Meet the dogs of Kelowna, this is Odie. He is just one of the amazing dogs you can find in the city. His wonderful owner is Sam.
Tell us about yourself, how your dog came into your life and your favourite thing to do in Kelowna?
My name is Sam and my dog Odie came into my life just over two years ago. He was a rescue dog from Tehran, Iran and I stumbled across him online while looking for a border collie puppy. Odie was an adult border collie mix with a very sad story. He had been living in a shelter with 300 other dogs, many of which had also been abused on the streets. He wasn’t what I was looking for, but as soon as I saw him and read his story, I knew I needed him.
I went through a month long process, with applications and interviews, and was finally told that I could adopt Odie. A few weeks later, he was on a plane to Vancouver and I picked him up in Hope. He looked like a bear and he was WAY bigger than I was expecting. He was terrified of everything and everyone, except me.
Tell us about your Dog?
Odie is a goofy, protective and playful border collie mix. We think he’s about 4 or 5 years old, but we’re not completely sure! He loves running circles around the yard with mom and dad, going for truck rides and cuddling with pillows. When I first brought him home, the agency I adopted him from said that he had never seen furniture before and would be confused, but I swear he’s never felt more at home than he does on a big stack of pillows! His favourite activity is running across the yard and sliding on his belly in the grass.
What has been your dog’s favourite adventure?
The last two years in Canada have been one big adventure for Odie. He’s experienced so many new things. His favourite adventure has been anytime that we can get out of the city and into the mountains. He has a blast splashing in creeks and hiking with us. His favourite hike is in Joe Rich!
Please share any challenges you have faced with your dog:
A rescue dog from another country with a rough past comes with many challenges, and Odie has been no exception. He was terrified of everything and everyone when he arrived in Canada. He would bark aggressively and occasionally snap at people and other dogs because he was scared. He ran away from me a few times and played very rough. I turned to Dogzies Pet Services to help me train Odie to behave in public, obey commands and get along with other dogs and people.
How far has your dog come, with these challenges?
Odie has come leaps and bounds with his training. He still has a long way to go and a lot to learn, but it makes me emotional thinking about how much he has changed since we started working with Wayne and the Dogzies team. When we started, Odie was showing aggressive, wild behaviour and did not get along well with other dogs. Today, he goes to day school and runs with all of his pals, he walks much better and he has mastered some commands. I didn’t think there would be a day that I would feel confident walking Odie in Downtown Kelowna, and now we walk there once a week. I’m so proud of how far my wild boy has come!
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Dogs of Kelowna is sponsored by: Dogzies Canine School and Doak Shirreff Lawyers.
If you wish your dog to be featured please contact: Breanna Nathorst at breanna.nathorst@kelownacapnews.com
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