Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly: Pet nutritionist Chloe Fuller on why she wears a feeding tube and uses a wheelchair
Chloe is making her debut on the showDogs Behaving (Very) Badly‘s Graeme Hall has enlisted the help of pet nutritionist Chloe Fuller as the show returns to Channel 5.
But some fans might be left wondering why Chloe uses a feeding tube and a wheelchair.
Chloe, 27, is on hand as Graeme continues in his quest to help dog owners with their badly behaved and troublesome mutts.
In tonight’s episode, the trainer – aka The Dogfather – is introduced to a vegan couple who have a big question: Can their dog also have a vegan diet?
Cue Chloe Fuller and her expert advice!
Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly: Why does Chloe Fuller have a feeding tube?
When Chloe was just 13 years old, she became severely unwell from a seemingly minor infection.
She later received a diagnosis of Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS). This causes an increase in her heart rate after sitting up or standing.
Doctors discovered Chloe’s POTS was sparked by Ehlers Danlos syndrome. Symptoms of the genetic condition include chronic pain, extreme fatigue, unstable joints and fragile skin.
Don't miss a single story! Add us as a Preferred Source in Google for all your television news
Chloe had to be home schooled as her health deteriorated and, by 16, she needed to use a wheelchair. On top of that, Chloe’s digestive system began to fail due to her POTS.
She spent three months in hospital, as medics battled to work out how to treat her. Eventually, they decided tube feeding was the best option.
Chloe previously told The Blend Mag: “When I became tube-fed, there really was a sense of relief because I was like, I don’t have to stress anymore.
“I no longer had to worry about dying. I no longer had to worry about the pressure to eat and, suddenly, I had so much more energy than I’d had in years.”
Chloe’s self-trained assistance dogs
Given her poor health, Chloe was told she qualified for an assistance dog. But the wait times with charities were stretching two years, so she took matters into her own hands.
Chloe was 15 when she met Ted, a springer spaniel. And it was meant to be. Chloe recalls how she collapsed when visiting him at his breeder’s house: “Ted came and sat on my chest. He’s been with me ever since,” she said.
In just 13 months, Chloe had successfully trained Ted to be an assistance dog. It was one of the quickest partnerships with the charity Dog AID.
Having Ted around meant Chloe’s mum was able to return to work two days a week. Chloe, meanwhile, went on to train a second dog called Cinnabar.
Thanks to the help of her two assistance dogs, Chloe was able to turn the training on herself. She later qualified as a dog nutritionist.
Chloe told Your Dog: “I started to develop a personal understanding of just how vital those nutrients were to us physically, mentally, and emotionally.
“The ritual of eating, the community to meals, and the enrichment experience were taken from me overnight. At that point, I realised how much we were undervaluing the importance of nutrition in our dogs.”
View this post on Instagram
Chloe’s ‘chance’ meeting with Clare Balding
Chloe now has a big social media presence, with almost 80,000 followers on Instagram. She has presented at The Super Spaniel Show, appeared on This Morning, Steph’s Packed Lunch and at Crufts.
Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly is her latest TV job to date.
Incredibly, Chloe credits broadcaster Clare Balding for helping her into the industry. Chloe was visiting Crufts in Birmingham and happened to spot Clare in a bar – so she introduced herself.
Ted was by her side and Clare told her to pursue a career in television. Chloe held on to this dream and she was later scouted at an event called Dogfest.
And the rest, as they say, is history!
Read more: Pete Wicks: For Dogs’ Sake is back for a new series on U&W and it has a huge overseas twist
