"He turned up at our front door in a very distressed state," Stefany said.
He had the shakes, his coat was harsh and wiry, and he refused to eat by himself.
"I actually had to lay down on the floor and hand feed him for the first three weeks.
"Then suddenly one day he decided 'I think I quite like these people, I think I might eat now'."
Another issue was Anton refused to walk through doorways.
Anton and owner Stefany Knight. Photo / David Haxton"We had to use a lead and gradually encourage him to walk through doors."
And Anton hated being groomed, so it was a slow gradual process aided with the extra incentive involving a few edible treats.
"It has taken him a long time to accept being groomed but he's got there, which is great."
The couple also had Anton neutered soon after they got him, because of his testicle situation.
The couple's interest was piqued when Dogs New Zealand announced that neutered dogs would be allowed to participate in dog shows.
They decided to enter Anton in Upper Hutt Kennel Association's dog show in the Purina Pro Plan Wellington Exhibition Centre in Porirua.
After four shows, Anton won the neutered working group and went on to win best neuter in show.
"I was just so excited and couldn't believe it really.
"And he was up against tough competition as well including a samoyed, a weimaraner and a couple of others.
"From where he has come from, it is quite remarkable really what he's managed to achieve."
Anton, now aged 6, received a rosette, a new bed, and large bag of food for his efforts.
The couple are now keen to enter Anton in more dog shows.
"He's halfway towards becoming a champion."
But in the meantime Anton is lapping up his achievement and taking it easy by playing with his toys including a squeaky penguin.
