15 dogs later, Okello still has room for more

But volleyball isn’t the only thing Okello loves. In fact, he values ​​the relationship he has with his dogs much more and spends most of his time playing and feeding them.

Panther, Zoe and Kimmie are among the dogs in Okello’s kennel at his home in Kisaasi, a Kampala suburb, and they greet their master’s arrival at the gate with constant barking.

“That’s how they welcome me. First we have to lock them up, go inside, then close the gate and release them,” Okello told this reporter.

The reason for this is to ensure that the dogs do not endanger nearby strangers. The total dog population at Okello’s home is 15, of which seven are adults and eight are puppies. When getting out of the car, Zoe and Kimmie run to hug Okello, while Panther and Bali, still locked up, continue to bark.

Since childhood, Okello and dogs have been inseparable. He remembers his younger years when they helped him chase goats while grazing. And his father knew exactly what the son liked when he decided to give him a German Shepherd as a gift during his P.7 holiday. That was the first dog he owned and he has never looked back.

Even while still a student at Uganda Christian University, before Okello chose to turn professional from his volleyball career, he had a dog to keep him company.

“I actually like animals, but I like dogs more because of their barking and listening to commands. I know I am very safe when I am with them.”

The breeds that Okello keeps are not the breeds you find on the streets of Kampala. They are breeds he gets when he goes out for his professional stints, and the first was Kimmie, a Japanese Kishu he acquired during South Korea’s Covid-19 lockdown. The Kishu, also called Kishu Inu or Kishu dog, is a Japanese dog breed. It is descended from ancient medium-sized breeds and was named after the Kishu region, now Mie Prefecture and Wakayama Prefecture.

“The loneliness in South Korea forced me to buy a dog and that’s how I got Kimmie. Airports were closed, my wife was in Uganda and we didn’t play.”

After the lockdown, Okello bought Panther, a Cane Corso that was three months old and could not be transported to Uganda immediately. The Cane Corso is an Italian mastiff breed. It is usually kept as a companion dog or guard dog; it can also be used to protect livestock.

“I needed a larger breed for several reasons. They are easy to train, strong, have muscles and strong jaws.”

It’s one thing to own a dog and another to move him from one country to another. A full vaccination report, pet passport, microchip, airline ticket for you and your pet are some of the basic requirements before placing your pet on a flight.

“It is much easier to fly with the dog than to move it alone. It would be very expensive because you would have to get it from a pet airline,” Okello notes.

The pet must be in an airplane cage with enough water and food to survive the journey. Airlines also operate on a first-come, first-served basis and are not allowed to mix animals. This means that if you find a cat already booked on a flight, you will not be able to continue with your dog. Access to public spaces in Uganda also remains a challenge for Okello and his pet friends.

While it is acceptable to walk around with your pet, dogs are not allowed in some areas, meaning owners can only interact with them when they get home. And with fifteen dogs at his home, taking them for a walk has proven to be an impossible undertaking.

“It’s not possible to walk around with all of them, so I move one at a time. That way I can keep it under control and ensure that no one in the area is harmed.”

At home, the caregiver must be constantly alert to ensure that the dogs do not attack anyone. The dogs are kept locked up most of the time and occasionally walk around the grounds to ensure they release some stress and energy.

Keeping dogs in the home requires the owner to be extra vigilant to ensure that they do not cause a nuisance in the neighborhood. And locking them up may not be enough, as Okello found out when Panther attacked and bit Trevor, his friend who lives at his home.

“He found the dogs fighting and I think Panther attacked and bit him by reflex action. We had to take him to hospital immediately,” Okello revealed.

To ensure this doesn’t happen to strangers, there is a caretaker who feeds the dogs and ensures they are locked up when the gate is opened.

“If you don’t lock them up, they can wander out and endanger passersby.”

When he receives visitors, Okello is forced to be home early and also restrict his movements. At 7:30 PM the dogs are allowed to roam freely on the property, which means that the owner must be home beforehand.

One of the biggest challenges for any dog ​​owner is feeding them, and Okello’s case is no different. Feeding is one of the areas he spends the most on, with dog grains, meat and porridge among the options. For the puppies, who do not yet eat meat, they are given grains.

“Feeding is a lot more expensive for the youngest ones. They feed on about 15 kg to 20 kg of grain in a week.”

Taking an example of Josera JosiDog Economy Dog Food, the 15kg bag costs between Shs120,000 and Shs150,000, bringing the monthly expenditure to between Shs480,000 and Shs600,000.

To reduce costs, Okello has added porridge to the puppies’ diet. For the elderly, enough bones and cow hooves from Lufula cost about Shs200,000, which will last the dogs for the entire month.

Vaccination is an important part of preventive medicine in dogs, just as it is in humans. The purpose of vaccination is to boost the immune system against infections before exposure to a disease.

Dogs receive several vaccines that are given routinely as the main defense against serious infectious diseases such as parvovirus, rabies, distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis and influenza. Thereafter, booster vaccinations are given annually throughout the dog’s life to ensure continued protection.

Antiparvovirus vaccine, antirabies vaccine and cocktail vaccine (DHPP-L) are the vaccines available in Uganda. Parvovirus, the leading cause of death in puppies, also occurs in adult, unvaccinated dogs and can lead to death. It causes severe diarrhea, vomiting, fever and dehydration.

Rabies is the other disease that can spread from wild animals to dogs and from dogs to humans. Cocktail vaccine provides protection against several diseases, including distemper, Canine Adenovirus, Parvovirus, Canine Parainfluenza or kennel cough and Leptospirosis.

Recently, Okello sold three of his puppies each at Shs3m, something that has opened his eyes to breeding in the future. The 29-year-old believes he still has another five years of playing at the highest level before he can fully concentrate on his other activities.

“It (breeding business) is something I think about, especially when it comes to the rare breeds.”

Okello will end his break in January to return to professional volleyball and from there he plans to return with a mastiff, a large and powerful type of dog. Mastiffs are among the largest dogs and typically have a short coat, a long, low-set tail and large feet; the skull is large and bulky, the muzzle broad and short, and the ears drooping and drooping.