Bobbie, the Wonder Dog
Encyclopedia
Bobbie the Wonder Dog was a dog
from the U.S. state
of Oregon
who became famous for traveling 2,800 miles to return to his owners in the city of Silverton
. He is sometimes referred to as Silverton Bobbie.
, Bobbie—a two-year old Scotch Collie
/English Shepherd
mix—was separated from his owners and lost. After an exhaustive search the broken-hearted family returned to their home in Oregon never expecting to see their beloved dog again. Six months later, Bobbie appeared on their doorstep mangy and scrawny with feet worn to the bone; he showed all the signs of having walked the entire way back alone.
During his ordeal he crossed 2,800 miles of plain, desert and mountains in the dead of winter to return home. After his return to Silverton, he experienced a meteoric rise to fame. He was the subject of newspaper articles including Ripley's Believe It or Not!
, books and film. He received hundreds of letters from people around the world and was honored with a jewel-studded harness and collar, ribbons and keys to cities.
Upon his death in 1927, he was buried with honors at the Oregon Humane Society’s pet cemetery
. A week later Rin Tin Tin
laid a wreath at his grave.
Bobbie's demonstration of loyalty is celebrated during Silverton's annual children's pet parade that serves as a reminder of the special place animals and pets have in people's lives. This annual event was started several years after Bobbie's death and the first parade was led by his son, Pal.
Silverton Bobbie's story was commemorated in a panel of Ripley's Believe It or Not.
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
from the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
who became famous for traveling 2,800 miles to return to his owners in the city of Silverton
Silverton, Oregon
Silverton is a city in Marion County, Oregon, United States, along the 45th parallel. The population was 7,414 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Salem Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
. He is sometimes referred to as Silverton Bobbie.
History
In 1923, while on a family road trip in IndianaIndiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, Bobbie—a two-year old Scotch Collie
Farm collie
The Farm Collie is a herding dog, of collie type. The term "Farm Collie" can have various definitions including:# Any collie-like dog that lives on a farm.# Any collie-like dog that does farm work such as herding, guarding and pest control....
/English Shepherd
English Shepherd
The English Shepherd is an extremely versatile breed of working dog of the collie lineage, developed in the United States from farm dogs brought by English and Scottish settlers to early America. The English Shepherd is a highly intelligent, practical all-around farm dog, being used as a herding...
mix—was separated from his owners and lost. After an exhaustive search the broken-hearted family returned to their home in Oregon never expecting to see their beloved dog again. Six months later, Bobbie appeared on their doorstep mangy and scrawny with feet worn to the bone; he showed all the signs of having walked the entire way back alone.
During his ordeal he crossed 2,800 miles of plain, desert and mountains in the dead of winter to return home. After his return to Silverton, he experienced a meteoric rise to fame. He was the subject of newspaper articles including Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Ripley's Believe It or Not! is a franchise, founded by Robert Ripley, which deals in bizarre events and items so strange and unusual that readers might question the claims...
, books and film. He received hundreds of letters from people around the world and was honored with a jewel-studded harness and collar, ribbons and keys to cities.
Upon his death in 1927, he was buried with honors at the Oregon Humane Society’s pet cemetery
Pet cemetery
A pet cemetery is a cemetery for animals.-History:Many human cultures buried animal remains. The Ancient Egyptians mummified and buried cats, which they considered deities....
. A week later Rin Tin Tin
Rin Tin Tin
Rin Tin Tin was the name given to a dog adopted from a WWI battlefield that went on to star in twenty-three Hollywood films. The name was subsequently given to several related German Shepherd dogs featured in fictional stories on film, radio and television.-Origins:The first of the line Rin Tin...
laid a wreath at his grave.
Bobbie's demonstration of loyalty is celebrated during Silverton's annual children's pet parade that serves as a reminder of the special place animals and pets have in people's lives. This annual event was started several years after Bobbie's death and the first parade was led by his son, Pal.
Silverton Bobbie's story was commemorated in a panel of Ripley's Believe It or Not.
Further reading
- bibliography, good dog books
- Alexander, Charles D.Charles D. AlexanderCharles Dewey Alexander was an American children’s writer of short stories and novels.He was born in Ponca, Nebraska. At the age of two, he moved to the Albany, Oregon area with his parents...
(1926) Bobbie, a Great Collie Dodd, Mead and Company, New York, - Kent, Judith (2004) Silverton's Bobbie: his amazing journey--the true story Beautiful America Publishing Company, Woodburn, Oregon, ISBN 0-89802-770-5
- Stelljes, Susan (2005) Wonder Dog, the Story of Silverton Bobbie For the Love of Dog Books, Portland, Oregon, ISBN 0-9761124-7-7 (Fictionalized account)
External links
- Bobbie—The Wonder Dog of Oregon by G. F. Brazier, Silverton, Oregon. From "Animal Pals", edited By Curtis Wager-Smith, 1924, Macrae Smith Company, Philadelphia
- Silverton Bobbie