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Costa Rican Bob Dog – by Dr. Amanda Glew
There are some dogs who have just hit it so lucky, that when you see them, you can’t help but smile. My niece’s dog Bobby is one of these dogs. A waif from Costa Rica, she and her Tico boyfriend took him off the streets when he was just a puppy. This is when I developed a long distance relationship with her- she would send me emails and pictures asking her Aunt Amanda what to do. Fleas and ticks are a constant problem in these countries, so I would send her lots of dewormers, revolution and Advantix to name a few. When he developed a dermatitis, I suggested some antibiotics. When he got lame I suggested some anti-inflammatories. When he developed some aggression issues towards other dogs, I made suggestions. So I was in effect, his long distance vet.
It took a lot to coordinate and have Bobby sent back to Canada when Alex and Jo decided to come back. However, being the ever responsible dog owners, they got all of his paperwork and paid the huge fees to ship a dog. It cost more than both of their tickets. So when I finally met Bobby out our way, I felt that I really knew him. A great big yellow Labrador whose joints don’t look quite put together correctly, he has one of largest parrot mouths I have ever seen. He greets you while knocking down items with his tail. What my dad would call “a great big gallump”.
Well, this gallump was soon at our clinic for x-rays from an ongoing lameness- and we found out that he has severe elbow dysplasia, and his hips aren’t so great either. JD, glucosamine and on and off anti- inflammatories later, with a weight loss diet, he is under control.
So it seems fitting that after 2 years in Ontario, that Bobby came over to live in Quebec. My niece and her husband have taken over the running of my farm, and Bobby made the transition from city Toronto dog to country Hudson dog. He loves his new life. He will greet anyone who comes to the barn, loves to go for walks, and is happy running lose on the property. There is nothing like seeing a dog run loose. He has learned to respect the horses, is careful of Xtasy (our Ayrshire cow who would love to kill a dog), and can even be trusted around the chickens. We just need him to teach other dogs to be the same.
He eats enough horse and cow manure that monthly deworming is a must. In the summer he shows his true lab colors seeking out water to cool himself off. In fact, he 
considers the horse trough his own personal swimming pool. Just when you have cleaned out the trough, scrubbed it out and refilled it, you can bet that Bobby will take a headlong run and jump in the newly cleaned water. I guess he thinks we did it for him. Your heart sometimes jumps when he dips his head under and catches you unawares as you walk by, popping up from the water.
When a worker came by the barn for some odd job recently, and asked me “What breed is that dog?”,
I looked at him and answered “He is a Costa Rican Bob Dog”.
“Really?” Said the worker, “never heard of that breed.”
“No,” I tell him smiling, “He is one of a kind.”
