The Story of The Littlest Hobo

[mjbou]

https://youtu.be/G-9_XC8PlR4

The Story of The Littlest Hobo

Littlest Hobo
 Jan 25, 2023
When asked: “What is the most famous dog,” depending on where you live or how old you are, there could be hundreds of different answers.  

For most Canadians there is only ONE choice for the most famous dog and it is The Littlest Hobo.

I remember curling up on the couch under a blanket and watching episodes of The Littlest Hobo with my family, and like Rin Tin Tin, the lead was a German Shepard and made many Canadians fall in love with the breed.

Today, I legit get MISTY eyed when I hear the theme song.  It has this bit of lyric - Maybe tomorrow, I’ll wanna settle down, but til tomorrow I’ll just keep moving on.  

 Man.  Right in the feels.  You WANT the Hobo to settle down, but you know if he doesn’t keep moving on he won’t keep helping people.

That’s what the show was about.  A dog traveling across Canada helping people.

This show IS A BIG deal in Canada, but if you are hearing about it for the first time..what was it about?  Why was it a big deal?

The Littlest Hobo is a Canadian television series that originally aired from 1963 to 1965 (I didn’t watch that) and then again from 1979 to 1985 (which I watched again and again). 

The show follows a stray German Shepherd dog named Hobo, who wanders from town to town and uses his intelligence and problem-solving abilities to help people in need.
This dog was the star of the show.  Quickly the show would establish a problem and within second the Hobo was there making everyone’s life easier.  

Some episodes this brave dog would rescue animals from a fire, knock over badguys with guns, and some episodes it would just befriend a kid who was lonely and alone. 
It also grappled with tough concepts- One episode had the Hobo helping a man who was wrongfully accused of murder but first helping him escape his trackers and then actually being a detective and finding evidence to prove the man’s innocence. 
(CSI eat your heart out)

The Hobo helped a soviet defector get away from her Iron Curtain captors (I’ll be honest I didn’t understand the politics of this as a kid) and was just happy the dog got the lady away from her mean friends.

One episode Hobo befriended a little boy who was was paralyzed and encouraged him to enter a frisbee throwing contest. 

 No, I’m not making this up and no, you won’t have a dry eye after the episode.  Oh, should I mention the little boy was played a very young Mike Myers of Austin Powers fame?

The story of REDEMPTION was a HUGE part of the show. 

Many episodes were built around someone who had made bad decisions in life and were trying to be a better person, but they just needed help.  Many times the help was the Hobo, there to be a listening board or an active part in turning their life around.

I feel the Hobo helped with shaping and softening the view of homeless people in Canada, as in many episodes this wonderful dog would help those who are downtrodden, humanizing them in such a way that you felt empathy for them.

The very message of the show was KINDNESS.  It takes very little to be kind sometimes, or it takes great bravery and courage in other situations.

It’s hard to believe that a dog was a role model for Canada, but he was.  I think we need more role models like The Littlest Hobo.

 The show and the pawprints it left behind will never be forgot.

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@tracyleinbaugh59712 years ago

Now I’m crying…

@ralphmoore61862 years ago

The littlest hobo was a great role model as a child born in the 50's I grew up with the littlest hobo

@ifaiful6 months ago

From uk here. It was shown in the 90s on our third channel ,itv, on Sunday mornings around 9am, and I’d watch them religiously, and be annoyed with my father if he sang the theme song wrong. London the dog encouraged me to help others.

@ralphmoore61862 years ago

And I agree with the narrater we need more role models like the littlest hobo

@DeusLuxMeaEst3 months ago

His name is London!!

@zarinarahman64269 months ago

So true, we watched it with our kids and just loved the stories and the theme song!

@bletheringfool2 years ago (edited)

I'm from the UK. Lassie comes to mind 1st then Hobo. The dog 'London' had some of his siblings help out in various shots. There was another dog who starred in various movies and specials called 'Benji' loved him too

@DonDuhamel-ln9dq2 years ago

I’m balling my eyes out now

@anncrosby66648 months ago

I used to watch this with my nan and grandda

@ToniNaish1 year ago

I grew up watching hobo when was young I didn't know the show was on air before me

@jefftinchon89281 year ago

Une série magnifique, un chien attachant qu'on voudrait voir se poser et se reposer......que d'émotions...

@Porkleaker2 years ago

Until tomorrow I'll just keep moving on! boop boop boop boop

@danielvesel81865 months ago

I have the 12 episodes that were released on DVD years ago but the rest of the episodes 65 in total were never released. London is a mix of Inuit dog and German shepherd. A very beautiful dog Indeed.

@luckysevens.AltRock82 years ago

Myers was the guy in the park that helped the kid...this part was wrong...go HoBo

@HutchisonEffect1 year ago

North Vancouver I was there Edmonton village

@DawnWalker-i3o2 months ago

UK not the same dog but loved the littles hobo

@AlexanderArcher-y6g1 year ago

Me too now I have one now,

@systemler441 year ago

Looks more like it's mixed with a husky

@andynieuwenhuis78332 years ago

Someone did a Top 20 SHOWS Of Canada; This SHOW WASN'T EVEN IN THE TOP 5 SHOWS.

@andynieuwenhuis78332 years ago

@crabbcake; you need to Google Littlest Hobo, then YOU'LL get all that information, about the show/trainer/guest stars as well as the dog's used on the show.

@ghost_knight_0011 year ago

London the dog

@crabbcake2 years ago

heyyy this isnt 'the story' .. you need to redo this ! Like learn about the original breeder ... 60s.. etc etc. the guest stars .. (same in the 60s.) the locations..

@Delano6211 year ago

Little hobo is a legend