How did you become a doggies fan?

[bornadog]

Its interesting to know how people become a fan of the doggies. Is it because the family follows the club? Is it due to being born in the general area, or is it because a friend convinced you when you were a kid. Why do you follow the Dogs?

I was born in Footscray and my father began taking me to games when I was around 4 years old. My Father had migrated to Australia in the early fifties and started following the dogs along with his cousins and mates that had come out with him. I remember going to the Western Oval as a little kid and I suppose I just stuck with the team, even thou some kids at school tried to make me change to another team. My daughter is now a doggies supporter, I wouldn't have it any other way.

These days I live in the East side of town. I was talking to one of my daughters friends father who lives in Balwyn and to my surprise he follows the dogs, so I inmmediately thought he was born into it. When I quized him, he said when he was a kid he liked the colours?

So, how did you become a doggies fan?

[BulldogBelle]

My dad used to drag me along to the Western Oval as a child - but I loved it and always enjoyed going. We used to live in Spotswood when I was a little girl so the area was definitely Bulldog territory. School friends at the time were never a worry, there was always a mix of Footscray, Essendon and Collingwood fans that would dominate any footy conversation.

Now live in the North-West area and still only a hop, skip and jump away from the Whitten Oval.

[The Coon Dog]

My parents emmigrated to Australia in 1968 & lived around Williamstown, Altona & Newport. They took to Aussie Rules like a duck to water & began to follow a) the local team & b) the one that wore red, white & blue (they are English).

There was a bit of a hiccough in the mid 1970's which I know very little of. My Mum to this day refuses to discuss it. Something to do with Dick Collinson locking the Social Club. Though she now lives in Queensland she knows what's going on at the Kennel.

We used to catch a bus from Braybrook to the footy & always sat in the front row of the EJ Whitten Stand. It was the most natural thing to do.

[Twodogs]

I dont remember making an actual decision to be a Footscray supporter-it never occured to me to follow anyone else.


I didnt know there were other teams until I was 7 or 8.

[Max469]

Grew up in Gippsland. Footscray recruited from there. Natural progression

[Topdog]

I can't remember exactly but I'm guessing it had something to do with the colours. Broke my Dad's heart though as he is a Collingwood man through and through.

[bornadog]

I can't remember exactly but I'm guessing it had something to do with the colours. Broke my Dad's heart though as he is a Collingwood man through and through.

Great Stuff

[Mofra]

Born in Footscray to a Bulldogs family, and went to teh games all the time as a kid.

If I wanted to follow anyone else, I probably would have spent my childhood sharing the kennel with the dog.

[Topdog]

Great Stuff

I still can't believe how he let it happen. Went out and bought memberships to the Dogs and took me every other week. Now that he is getting older I bought him a Pies membership last year as he can go to the games without having to worry about taking me.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Born and bred.

Dad used to take me down to the Whitten Oval from the time I was about 3 years old. Never really had any dispute, I loved going down and took The Bulldogs as my favourite team from the word go.

Probably helped that my dad was and still is, a very passionate member of the Club.

[Twodogs]

About 18 months ago my little boy, lets call him Footyhead, said to me "dad, why do we have to barrack for the bulldogs?". I told him it was one of the most exclusive clubs in football and how the honour of being a Bulldog supporter meant much more than winning lots of games. After all anyone could follow the bigger clubs-that was easy.


Suprisingly it worked.

[bornadog]

About 18 months ago my little boy, lets call him Footyhead, said to me "dad, why do we have to barrack for the bulldogs?". I told him it was one of the most exclusive clubs in football and how the honour of being a Bulldog supporter meant much more than winning lots of games. After all anyone could follow the bigger clubs-that was easy.


Suprisingly it worked.

Well done, what a great answer. Once in my daughters class ( she goes to an all girls school in the Eastern Burbs) the teacher asked who barrcked for Essendon and half the kids put their hands up, the other half said they were Carlton supporters and my daughter proudly said well I am a Bulldogs supporter and I am not changing.

[aker39]

I think the majority of people follow the teams that their family supports. I know I had no choice, if I wanted to go to the footy I had to follow the dogs. In saying that, I have not regretted that for one minute (maybe for a split second in 1997).

Where it can get a little cloudy is when you marry in to another family. My wife and her family are passionate Geelong supporters and like me and my family, go to the footy every week.

