Pets of WPGA

Written by: Michelle Li (Grade 11) and Rubi Katz (Grade 10)

A closer look at some of our favourite four-legged members of the wolf pack.

Marlowe – Mr. McCauley

Breed: 

Mini Australian Shepherd 

Age: 

8 ½

Favourite Activity:

Swimming for sticks at Spanish Banks.

If he were to dress up for Halloween, what would he be?

Charlie Chaplin. 

Fun Fact:

He’s travelled to 7 different countries: Canada, USA, Switzerland, Germany, France, Spain, and Italy. 

Secret Life: 

A detective. Marlowe was named after fictional detective Phillip Marlowe. But rather than solving muder mysteries, our doggy detective would likely partake in collecting clues to hunt down a stick a hundred meters away. 

With his striking cameos in the term ends and breath-taking headshots plastered in almost every corner of the Film room, Marlowe has established himself as WPGA’s very own canine movie star. 

Take a browse on the computers in Mr. McCauley’s classroom and you’ll soon be greeted with a plethora of HD desktop backgrounds of Marlowe waiting for you with a radiant grin. Apart from his warm smile and silky fur, I think we can all agree that there’s no way you can miss his most eye-catching trait which is of course … his eyes! 

One a chestnut brown, the other an icy blue, you have likely noticed that Marlowe’s starry eyes are a form of heterochromia which is common for his breed. Legend has it that dogs with this feature have the ability to look into heaven with their blue eye and Earth with their brown eye. However, his stunning appearance is merely a fraction of the reason why he has gained a near-cult following. 

Sometimes, after a rough day, being near Marlowe’s gentle and loving nature is the best pick-me-up to get you back up on your feet. Other times, he just makes your day even better as you watch him springing from his paws, joyfully performing tricks that are sure to make you smile. Through his undeniable charm, his star has sure warmed his way up to the hearts of many in our community. 

Eede – Mr. Pike

 

Breed: 

Half Lab and half Golden Retriever 

Age:

4

What’s his favourite thing to do?

1. To be with people. When he is not with people he is not as happy.
2. Walk on the beach.

If he were to dress up for Halloween, what would he be?

A chauffeur.

Fun fact:

Eede has never gotten into an argument with another dog. In fact, his calming personality is able to pacify any aggressive dog. 

Secret Life: 

Eede would fight crime as a police man!

You know that dreadful feeling when you feel like everything is stressing you out? Maybe you’re distressed over a test you forgot to study for, or maybe you have what feels like a million assignments you still need to finish. Life gets tough. Thankfully, we have our school’s very own therapy dog, Eede, coming to save the day. You might catch this four-legged friend strolling around the campus, dropping a visit during your classes, or taking a nap in Mr. Pike’s office. 

Anytime he’s around, you’ll find yourself instantly more relaxed. Time goes by while stroking his fur or giving a couple belly rubs and before you know it, you have to head to your next class. You walk away feeling like some of the knots in your heart have been smoothed out or like you’ve been re-energized with more strength that you started with. 

Eede is easily one of the best additions the school introduced last year. He has very quickly acquired many friends of all ages and species and even has his own Instagram account! A little ray of sunshine in a noisy, chaotic world, with dogs like Eede, it’s no wonder that these furry pals are considered man’s best friend. 

Penny – Mrs. McAllister

Breed: 

Shitzu

Age: 

11

Favourite Activity:

Chasing her ball anywhere.

Fun Fact:

Penny thinks she is human.

If she were to dress up for Halloween, what would she be?

A human!

If you’ve ever made the brilliant decision of sliding Mrs. McAllister’s theatre class into your schedule, there are four main reasons why you’ll never regret it: Mrs. McA (duh.), the heart-warming class bonding, the freeing artistic expression that performance provides and Penny. Just when you thought your drama block couldn’t get better, in comes the theatre department’s favourite dog, waddling up to you with her ageless puppy-dog eyes and a neon green tennis ball clenched in her mouth. Penny is ALWAYS eager to play with her ball. But rather than attacking it with a ferocious pounce, she chases after it in an adorable scramble, excitedly tottering back with her favourite toy once she’s captured her prize. 

For many, stepping into the drama room often transports us to a world free of the hectic academic stressors that seem to constantly weigh us down. Through playing catch, patting her head or just observing her peppy personality, Penny’s presence makes that world even brighter. 

