Bobbie the Wonder Dog: Lost 4,000 km From Home… Six Months Later, He Walked Back
Part of: Animal Heroes & Amazing Trees
In 1923, a family lost their dog Bobbie on a long car trip. Six months later, a thin, tired dog walked into their town. It was Bobbie! Learn five A1 words and 'him, her, them' with this true story.
Coming 5 January 2027, 3:00 pm New York time
Transcript
Tap a time to jump to that moment. Highlighted words have a meaning: tap them. Words in bold show today's grammar.
A their dog on a long .
Six months later, a , tired dog walked into their town.
Was it their dog?
This is the story of Bobbie.
Welcome to brightlivesenglish.com, where we teach real English using real-life stories.
. Your is your mother, your father, your brothers and your sisters.
Bobbie lived with the Brazier .
Café. A café is a small place where you can eat and drink.
The had a café in their town.
. If you are , you do not know where you are.
Bobbie was , very far from home.
. means not fat.
Bobbie was very and tired.
. A is the foot of a dog or a cat.
His hurt a lot.
Now, one pattern: him, her and them.
We use these words after a verb.
The looked for Bobbie.
The looked for him for days.
Ready? Let's begin.
Bobbie was a young dog.
He lived with the Brazier in a small town in , in the USA.
The had a café in their town.
In August 1923, the went on a long to Indiana.
Bobbie went with them.
There, three dogs ran at him, and he ran away.
The looked for him for days.
But Bobbie was , very far from home.
Sadly, the drove back to without him.
Six months later, in February 1924, one of the daughters saw a dog in the street.
Was it Bobbie?
Yes!
She called him, and he ran to her.
Bobbie was very and tired.
His hurt a lot.
He walked about 4,000 kilometres, in winter.
Many people helped him on the way.
They gave him food.
Later, they wrote to the about him.
Soon, Bobbie was famous.
People gave him a beautiful collar and a little house.
He was even in a film!
Let's review. Bobbie lived with the Brazier .
The had a café in their town.
Bobbie was , very far from home.
Bobbie was very and tired.
His hurt a lot.
And remember: the looked for him for days.
Bobbie's story teaches us: never stop trying to get back to the people you love.
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Step 3
Words from the story
Say the word, guess its meaning, then flip the card. Keep the ones you know, and practise the rest again.
Great work, you know every word in this story. Now try the quiz below.
family noun
a mother, a father and their children
“Bobbie lived with the Brazier family.”
café noun
a small place where you can eat and drink
“The family had a café in their town.”
lost adjective
not knowing where you are
“Bobbie was lost, very far from home.”
thin adjective
not fat
“Bobbie was very thin and tired.”
paw noun
the foot of a dog or a cat
“His paws hurt a lot.”
car trip noun
a long journey by car
“The family went on a long car trip.”
Oregon noun
a state in the west of the USA
“Bobbie lived in Oregon.”
gas station noun
(American English) a place where you buy petrol for a car
“Three dogs chased Bobbie at a gas station.”
Grammar in the story
object pronouns (him, her, them)
We use it for: him, her and them come after a verb or after words like for, with, to
- The family looked for Bobbie. → The family looked for him.
- Bobbie went with the family. → Bobbie went with them.
From the story
- The family looked for him for days.
- She called him, and he ran to her.
Find it in the story 12 times
Your turn
The family looked for for days.
One of the daughters saw Bobbie. He ran to .
Bobbie went on the trip with .
Step 4
Story Challenge
9 quick rounds: choose, fill the gap, build the sentence and match the words. Answer in a row to build a streak and earn bonus points.
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Take it further
Before you watch: Do you have a pet? Do you think a dog can find its way home?
After you watch: Write three sentences with him, her or them. For example: I love my grandmother. I call her every Sunday. My friends are nice. I often play with them.
Think about it: Bobbie walked for six months to get home. What makes a place “home” for you?
Did you know? Bobbie got lost on 15 August 1923 in Wolcott, Indiana, when three dogs chased him from a gas station. He came home on 15 February 1924. The family’s café was the Reo Lunch Restaurant in Silverton. The Oregon Humane Society read letters from people who had fed him and worked out his route: about 2,551 miles (4,105 km). He got a jewel-studded collar, the keys to cities and a little house, and he played himself in a 1924 silent film, The Call of the West. Today, Silverton has a statue and murals of Bobbie.
Image credits (all public domain, about 1924, via Wikimedia Commons):
- Photo: Bobbie the Wonder Dog — “Bobbie the Wonder Dog 1”
- Photo: Bobbie with his collar — “Bobbie the Wonder Dog 2”
- Photo: Bobbie with a crowd — “Bobbie the Wonder Dog 3”
- Map: Bobbie’s route home, from The Oregonian — “Bobbie the Wonder Dog map in The Oregonian”
- Illustration: all other pictures are AI-generated illustrations (artistic interpretations, not real photos).