When our son was born, we (she) decided that we would let him decide who he barracked for. I was reasonable happy to allow this, as I new my family (about 16 of us go to the footy together every week) would over power her family influence (only 4 of them). Anyhow, as a 2 year old he was able to sing both club songs, and if you asked him who he barracked for he would say the cats & dogs. I started taking him to games at Telstra Dome when he was 3. My wife would not take him to games at Skilled Stadium, so gradually he has become a fully fledged bulldog supporter. He is now 5 and if you ask him who he barrackes for he only says one team, the dogs.

My 2 year old daughter has taken a liking for the cats. I haven't pushed hard to get her to barrack for the dogs as I think my wife would divorce me if she ended up in a house of bulldog supporters.

[Go_Dogs]

I was visiting family in Melbourne, my uncle an avid North Melbourne supporter bcos a member of the family used to play for them, his son an avid Essendon supporter, and me, the South Aussie cousin who was 4 and didn't have a local team to support (other than the mighty Redlegs in SANFL!).

So, as I recall, I chose a team off the ladder at random, and as fate would have it, I selected the Dogs. Been supporting them ever since about 1989/90, although really became fanatical from about 1994/5 on wards, once I was that bit older and able to digest games.

These days my uncle in Melbs also has a Dogs membership, and my dad, an avid Crows supporter, is also sporting a Bulldogs scarf. My little kid brother is also a Dogs man. :)

[Hard Ball Get]

Dad, a keen North Melbourne supporter, was drilling into me that I had to go for the roos however mum being the nuteral voice in the house (she hates the game and doesnt follow a team at all) decided to read out all the teams.

She started reading all the teams and when she said dogs apparently that was it I was convinced. I liked dogs so it made sence that I should follow the dogs. My dad was pretty disappointed and for the next 5 or so years decided that if I wanted to go to the footy I had to go with him and he only wanted to watch North play. It was a desperate attenpt to convert me but it didnt work (although its probably why I like Carey so much.)

Funnily enough my brother likes cats and he now supports the cats. I wonder if he used the same thinking...

[bornadog]

Alot of kids usually like Tigers and thats why I believe they have one of the biggest supporter bases, but fickle and dissappear when they are losing.

[Sockeye Salmon]

My father's family were all Bulldogs. My mother's family were all Richmond. My grandfather's tried to out-do each other so I had full kits of both Bulldogs (Ted Whitten's no. 3) and Richmond (Roger Dean no. 3) gear.

D Day. 26th August 1972.

Footscray v Richmond at the Western Oval.

We had been ordinary for years and Richmond were about to start a run of 3 grand finals in a row (the first in about 5 weeks time).

Both grandfathers in attendance.

Richmond kick 10 goals in the first quarter and I'm committed to Richmond for life.

Half time and Richmond are still in control.

Richmond kick 2.8 in the 3rd and Footscray are crawling back into it.

Ian Salmon stuffs up and my Dad yells out "for #@*% sake Salmon, get back in your can". The first time I ever heard my Dad swear. Ian Salmon instantly becomes my favourite player.

Footscray kick 4.7 in the last to Richmond's 1.5 but Richmond hold on to win by 2 pts.

Walking back to the car I tell my Dad, "I like the Bulldogs, they don't give up".

Bad luck, Pop. Take your Tiges and shove 'em up your ...

[LostDoggy]

Alot of kids usually like Tigers and thats why I believe they have one of the biggest supporter bases, but fickle and dissappear when they are losing.

Actually yes, I had an obsession with Tigers, the animal as a child. So when one day I asked Dad who was playing the footy, he said something like
"Tigers and the Crows" or something.
I loved Tigers, so I told him "Dad I go for Tigers. I love Tigers" (Those horrible words came out of my naive, five-year old mouth!)

Two years later, we (THE DOGGIES, not Richmond, ergh) were onto a finals campaign,
Dad took me along to a Bulldogs game, stuck his scarf on my head and that was it, I was converted.

I always deny I ever went for Richmond. I was five, it lasted about less than two years, that doesnt count if you just liked the animal, right?

[LostDoggy]

I always deny I ever went for Richmond. I was five, it lasted about less than two years, that doesnt count if you just liked the animal, right?

