Zeke The Wonderdog

The Wonderful Story of Zeke The Wonderdog

Zeke the Wonder Dog is a unique feature to the football games at MSU. From Frisbee Dog Halftime entertainment and between plays, performing alongside the Spartan Marching Band and Sparty. While the band and Sparty can trace their beginnings back to the university's earlier years, Zeke is a fairly new tradition with a significant gap in his history.

The original Zeke the Wonder Dog — the only one to actually be named Zeke — was a Yellow Lab who belonged to an MSU student in the late 1970s. Gary Eisenberg competed with his dog in several Frisbee competitions, eventually being named runner-up in the world championship. When MSU got wind of the dog's fame, they asked Gary and Zeke to perform at a home game and their fate was sealed. Gary and Zeke continued to be a part of MSU football until 1984, when Zeke retired because of ill health.

Football coach Darryl Rogers once stated that Zeke was the "best receiver in the Big Ten." He also awarded Zeke with a varsity letter, making him the only nonhuman to receive such honors at MSU.

Zeke II & Zeke III

After the original Zeke passed, no one bothered to replace him — it was seen as a one-off thing. That was, until 2001, when a search began to find a new Zeke. The winner was Dexter, a black lab belonging to Jim and Terri Foley. Zeke II reigned supreme from 2001 until 2007, though he had a few health scares along the way.

By 2006, it was becoming clear that Zeke II wasn't as agile as he used to be. He was developing cataracts in his eyes, which caused him to miss the Frisbee more often. Zeke II had his last performance midway through the 2007 season. Zeke II passed on in 2012.

However, the Foleys had already begun training a new Zeke from puppyhood. Zeke III (also known as "BooCoo") debuted the following weekend and is the current Wonder Dog fans know and love.

A Lasting Legacy

As for the original Zeke owner, Gary Eisenberg? He has become good friends with the Foleys and helped to train both dogs. In an interview with the Alumni Association, he stated that, though busy, he still tries to make it to a few games a year — especially Homecoming. "It's amazing. I'll keep coming until I'm a creaky old guy," he said. "It's just a great tradition."