New Pup Helps 5-year-old Boy with Dwarfism Stand Tall to Bullies

A little boy sometimes bullied for his dwarfism has newfound confidence thanks to a new dog that happens to have the exact same condition.

The bullying was so upsetting that five-year-old Quaden Bayles wouldn’t even let his family talk about the fact that he has dwarfism—until he met Buddy, a Shih Tzu rescue dog, who shares Quaden’s condition, called achondroplasia.

Quaden is only about half as tall as other kids his age and his limbs don’t grow at the same rate as his body and head. Being different left Quaden depressed, but his new best friend has given the Australian boy a whole new outlook on life — showing that he’s not alone.

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The pup has been so effective at helping Quaden to accept his condition that he now proudly proclaims how his dog “has dwarfism like me.”

“It’s been an instant confidence booster, where he’s now accepting his diagnosis so happily, like it’s cool to have dwarfism now.” his mother Yarraka Bayles told TODAY.

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Buddy’s inspiration isn’t exclusive to just Quaden. He has become the mascot of Stand Tall 4 Dwarfism, a group featuring Quaden’s adventures that Yarraka set up to help people understand the condition.

(Photo: Stand Tall 4 Dwarfism, Facebook)SHARE This Inspiring Pair…