When asked what Penny’s secret life would be, Mrs. McA responded that she would be a pampered human queen. “She would love all her human subjects and she would be distant but kind to all dogs and cats” she humorously remarked. We envision that her majesty, Penny, would be living lavishly, being fanned with giant palm leaves as she is hand-fed watermelon (her favourite treat) or toast and jam (her favourite human food). Having already captured the hearts of many, Penny would definitely be a ruler adored by all. 

Maggie – Ms. Poole

Breed:

Maltipoo 

Age:

9 (Soon to be 10 on November 26)

Fun fact?

Maggie is a rescue dog and she gives plenty of good hugs!

Secret Life:

 A detective alongside Marlowe. She’d be the Watson to his Sherlock. Her adorable, goofball nature would make the perfect sidekick in their stick-hunting adventures.

If Maggie were to dress up for Halloween, what would she be?

Cheese!

Have you ever been at tennis practice, about to take your next swing, when you feel a little fluff ball stroke by your feet? Or maybe you’re taking a seat in Ms.Wittmann’s class and are surprised to find a dog right under your chair.  That dog would probably be the charismatic, sleep enthusiast, goofball, Maggie. She may run away from you at first but don’t let that deceive you. Once you get to know her, you’ll soon find out that she’s the cutest, cuddly, little bundle of joy. A little tip for anyone trying to make her as a friend – try luring her closer with cheese. As a cheese fanatic, she likes most types of cheese with one of her favourites being Manchego. The fancier the better! 

Unlike most dogs who will run into your room right at the crack of dawn, Maggie cherishes her sleep.  On weekends you won’t find her up until around noon. After getting her beauty sleep in the morning, she enjoys munching on some scrambled eggs. Furthermore, Maggie enjoys going on little trips to Mcdonalds with her grandma. Despite it being against Ms. Poole’s wishes, as a loveable, spoiled grandchild, Maggie can’t help enjoying her bunless cheeseburger of just a patty with cheese. 

Unfortunately a few weeks ago, Maggie was going along on her everyday doggie business, playing in the park with her friends when she stepped on a discarded needle, piercing  traces of drugs into her body. Maggie overdosed. It was a horrific, rough night for her but the little trooper fought and pushed her way through to make a speedy recovery. And we’re all very grateful that she did. She’s loyal, gentle, quirky, and goofy, combining to make her truly one-of-a-kind.

Oreo and S’mores – Ms. Wittmann

Breed:

Syrian hamsters 

Age:

Oreo: young

S’mores: middle age

Favourite Activity:

Oreo: running away. 

S’mores: coming out for a treat.

If they were to dress up for Halloween, what would they be?

Oreo: a cookie.

S’mores: a turtle because he likes to hide.

 Secret Life:

These two hamsters would be undercover spies as they are super skilled in sneaking around and hiding in places where no one would look.

It’s a gentle, Autumn day and you have just walked into your first class of Math 8. You’re still a bit groggy from the sudden early mornings and feel nervous for the upcoming year. As you look around the classroom, you eventually notice an unfamiliar “student” sitting to your left. Soon, Ms. Wittmann starts the class and suddenly, a hamster crawls out of her hands, sprinting across the desks. This may have startled you at first but as the year goes on, they start to grow on you. Maybe you even let them roam on your desk for a bit before class starts. By the end of the year, you’ve gained a solid understanding of linear relationships and have become good friends with the hamsters, enjoying your little breaks by their cage. 

Throughout the years, Ms.Wittmann has had many animals in her classroom but the hamsters have always been around. We have had many hamster friends such as Marshmallow, S’mores, Hershey, and more. But at the moment, you can just find S’mores and Oreo energetically running on their wheel or playing hide and seek. 

Additionally, a pro-tip is that if you ever find yourself in the horrific situation where your mom keeps forgetting you don’t like cucumbers but still packs them for you, don’t throw them out! Sneak them into the hamster cages! They love cucumbers. 

Although not everyone is a fan of the hamster’s smell at first, most of us all have wonderful memories of taking care of them, brainstorming names for them when they first arrived, or playing with them as they hopped from desk to desk during recess. So next time you’re around the East modular, make sure to say hi to the hamsters! They’re sure to keep you happily entertained with their silly antics. 

Other pets worth mentioning: 

Gemma, Ms. Meneilly’s dog who we didn’t have enough time to interview but have heard countless joyful testimonials about. 

Midnight and Timbit, Mr. Ito’s two house cats whose fluffy appearances make them look like they’d be an absolute dream to pet. 

And last but not least, Mr. Petersen’s rare DaVinci clownfish– his first step into creating the Great Petersen Reef!