It was a terrible time in your life you were under 7 you liked the animal and saw a team that had the animal as their mascot you then realised it was wrong, so you saw the error of your ways and then became a bulldogs supporter. :)

[LardDog]

Like many I was born into it. My parents grew up in Yarraville / Maidestone so I never had a choice. Growing up in Bendigo I think I was about the only kid (other than my brothers) that barracked for the Dogs, it seemed everyone followed the Dons, Hawks or Blues back then. But the thought of barracking for any other team has never crossed my mind.

[LostDoggy]

Its interesting to know how people become a fan of the doggies. Is it because the family follows the club? Is it due to being born in the general area, or is it because a friend convinced you when you were a kid. Why do you follow the Dogs?

I was born in Footscray and my father began taking me to games when I was around 4 years old. My Father had migrated to Australia in the early fifties and started following the dogs along with his cousins and mates that had come out with him. I remember going to the Western Oval as a little kid and I suppose I just stuck with the team, even thou some kids at school tried to make me change to another team. My daughter is now a doggies supporter, I wouldn't have it any other way.

These days I live in the East side of town. I was talking to one of my daughters friends father who lives in Balwyn and to my surprise he follows the dogs, so I inmmediately thought he was born into it. When I quized him, he said when he was a kid he liked the colours?

So, how did you become a doggies fan?

Your name says it all for me:D

[Crizza]

Mine is so lame, I liked dogs as a boy so went for the dogs. Simple.

I wasn't the most passionate fan until I was 10, basketball was my thing, and one day I was sick and went to work with Mum, who worked for adidas.

My mum introduced me to Ted who gave me his bone crushing hand shake and asked me who I went for. I told Ted ' Bulldogs' and as I was picking my self up from the ground holding my sore throbbing hand, EJ handed me a doggies jumper and said 'stick it up em Son'.

The Passion took off after that day!

[southerncross]

Mine is so lame, I liked dogs as a boy so went for the dogs. Simple.

I wasn't the most passionate fan until I was 10, basketball was my thing, and one day I was sick and went to work with Mum, who worked for adidas.

My mum introduced me to Ted who gave me his bone crushing hand shake and asked me who I went for. I told Ted ' Bulldogs' and as I was picking my self up from the ground holding my sore throbbing hand, EJ handed me a doggies jumper and said 'stick it up em Son'.

The Passion took off after that day!

I can't agree that is a lame story when in fact it's one of the best I have read. From what I have heard Teddy was the greatest at turning people into Bulldog supporters. Could you imagine him working from the membership office now phoning all those who hadn't signed up again? I couldn't see him taking no for an answer.

[Crizza]

I can't agree that is a lame story when in fact it's one of the best I have read. From what I have heard Teddy was the greatest at turning people into Bulldog supporters. Could you imagine him working from the membership office now phoning all those who hadn't signed up again? I couldn't see him taking no for an answer.

Ted was amazing when it came to his passion. I met him several times after that, my hand shudders at the memory of bone crushing hand shakes. But he was also so pumped up and so into the Dogs.

I don't think he would have heard 'no' too many times old Ted.

[BulldogBelle]

Started barracking for the dogs in about grade 1 at school. Asked her to buy me a dogs jumper. She trotted off to forges to get it. When she got home she told me they had run out so here was a Fitzroy jumper instead.

Being about 7 l took the jumper and became a fitzroy supporter. Followed them up to the merger and even tried to follow brisbane for a season or 2. It just did not feel right.

My brother and l had a bit of talk and decided it was time to jump ship. As we were from the western suburbs and still had a big soft spot for dogs we moved back to where we should have been all along.

Got my first membership in 2001. Had few kids and convinced them that the dogs were the only team. Bought a famliy membership a few years later and got my wife to dump the Roos and join the dogs so she could be part of the family and not an outcast.

[BulldogBelle]

Started barracking for the dogs in about grade 1 at school. Asked her to buy me a dogs jumper. She trotted off to forges to get it. When she got home she told me they had run out so here was a Fitzroy jumper instead.

Being about 7 l took the jumper and became a fitzroy supporter. Followed them up to the merger and even tried to follow brisbane for a season or 2. It just did not feel right.

My brother and l had a bit of talk and decided it was time to jump ship. As we were from the western suburbs and still had a big soft spot for dogs we moved back to where we should have been all along.

