Odie Day

There’s a new pet holiday on the calendar: August 8th is Odie Day! Odie, of course, is the canine roommate of one of the world’s most iconic animated felines, Garfield. The lasagna-loving Flabby Tabby has his own day, which is June 19th. An Omaha, NE vet turns the spotlight on Odie in this article.

History

There’s a bit of mystery surrounding Odie’s origins. The lovably happy dog appeared in the comics back in 1978, on—you guessed it—August 8th, which is why it’s Odie Day. In the comics, he was originally owned by Jon’s roommate, Lyman. However, some strips indicate that Odie was always Jon’s, while the films note that Jon adopted him from his vet.

Shenanigans

Odie and Garfield have had a bit of a rocky relationship, though they do seem to be fond of each other. Odie often gets the short end of the stick, but he also has played several pranks on his feline roommate. For instance, he poked fun at Garfield’s age, locked him out of a car when it was raining, and once threw him through a wall. Of course, the Monday-hating furball gives back as good as he gets, and is constantly pushing Odie off the table.

Intelligence

Although Odie is often portrayed as being a bit on the dim side, he may be more intelligent than many people think. Over the years, he has been shown reading, writing poetry, and setting decoys. He also likes classical music. That aside, Odie does seem to be a dog of few words: he is the only Garfield character not to have dialogue. However, he does meow occasionally.

Changes

Odie’s appearance has changed a bit over the years. He originally had black ears, but they have since faded to brown. He also originally had three toes, but now has two, and he now walks and stands upright.

A Friendship

While Garfield and Odie definitely have their ups and downs, at the end of the day, Garfield is secretly quite fond of his drooling frenemy. In fact, when Odie was once taken to the pound accidentally, Garfield realized how lonely he would be without him, and got very sad. The two are also in agreement on another topic: Nermal. The adorable gray kitten annoys both of them!

Do you have questions about your furry friend’s health or care? Contact us, your local Omaha, NE animal clinic, anytime!