Age: 11 years, 10 months (born Sept. __, 20__)
Height: 4'11"
Weight: 304 lbs
Species/Breed: German Shepherd dog

Likes: reading about history, sleeping, watching police dramas on TV, and eating
Dislikes: mornings, tight-fitting clothes, being hungry, and being tired

Parents: Dallas (police officer) and Abilene (baker)
Siblings: none
Hometown: Ivywild (suburban town)
Friends: Asper and Mitchell
Fun Fact: Austin's middle name is Eaxst (pronounced Eek-st), a nod to his late paternal grandfather--a former Sheriff.

Austin is a shy, kind pup who is very close to his parents and friends. Despite being spoiled by his parents, he is a humble, respectful kid. A straight-A student and avid Pup Scout, Austin dreams of becoming a police officer, like his dad. Unfortunately, Austin inherited his father's large appetite, but not his athletic nature. It does not help that his mother is a baker and excellent home cook, with a tendency to make huge meal portions. Dallas and Abilene are somewhat concerned over Austin's morbid obesity; they occasionally try to get him to adopt healthier habits, but they always fall apart for various reasons (e.g. they get caught up in their work, they hate seeing Austin unhappy, etc.). Austin has generally been oblivious to his worsening weight problem--he eats a balanced (albeit oversized) diet, and he overheard his grandparents assuring his parents that he would outgrow his "puppy fat." Over the years, however, the naivete has become harder to maintain, as incidents exposing his physical limitations have become increasingly frequent. Dallas has not found the courage to tell his son that the Police Academy requires officers to pass a physical exam to earn and keep their badge.

About to start middle school, Austin has never faced bullying due to his weight before, thanks to the support of his long-time friends. Asper is in some ways Austin's polar opposite: a social, fit Siberian Husky who loves to invite Austin to do various activities. Mitchell, the runt of his litter, is a quiet Bernese Mountain Dog, who often spends his free time learning programming skills. The trio make for an unlikely set of friends, but they frequently hang out. Asper and Mitchell recognize that Austin is on the...huskier side (to put it lightly), but they are not judgmental.

Austin's adipose is fairly evenly distributed, but his body shape leans slightly towards the apple shape. He has a cherubic face and a prominent double chin. His paws are pudgy all around, and his upper arms sport the "bingo wings" that wobble when he waves. Austin has the beginnings of "cankles" forming. He tries to ignore how his "thunder-thighs" chafe when he waddles, and how the "saddlebags" on his upper thighs make slipping on any bottoms without elastic waistbands a challenge. He is just starting to develop a "FUPA." You can see his blubbery butt-cheeks shift up and down as he waddles, causing the rolls sitting atop them to bounce in step. His two "spare tires" extend around his torso, creating more of a "doughnut stack" on his backside. Austin is especially embarrassed by his hefty moobs, which continue under his arms and prop them up a tad. Yet the part of his body Austin is most ashamed of is his "belly apron," which rests on the tops of his thighs when standing. He has to bend a little just to reach the bottom curve, which is cleaved into two distinct lobes at his deep navel. Austin avoids looking at his physique at almost all costs.

Nevertheless, Austin finds happiness in daily activities, most notably reading. He would scarf down his homemade lunch before chilling in the school library, where the librarian, Ms. Katy, always has a new recommendation to satisfy his craving for history. Austin plays the tuba in band class, though his gut has been pushing the instrument stand further and further away, so he is thinking of switching to choir for middle school. His positive attitude and consistent engagement in class makes him well liked by his teachers. Even in his worst subject, physical education, Austin has a strong work ethic--he gets an 'A' for effort (and only effort). He is dreading middle school's gym class, since it requires him to change into a PE uniform--in an open locker room, no less.

Outside of school, Austin is for the most part a homebody. He loves helping his mom cook dinner, reading comic strips, and watching TV dramas that are centered around police patrol and emergency response. He owns a pet lizard, Antonio, who is typically pretty lazy himself. On the weekends, Austin volunteers at his mom's bakery, running the cash register and unloading the freshly baked treats into display cases. Every now and then, Dallas lets Austin visit the police station, but Dallas loathes hearing the department's snide comments about his overweight son. During the summers, Dallas signs Austin up for activities to get him outdoors and active, but it only keeps Austin's weight partially in check before the holiday season packs quite a few more pounds onto him (thanks to his doting grandparents).