Meet Thor, the B.C.-based Boston terrier who has doggy paddled his way to international fame
A beloved Boston terrier from Vernon, B.C., has doggy paddled to fame ahead of his fourth birthday.
Tens of thousands of people have been following the journey of Thor on various social media channels, where his owner posts videos of his daily swims and resulting delight.
Last week, the pup—who squeals with joy each time he takes a dip—gained global notoriety after starring in a feature story by a major U.S. news network.
CNN’s Jeani Moos interviewed Thor’s owner, Lisa Mazurek, about the swim-obsessed canine, who has access to both an indoor and outdoor pool at home.
Speaking to CTV News Vancouver on Monday, Mazurek said she and her partner have been overwhelmed by the number of people who have gravitated towards Thor.
“I’ve had people message us and say ‘You’ve helped us through depression,’ or ‘I’m going through chemotherapy right now and watching his videos puts a smile on my face,'” Mazurek said.
“Even if we only had one person watching who he made smile, that would be enough,” she added.
Mazurek has two other dogs—a 13-year-old Chihuahua and a nine-year-old Shih Tzu—which is part of the reason Thor has two pools for himself.
“It helps him burn off a lot of energy—it’s a win-win for everybody,” Mazurek explained.
She welcomed Thor into her life shortly after one of her previous dogs—a Boston-terrier-pug-mix—died from cancer, just two years after the Mazureks adopted that pup from a friend who could no longer care for him.
“We really missed that clown-like, funny spirit that he had in our home and decided to go and get ourselves a Boston terrier,” she said.
Thor’s personality shines on social media.
He loves swimming so much that it can often be difficult to coax him out of the pools—as videos posted to social media show—and even bribes of bacon can’t distract him from his daily dips.
Last November, the Mazureks decided to convert their detached garage into a indoor puppy pool—complete with cedar walls and a heating system.
“The contractor thought we were a little bit nuts,” Mazurek said, laughing. “When you start thinking about it, like ‘Who would do something like this?” It seems crazy, but if you saw how much he really loves it, it makes sense,” she added.
This weekend, Thor will be competing in his first-ever “Hydro Dash” event with North America Diving Dogs in Calgary—a six hour drive away from home where the Mazurek’s children now live.
Last summer, Mazurek said she entered Thor into dock diving competitions based on the suggestion of his fans on social media.
“People saw him sailing into his outdoor pool and said, ‘You really need to get your dog into dock diving,” said Mazurek. “He earned himself a master’s title pretty much his first time out there.”
All this fame and attention hasn’t gotten to Thor’s head, according to Mazurek.
“The funny thing about Thor is it doesn’t matter what day it is—it’s going to be the very best day no matter what,” she said.
Next week, a very special day is coming up for Thor.
On June 6, the swimming star turns four years old.
To see Thor swim in real time, people can head to Instagram daily at 7 p.m.
Mazurek says between 100 to 1,400 followers tune in to watch him in his happy place.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Boeing's financial woes continue, while families of crash victims urge U.S. to prosecute the company
Boeing said Wednesday that it lost US$355 million on falling revenue in the first quarter, another sign of the crisis gripping the aircraft manufacturer as it faces increasing scrutiny over the safety of its planes and accusations of shoddy work from a growing number of whistleblowers.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.