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Great Dane helps little girl with rare disease walk on her own

Great Dane George helps Bella participate in activities and even walk to class, which was previously difficult without crutches.

Bella Burton has struggled with walking since she was two, when she was diagnosed with Morquio Syndrome.

It’s a genetic disease that attacks the bones and limits mobility, WCVB reports, and Bella had to use crutches or a wheelchair to get around.

But thanks to George, her dog and best friend, things have changed.

“I lean on him like a crutch,” Bella told ABC News.

Earlier this year, the two got paired up through a Service Dog Project in Ipswich, Massachusetts.

Now, with George’s help, the 11-year-old girl is able to walk again on her own.

“I had wheelchairs, walkers, Canadian crutches, regular crutches and then we got George and I dropped my crutches and started to use him,” Bella told WCVB.

Ever since George came into Bella’s life, she has become “so much stronger and active,” her mom, Rachel Burton, told Home News.

She loves going to school with George, who helps her get from class to class, and rides her bike and even runs outside.

George will be honoured with the Award for Canine Excellence at a ceremony in December by the American Kennel Club (AKC).

“George and Bella have an inseparable bond and he will do anything for her. He has helped her gain confidence, independence and happiness,” the AKC wrote on their website.

On Facebook, the pair’s amazing bond has warmed the hearts of many who follow their epic adventures together.