When Merritt Dermer adopted a puppy in 2023, she was told he would grow to about 70 pounds as an adult. This estimate, however, turned out to be a massive understatement.
Today, Sully, a 2-year-old Bernedoodle, tips the scales at nearly 90 pounds, and his incredibly fluffy coat makes him look even more impressive. So much so that some people online struggle to believe he wasn't generated by artificial intelligence.
Larger than life
Sully has surpassed all expectations. When he stands on his long hind legs, he's a few inches taller than his owner, who is just under 5 feet tall. It's a sight that never fails to get a reaction.
”Almost every time I take him somewhere, people stop me to ask about his breed, age or weight,” Merritt Dermer told The Dodo. ”I often hear, ‘He’s bigger than you!’ or ‘Who’s walking who?’”
And when passers-by aren't comparing him to a miniature pony, they question whether the photos posted on social media are real. One picture in particular, showing Sully sitting on the lap of Merritt's partner – who is 5'7" – caused quite a stir.
”I never imagined he’d get so much attention,” she explains. ”Some people were convinced he couldn’t be real and claimed the post was fake.”
A giant who thinks he's a lap dog
But Sully really is that big, and he seems completely oblivious to it.
”He has no idea how big he is,” says his owner. ”He has no spatial awareness and bumps into everything when he gets excited.”
