UCSB Geography Professor Tommy Dickey is one of just 12 ocean scientists to become a Secretary of the Navy/Chief of Naval Operations Chair of Oceanographic Sciences since the inception of the program in 1984 when the Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV), John Lehman, and the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO), Admiral James Watkins, developed a program to reinvigorate Naval oceanography. Apart from Oceanography, however, Dickey’s other passion takes the form of “big, fluffy Great Pyrenees – Assistant Professors of Geography!”
Professor Dickey owns three magnificent, purebred Great Pyrenees–Linkin, Teddy, and Mia–each of which has achieved fame in his/her own right. In a recent e-mail, Tommy states: “My Pyrs had a great year with Linkin getting his American Kennel Club Grand Championship and two Best in Breeds in conformation, Novice Rally title, Canine Good Citizen Award, and Love on a Leash therapy dog certification. Teddy won Best in Match at a conformation show and also got his AKC Novice Rally title, Canine Good Citizen Award, and Love on a Leash therapy dog certification. This year they visited Special Olympics events, local elderly people, and UCSB students during Therapy Dog Day on campus. They were honored with two big trophies by the Ventura County Dog Fanciers Association (VCDFA). Thanks to my Great Pyrénées’ great work, I was named AKC Outstanding Sportsman of the Year by the VCDFA chapter of the AKC – a very special honor for my Pyrs and me. Mia is doing well with her recovery from ACL surgery and got her picture (along with Teddy presenting his Theodore Nansen Award to a Geography 3a student) in Equine and Canine News recently [page 39].”
Tommy goes on to say, “I have always enjoyed teaching and using unconventional links (pardon the Linkin pup pun) to presumably unconnected topics. Enter our Great Pyrenees as my Assistant Professors! I thought it would be fun for students to see our Great Pyrenees and learn a bit about them and other dogs and their importance to geography, exploration, and life at sea. I have brought them to my Geography 3a class (Oceans-Atmosphere) for several years now. I preface the visits with some slides and leading questions about how climate would be affected by increasing the number of Pyrs (I use the increased albedo effect to advantage here! Increased food consumption argument is not emphasized, of course!)”
“Besides using our Pyrs at UCSB, we have also made them a part of the Nordhoff High School (NHS in Ojai) experience. My son, Todd, teaches a variety of subjects, including special education, and coaches tennis at NHS. Our Pyrs walk the school grounds and visit classes, complementing my occasional lectures there on polar explorers. They come to tennis matches and serve as good luck charms. NHS students get some education, whether they know it or not, as they invariably ask lots of questions about the Pyrs, like where they come from (Pyrenees Mountains between Spain and France), what they are used for (guarding livestock), why they are white (to blend in with stock and scare, or worse (!), unwitting predators), and how the students can get one (convince mom and dad that a huge furry white dog would be a really neat new family member!). During this past year, my other son, David, started a Special Olympics tennis team in Pomona. Of course, our Pyrs have joined in these activities as welI.”
“I have enjoyed using lots of ways of educating students. The most fun for me is to combine a variety of topics and interests with students who are having a lot of fun and unknowingly learning when they least expect it – thanks to big, fluffy Great Pyrenees – Assistant Professors of Geography!”
