Zeke the Wonder Dog facts for kids
Zeke the Wonder Dog is the special name for a group of amazing Frisbee-catching dogs. These dogs have performed exciting shows during halftime at Michigan State University football games since the late 1970s. It's a fun tradition that many fans love!
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Zeke: The First Wonder Dog
The very first Zeke was a yellow Labrador. His owner was Gary Eisenberg, who was a student at Michigan State University (MSU) in the mid-1970s. Gary and Zeke (whose full name was Ezekiel) even competed in national Frisbee-catching championships! These big events were held at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.
Officials at MSU saw how good Gary and Zeke were. In 1977, they invited them to perform during a Spartan football game. They did, and it was a huge hit! This performance started a brand new tradition.
In 1978, the head football coach, Darryl Rogers, even said Zeke was the best receiver in the Big Ten Conference. He gave Zeke a special award called a football varsity letter. To this day, Zeke is the only non-human to ever get a letter at Michigan State!
After 1981, Zeke performed less often. He retired in 1984 when he was ten years old. Zeke passed away in 1987.
Keze: The Agile Performer
Keze (pronounced "Kee-zee") was a chocolate Labrador. She was not related to the first Zeke. Keze was the smallest puppy in her litter, which is called a runt. Her smaller size actually made her a super agile and quick performer! She could move around even better than her bigger "brother," Zeke.
Keze's name is "Zeke" spelled backward. Her name was chosen through a contest run by a local newspaper, the Lansing State Journal. More than 12,000 people sent in their ideas! Keze performed for just one football season in 1981. Sadly, the next year, she was hit by a car and died.
Zeke II: The Comeback Dog
After a long break of eighteen years, the MSU Athletic Department decided to bring back the amazing frisbee-dog tradition in 2002. They held auditions to find the next Wonder Dog. Dexter, a black Labrador owned by Terry and Jim Foley, was chosen!
Dexter became Zeke II. He was an instant favorite with MSU alumni (people who used to go to MSU) who remembered the first Zeke. He also quickly became popular with current students, even if they were too young to remember the original dog. Jim Foley was his handler, and Gary Eisenberg (the owner of the first Zeke) helped with training. Zeke II performed throughout the 2002 to 2005 football seasons.
In December 2005, Dexter had a health scare. He had to go to the MSU Small Animal Clinic because he had eaten a lot of carpet at home, which caused a blockage in his intestines. Thanks to Dr. Bryden Stanley and her team, who performed a 90-minute surgery, Dexter's life was saved!
Zeke II returned to performing for the 2006 football season. But before a game in November, he injured his right back knee. He tore his anterior cruciate ligament, which is a common injury for athletes. He went back to the MSU Small Animal Clinic. Dr. Loic Dejardin, a special surgeon at MSU’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital, fixed his knee. After that, Zeke II spent two months recovering and getting stronger.
In 2007, Zeke II started to show signs of getting older. He began to get cataracts, which are cloudy spots in his eyes. These made it harder for him to see the frisbee. When he was ten years old, Zeke II performed his very last show on September 8, 2007. He did a short two-minute routine while the Spartan Alumni Marching Band played a special "Zeke the Wonder Dog Medley." This medley included songs like "That Doggie in the Window," "Who Let The Dogs Out," and "Black Dog." Some of the frisbees were even thrown by Dr. Dejardin, the surgeon who fixed his knee!
On February 11, 2012, Zeke II passed away peacefully at the age of 16.
Zeke III: The Next Generation
Knowing that Dexter (Zeke II) would soon retire, the Foleys started training his replacement in 2006. Gary Eisenberg, the owner of the original Zeke, helped them with the training once again. Bou Cou, a 21-month-old male yellow Labrador, made his first appearance as Zeke III. He debuted at halftime in Spartan Stadium on September 15, 2007.
Sadly, Zeke III died suddenly on December 2, 2016. He had a pancreatic tumor that no one knew about before.
Zeke IV: The Current Star
Buckshot took over as Zeke IV. He made his first public appearance during an MSU Men's Basketball game on December 3, 2016. He performed during the game against the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles.
