Saturday 16 January 2016

Bodrum's Golden Retriever Man revisited


In May last year, I wrote about Şenol Özbakan and his 6 golden retrievers.  Şenol is still living in his minibus on the edge of the industrial estate but he now has access to electricity and has got his TV and cooking facilities set up and the dogs have their cushions on the pavement when it's dry. He seems very fit and healthy and in good spirits although saddened by his first dog dying of old age last summer. Another goldie from the street has taken Şesu's place so he still has six dogs and he's feeding another homeless dog who doesn't go on the walks but stays close to the minibus.


The dogs go for a long walk around Bodrum every day and swim if it's warm enough, which usually attracts a small crowd with iPhones at the ready.


Jake and I are met by the dogs every morning as we come back from our early walk and Jake is a bit intimidated by the golden crowd descending on him in full woof mode. Yesterday Şenol came to see what the noise was about and to show his canine followers that Jake was friend not foe, he got a big hug from the pack leader. Hopefully this initiation will make our morning walk a bit quieter.

http://backtobodrum.blogspot.com.tr/2015/05/bodrums-golden-retriever-man.html

27 comments:

  1. I wondered about him after your post last year. What a lovely lovely man. So many golden retrievers being dumped all over Turkey. Very worrying

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  2. Ahhh that is the way to do it, lovely

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  3. Replies
    1. There are a bit too many a bits in this paragraph already. Don't you start.

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  4. Please to hear dog man and his pack are in fine fettle.

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  5. So lovely, all of them - Mark and Emma may book to fly to Bodrum any minute : ) x

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    1. I don't think there is any more room in the van for them.

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  6. B to B, Happy trails to you and Jake. How would we stay fit if it weren't for dogs?

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    1. I walk about 8 kms a day with Jake, it must be good for me.

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  7. Aww, what a lovely story and he must be a character known all over Bodrum? Glad your dog walking just (hopefully) got a bit easier. We have two street dogs who are fed and given balcony shelter by a neighbour but they insist on coming everywhere with us. Lovely things! :)

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    1. We had to repeat the cuddles again this morning as the dogs decided Jake was invading their space again.

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  8. Thanks for the update. I remember your original post and am glad things are going well for them all. Jake is almost unbearably photogenic. :-)

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    1. I should get Jake a job advertising toilet rolls (or paint)

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  9. This is heartwarming! I remember going to Turkey and seeing a lot of stray dogs, so it's good to see that these ones are being taken care of!

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    1. Thanks for your comment - your spa looks lovely . Are hairy four legged patrons welcome?

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    2. Thanks for your comment - your spa looks lovely . Are hairy four legged patrons welcome?

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  10. Hello, I am Bibbi. I will move to Bodrum this summer In Antalya now.
    I would very much like yo meet all the goldens and their ovner, I have a golden girl 5 months old.

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    1. Hi Bibbi, you will find Şenol in his minibus next to the Football pitch, in the industrial Estate in Bodrum, and he walks his dogs ( now 9 of them) through Bodrum every afternoon either to the Marins or to Kumbahçe.

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    2. Hi.thank you for your kind answer. I really long for to go there. 9 dogs now?? My dog Bili-bili must get some swim-training as well.

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    3. ...I will be looking for a house to rent with garden/backyard for the dogs.

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    4. Best to start looking early as houses with gardens that welcome pets are rare, but not impossible to find.

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    5. Breaking news - Thanks to donations Şenol has a larger van to live in.

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  11. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  12. ...garden for or dogs I mean. My family.

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