In this series, we will get to know famous dog personalities. Dogs, after all, play an important role in our life, so let us take a look what have they already managed to achieve during the time of us living together. Bobbie walked an incredible 4000 kilometres to return to his family.
Bobbie was a crossbreed of a collie and an Australian Shepherd. He lived with his family in the town of Silverton in Oregon. In 1923, when he was two years old, the family went on a trip to Indiana and took him along. But he got lost there. Despite the family looking hard for him, they came back home without him, filled with sorrow, thinking, that they were never going to see their dog again.
However, after six months, the impossible came true: Bobbie appeared on the doorstep of their home. Dirty and emaciated, with the paws worn-out, but alive. He showed all the sings, that for the whole way – that is 4,105 km across plains, deserts and mountains in winter – he walked without any help. That is 23 km a day on average.
After his return to Silverton, Bobbie’s fame grew with rocket speed. His story became a subject matter of a number of newspaper articles (including the Ripley’s Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction), books and films. He even played himself in 1924 in the silent film The Call of the West. He got many letters from people from the whole world and he even received several awards such as a diamond-studded collar, ribbons or keys of towns.
Bobbie died in 1927 and he was buried with honours on the animal graveyard called Oregon Humane Society's pet cemetery in Portland. A wreath was laid on his grave even by Rin Tin Tin, the dog film star.
Until today, Bobbie’s example of loyalty is celebrated during the annual children’s parade of pets in Portland. It serves as a reminder of the fact that pets have a special place in the lives of people. This event was started several years after Bobbie’s death and the first parade was led by his son Pal. In Silverton, you can also find a 21-meters-long painting which decorates walls of several enterprises and which depicts Bobbie’s story.
By the end of 2012, a civic society of the citizens of the town of Silverton was established, which advocates the opinion that Bobbie’s funeral didn’t successfully honour his story and his connection with his home town. This society started to ask for the return of his remains to Silverton for a funeral and memorialisation.
It is incredible, what some dogs are capable of enduring for their family – pack. We can only wish, that their loyalty is reciprocated to the same degree.
Sometimes, one dog is not enough and it is better to have a whole pack. Especially if you breed drafting (or also pulling) dogs. Of course, the more dogs you have, the more care and issues it means, but it also means there’s much more joy for the...
The modern world is not only rich in material things but also in the number of dog breeds. There are quite a lot of them, Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) recognizes 360 different breeds. And they are not only different from each other when...
There are many ways to learn a new thing. One of the most pleasant ones for both the dog and its owner is positive motivation. Thanks to it, a dog learns new tricks in a simple and pleasing way and it also helps to develop a mutual social relationship...
Pregnancy is a difficult time for a bitch in all aspects. The body nourishes more organisms and it needs to be reflected in her energy and nutrient intake. A breeder, racer and sport cynology contestant, Jitka Duffková, gives advice on how to make...
You might be interested in this dog sport but you have many questions before you can decide to start with it. Will my buddy enjoy it? Do I have sufficient physical abilities? When should we start, isn’t it too soon or too late? This article and advice...
A healthy mouth is a very important part of the complex vitality of a cat and we shouldn’t neglect taking care of it. There are many oral diseases our furry friends can suffer from. What can you do to keep your cat’s teeth clean?
Korat is a very rare breed that isn’t very common even in Thailand – the country of its origin. Thanks to its beautiful, soft, silver-tipped hair as well as its special nature, it’s unmistakable. This breed definitely deserves some attention.
Have you ever thought about how the composition of the gut microbiota of your dog companion influences its mood, metabolism or immune system in addition to its digestion? Do you know how bacteria work in guts and how to keep the good ones inside?
Letting furious dogs with only one task – to detain and put you down – bite you is definitely not for everyone. But is it really as horrifying as it may look from the outsider’s point of view? Jan Böhm answers our questions about what it takes to be...
Snakes and scorpions are said to get out on Saint George’s Day. It has been a while since then, so it’s no surprise that we can see a lizard or a snake when on a walk somewhere or in our gardens. They already left their underground shelters designed...
The German Boxer can truly be called a versatile dog. With no doubts, it can be a family dog, a watchdog or a rescuer. It is also good at sports. A long-term boxer breeder, Ing. Michaela Martinů, can confirm that.
Bikejöring doesn’t mean that a dog simply runs next to a bike. The dog pulls the bike when doing this sport, it is similar to dog sledding. A famous Slovak musher, Marcel Dučák, will tell us what equipment you need for it, what dogs it is good for,...
