Meet Munchie. He looks just like any other energetic puppy. But Munchie was born a little different, without his two front legs.
“He does not think he’s any different. To him he’s a normal dog,” said Elizabeth Ramos, Munchie’s owner.
But even though he may hop around pretty well right now, Munchie’s owner, Elizabeth Ramon, realized that some training wheels may help him out in the future. That’s when she decided to contact the Aiken County Career and Technology Center.
“They have 3D printers, they have the CADD program, they’re the one that are able to do this, the ones that are fit for the job,” said Ramos.
“My first thoughts were like, ‘Wow, I can’t believe I get to help this dog’,” said Micheal Hall, CADD student.
Micheal Hall and his fellow students in the Computer Aide Drafting and Design program created training wheels that are used in 3 stages. Their teacher, Dr. Bob Molkenthin explains how it all works.
“The first stage is where the 3 wheels are all equally on the ground, so that when he does go forward he actually is fully balanced,” said Dr. Bob Molkenthin, CADD Instructor.
“Then stage 2 is where the front wheel is higher off the ground allowing him to balance on 2, but if he does fall forward he still has that extra wheel to save him,” Dr. Molkenthin.
The final stage takes him to 2 wheels and on his way. But this 3 stage process is doing more than just helping Munchie. Dr. Bob says they’re looking to patent it.
“Whatever money we can accumulate with this goes into a foundation for my students where the kids in my class will get scholarships out of it and also support what we do in here,” said Dr. Molkenthin.
LINK TO WJBF 6 VIDEO AND COMPLETE NEWS ARTICLE: Local High School Students Help Two-Legged Dog Walk