Yes, this is another sad story about people being irresponsible. It’s like, what the heck? Right?

Walter is a Miniature Pinscher whose severe deformities are the result of careless inbreeding. He was surrendered by his former owners who gave him up after a year of keeping him in a cage and barely feeding or caring for him. They weren’t trying very hard — they weren’t trying at all. It’s one thing to maybe not train your dog in foundational obedience, but to be too lazy to provide even the most basic care is almost beyond my comprehension.

However, dumping Walter was the best thing his good-for-nothing former owners ever did, because that’s when Angels for Animal Rescue took the little dog in. A visit to the vet revealed the worst: His year in a cage exacerbated Walter’s congenital birth defects, causing his muscles to atrophy. As you can imagine, Walter can’t walk or run as well as a healthy Miniature Pinscher can.

But you know what? Whatever. Walter is still tiny and adorable, and we love him despite his differences. Just how tiny and adorable is Walter? Allow me to demonstrate:

1. Walter is so tiny and adorable he can wear this Barbie sombrero and sunglasses

2. Walter is so tiny and adorable that he makes a child’s stuffed animal seem huge

3. Walter is so tiny and adorable that you might mistake him for the remote control

4. Walter is so tiny and adorable that, for him, a laptop computer is the size of a desktop computer

5. Walter is so tiny and adorable that he could star as an ant in a remake of Honey, I Shrunk the Kids

5. Walter is so tiny and adorable you won’t even notice when he crawls into your arms and steals your heart until you look down and you’re all like, “Awww!”

All photos are from Walter’s Facebook page. Go like his page so you can check out his progress. Let him know Dogster sends our best.

Check out these adorable stories on Dogster:

• We Love These Pictures of Dog-Pooping Photobombs
• Go Home, the Internet Has Been Won by These Chihuahua and Chicken BFFs
• Everybody’s Doing It: The Dog Breed Group Personality Quiz

About Liz Acosta: Dogster’s former Cuteness Correspondent, Liz still manages the site’s daily “Awws,” only now she also wrangles Dogster’s social media. That’s why she wants you to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and — her personal favorite — Instagram. See ya there!