the pack, there’s no doubt that she’s the leader.

“When we first starting taking her hiking, she seemed a bit nervous and would trail behind the others,” Frazer said. “Now she just leaves the others in the dust and they’re always trying to catch up.”

Despite her active lifestyle, Lilou can’t get enough of cuddling — even though her other dog siblings, Yogi and Birdie, aren’t too interested in it. But last year, she met the perfect snuggle partner when her family decided to foster an American Staffordshire terrier named Hope.

Once Frazer and Ernst saw how quickly the girls’ bond developed, it wasn’t long before they officially added her to the family.

“They are best friends,” Frazer said. “They really took to each other in a way that was so different than with our other dogs. Hope will cuddle with her all day if you let her.”

Based on how easily Lilou’s siblings are able to comfort her when she’s stressed or upset, Frazer said it’s likely she was born into a situation where she lived among a ton of other dogs with very little human contact.

“English bulldogs are especially expensive in the breeding world — but she doesn’t look like a full-bred English bulldog. She’s a lot smaller and has different ears,” Frazer explained. “She could have possibly been dumped by a breeder who noticed she came down with mange and looked different from the rest. In their eyes, she wouldn’t have been worth any money.”

Now celebrating her two-year anniversary of being adopted, Lilou is an entirely different dog from the balding, mange-ridden puppy rescuers first found.

With a full, healthy coat of fur and an adorable smile from ear to ear, it’s not hard to tell how much she loves her family.

And it’s certain that they feel the same.

“We feel so lucky — and are so thankful for her,” Frazer said. “She is really special.”