Good Dog!

Behind every good man is a good dog. But they often go unrecognised, so we want to shine the light on the most daring dogs that have played their part wanting nothing more than some dog treats aus, and a scratch behind the ears.

Kudryavka 

This courageous canine dared step where no dog (or man) had stepped before; space, the final frontier. Picked up from the streets of Russia, ‘Barker’ as she became known to the Russian public was the first living being in space. Sadly, she did not survive the return journey, and while this raises many questions about ethical use of animals in human endeavour, we still want to celebrate her. Since the beginning of time, life on earth had remained bound by gravity and the stratosphere. And then one April day, one brave dog bucked that trend. We salute you, Kudryavka. 

Hachiko

This one is a tear jerker. Everyday, Hachiko would wait at Shibuya train station for his master to return home from work. You know where this is going. One day in 1925, his master suffered a haemorrhage and did not return to the station. Nine years. Every day for nine years, right up until the day he joined his master in the great beyond, Hachiko returned to the station waiting, just in case. This narrative has inspired everything from Futurama to a Richard Gere film. You’re a good dog, Hachiko.

Koko

Koko the red Kelpie is legend in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Showing up in places separated by thousands of kilometres, Koko would win the hearts and minds of the locals before leaving on his next journey. He was known by a range of different monikers: Bluey, Tally Ho, or Dog of the Northwest. But when people began telling of this sojourning dog, they began to join the dots. This was one dog. Over time, story becomes legend, which becomes myth. Whether the stories of Koko reflect the reality is anyone’s guess. But he was the inspiration behind the film Red Dog, so the memory of Koko will live on for generations to come.

Sarbi

If Mars is the Roman God of War, Sarbi is the Australian Dog of war. She was deployed to Afghanistan as an explosive detection dog, saving the lives of Aussie diggers everyday. When her convoy was ambushed by insurgents, Sarbi disappeared. For 14 months, she was unaccounted for, and was presumed dead by the Australian army. Yet one day, this black lab wandered into an American camp. She was reunited with her unit, before honourably discharged back to Australia, where she was reunited with her trainer. She died of brain tumour, and the park in her home suburb bears her name.

Dogs often fly under the radar, but we believe that they deserve recognition, dog treats aus, and some serious tummy rubs. See, underneath the dopey smile of any dog lies the potential for heroism. Some dogs get to demonstrate that on the world stage. Others get to demonstrate it in your living room only. 

Here’s to you, all the good dogs!