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Herr Oberndorff
In “Hundstage,” the dog’s grandfather was the first German Shepherd dog bred by the German scientist von Stephanitz, who developed the breed’s characteristics by trying out different attitudes and behaviors. Though the dog holds his grandfather in high esteem, he thinks often of his grandfather’s most shameful moment: he was caught having sex with a mongrel dog.
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Grandfather Character Timeline in Only the Animals
The timeline below shows where the character Grandfather appears in Only the Animals. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Hundstage: Soul of Dog (Died 1941, Poland)
The dog and his sister, Blondi, grew up hearing stories about their grandfather. The scientist von Stephanitz bred their grandfather to recreate the Germanic wolf-dog. Grandfather took the...
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...of deer and oxen, but none of the animals survived. The dog thinks of his grandfather getting caught with the mongrel and how ashamed his grandfather felt. When the dog asks...
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