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Obie is a 5-year-old daschund that would be a candidate for the canine version of "The Biggest Loser" if there was one.

The paunchy pooch is morbidly obese at 77 pounds, quite a load for its stumpy legs.

But now Obie is living the real-life version of the reality TV show after his new owner, Nora Vanatta, put him on an extreme diet.

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Obie is being fed a low-fat, high-protein diet by Vanatta that contains isoflavones to help speed his weight loss. She says he'll eventually have to hop on the treadmill and do hydrotherapy to lose weight, once he's light enough to exercise, that is. And once he's lost a few pounds, he may need surgery to remove excess skin.

It's all an attempt by Vanatta, a former veterinary technician from Portland, Ore., who now works as an EMT, to slim down her new pet by 40 pounds.

Vanatta adopted Obie last month after reading on the Oregon Dachshund Rescue's Facebook page that his elderly owners, who called him "AJ," could no longer care for him and, more specifically, couldn't stop feeding him treats.

"The ageing owners just couldn't say no to those big brown eyes," Vanatta wrote on the "Biggest Loser: Doxie Edition" Facebook page she created for Obie. ""He was obviously loved and is a joy to work with."

Just as contestants on the TV version of "Biggest Loser" face the pressures of losing weight in front of millions, so too will Obie. Vanatta plans to document his progress on the Facebook page and is also asking for donations to help pay for his care and spark, perhaps, a health revolution.

"My hope is that he can be an inspiration to any person or animal trying to lose weight," she writes. "It is so important to introduce pups and kids to a healthy lifestyle and food choices as early as possible. Prevention is the key!"

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