Nate, a Sheltie from New Jersey, was recently inducted into the New Jersey Veterinary Medical Association’s Hall of Fame for losing weight and returning to normal dog health.

When Charles Blackford’s mother asked her son to take in her beloved Sheltie as her dying wish, he knew he had his work cut out for him, as the dog was extremely overweight, according to CBS 13.

"My mom would, of course, over the weekend make him ham and eggs and English muffins," Blackford told the news source. "What that did was just add the pounds on him."

His mother was also not able to provide Nate with a lot of exercise, as her own health kept her from taking him for lots of walks.

When Blackford took over as caregiver, he put Nate on a healthy diet that resulted in him dropping nearly 40 pounds.

According to the Humane Society, in order to provide the proper nutrition to ensure your canine stays in good dog health, you should consult with your veterinarian regarding what to incorporate into their diets and how often your pet should be fed.

One shelter dog was given the role of a lifetime after being cast in Broadway’s revival of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

When Fred was found wandering the streets of the South Bronx as a puppy, he was taken to an ASPCA city shelter, according to the New York Daily News.

Animal agent Bill Berloni, who is renowned for training stray dogs for productions for more than 30 years, took notice of the mutt and decided to put him up against more than 70 other canines for a role in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Fred got the part.

"It’s definitely something of a freak of nature that he was to end up in a Broadway show," Berloni told the news provider. "But he was friendly, intelligent, cute as hell – you look at him and smile."

Fred is now owned by author Chris Grabenstein, and receives the best pet care imaginable on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.

If you’re looking for a new furry friend, a shelter could be a great place to find that special pet.

When Terina Held’s 13-year-old black Labrador, Buck, went missing in the beginning of January, she thought the dog had just run away. After searches on foot and by car had turned up with nothing, the Held family said they felt that they would never see their beloved Buck again.

But when Held’s neighbor, Mark Smith, was hiking with his dog, Copper, in the Santa Cruz mountains, they stumbled upon an emaciated dog, according to PeoplePets.com. Knowing he had to help, Smith carried the dog back to civilization and noticed a missing dog poster.

It turned out that Buck had survived in the wilderness for 40 days and 40 nights and had lost 50 pounds. After being reunited with his family, Buck is reportedly back in good dog health. Held told the news provider that the fact he survived so long was an amazing feat.

"I don’t think a human could have lived in our woods for that period of time, especially given the storms we had," Held said. "But he’s back to his old self. I don’t want to let him out of my sight."