Did you know that Odie Day is coming up on August 8th? Fans of the Garfield comic strip may be more smitten with the Monday-hating kitten, but Odie definitely makes a great sidekick, partner in crime, foil, or rival, depending on the day. A Tipp City, OH vet lists some things you may not have known about the drooling, intellectually challenged pup below.

Odie Has Changed Over The Years

Odie may not have changed as drastically as Garfield has since those early years, but he has evolved. His ears, for example, were black originally but turned brown over time. He’s gone from having three toes to two, and he even walks upright now, just as his feline roommate does. Just don’t expect him to stop slobbering anytime soon.

Breed

Odie is described as a wire-haired dachshund/terrier mix. That may not be accurate, though. Garfield once referred to him as a ‘purebred clown,’ after unsuccessfully trying to determine Odie’s breed from a book. (Of course, nowadays, doggy DNA tests would solve that question.)

Odie Has Alter Egos

Odie usually spends his days like any other dog would: barking, pondering things, and just generally being cheerful. However, sometimes he lets his alter ego take over. Some of these include Odieboy, who is Supergarfield’s sidekick, and the Amazing Flying Dog.

Thoughts

Odie is the only character in the strip that doesn’t usually speak. He isn’t always quiet, however; he loves to startle Garfield by sneaking up behind him and barking loudly. In fact, one time he scared Garfield so badly that the lasagna-loving furball’s stripes fell off!

Interesting Origins

In the comic strips, Odie initially belonged to Jon’s friend and roommate, Lyman, However, in later years, the comics indicated that Jon adopted him from a vet. Which version is true? Odie certainly isn’t telling!

He’s A Reader

Garfield loves to poke fun at his cheerful roommate’s lack of intelligence, but that really isn’t fair. In fact, Odie is smarter than one may think. He’s been shown reading Tolstoy and, on at least one occasion, Garfield’s thought bubbles.

He’s Hard To Write

Comic strip artist Jim Davis has admitted that Odie is a very difficult character to write, as he doesn’t speak. We certainly think he’s done a great job! Do you have questions about your dog’s health or care? Contact us, your Tipp City, OH animal clinic, today!