Complex sentence: Even before he was a Road Rover, he befriended Muzzle, a "rabid" Rottweiler, in the back of a Los Angeles animal control van, and defended him when a bunch of other dogs were ready to bully him.
Split into simpler sentences: Even before he was a Road Rover, he was friends with Muzzle, a "rabid" rottweiler, in the back of a Los Angeles animal control van. He defensed him when a bunch of other dogs were ready to bully him.