Got my first membership in 2001. Had few kids and convinced them that the dogs were the only team. Bought a famliy membership a few years later and got my wife to dump the Roos and join the dogs so she could be part of the family and not an outcast.


Great story and I am glad you saw the light. :)

[Sockeye Salmon]

Simple really. Being 5 years old and told you won't get fed if you don't barrack for the Dogs clinched the deal.

[bornadog]

Asked her to buy me a dogs jumper.

When I was five we moved to Barkley st (1961 the last time we played a GF), just a drop kick from the ground and I really wanted a jumper. My parents who had migrated from Europe, had some local friends who were originally from Tassie and one day had come over to visit us. Gene was a very good knitter and wanted to knit me a jumper. I asked her to knit me a football jumper and of course wanted a doggies one. I think she had no idea about footy, but to please me agreed to knit one. A few weeks later she came over to present me with the new jumper and to my surprise the stripes were around the wrong way, ie white and red on blue. As a six year old, what could I say, I knew it was wrong, but I still wore it to every home game, with the big number three on the back. I think I got a few funny stares at the footy, but no one really cared seeing a five year wearing that jumper.

[Bulldogs_6]

Funny story actually.
My dad, brother and mum are saints and my sister is a docker, and my dad always thought i was well suited as a bulldog because he thought i looked tough as a kid :)
one year he went to melbourne when i was like 2 and brought me a bulldogs scarf and it has stuck ever since. Never looked back :)

[Eastdog]

Here is my story not the best in the world

I mainly grew up in the eastern suburbs. It was a match I went to back in 2001 on a Friday night when I was 12 years old. It was us playing Melbourne at the MCG. Anyway that night we won by 5 goals and had a great win and ever since then I've been a loyal Bulldog and the only one in my family.

[F'scary]

I have been following the Doggies since I moved into the Footscray district 14 years ago. I found myself drawn to the team and promptly switched my membership. It is funny, I would not have felt remotely like doing the same thing if I had moved to Collingwood, Hawthorn or Essendon, for example. There is something about the Doggies.

[Eastdog]

I have been following the Doggies since I moved into the Footscray district 14 years ago. I found myself drawn to the team and promptly switched my membership. It is funny, I would not have felt remotely like doing the same thing if I had moved to Collingwood, Hawthorn or Essendon, for example. There is something about the Doggies.

Haven't lived in the Footscray area myself so mine wasn't based on geographic location but Footscray I hear and the western suburbs in general are really picking up. It is the fastest growing region in Australia.

[F'scary]

Haven't lived in the Footscray area myself so mine wasn't based on geographic location but Footscray I hear and the western suburbs in general are really picking up. It is the fastest growing region in Australia.

If we can have a succession of "winning" seasons, there is the potential to really grow the supporter base.

[Eastdog]

If we can have a succession of "winning" seasons, there is the potential to really grow the supporter base.

Absolutely and then kids will have that appealing choice then of supporting us which is the aim.

[F'scary]

Absolutely and then kids will have that appealing choice then of supporting us which is the aim.

There is no question about it, everyone loves a winner.

[Twodogs]

Here is my story not the best in the world

I mainly grew up in the eastern suburbs. It was a match I went to back in 2001 on a Friday night when I was 12 years old. It was us playing Melbourne at the MCG. Anyway that night we won by 5 goals and had a great win and ever since then I've been a loyal Bulldog and the only one in my family.


Luke Penny played the game of his life that night and gave David Neitz a bath.

[always right]

What was the real story behind Penny leaving us?

[Twodogs]

What was the real story behind Penny leaving us?

The rumour was him and Nathan Brown didnt get along.

[LostDoggy]

For me, born and bred in Perth WA, my Dad is a Victorian however so growing up we watched both the WAFL and VFL (prior to the AFL). I went for South Fremantle (Bulldogs) so this translated into the Bulldogs for the VFL. You NEVER change teams in my house, so when WCE and Freo came along I naturally developed a hatrid for them.

[bulldogtragic]

D. N. A.

[Twodogs]

For me, born and bred in Perth WA, my Dad is a Victorian however so growing up we watched both the WAFL and VFL (prior to the AFL). I went for South Fremantle (Bulldogs) so this translated into the Bulldogs for the VFL. You NEVER change teams in my house, so when WCE and Freo came along I naturally developed a hatrid for them.



It's good to hear you weren't tempted.