Gretl and Irwin were an unstoppable force

Keith Irwin and Gretl, an inspiring tale for all.

November 28, 2020

Johann Badenhorst 2 minutes read

Kieth Irwin refused to give up on Gretl and his patience paid off. The best friends were featured in an article in a 1969 edition of the Advertiser.

Inspired by the Advertiser’s editorial feature ‘Delving into the past’, which takes a look at news which made headlines in years gone by, a Springs resident shared the heart-warming story of her son, Keith Irwin, and his prize-winning dog Gretl, who were featured in the Advertiser more than 50 years ago.
“It’s such a beautiful story and I think some of the older people in Springs will remember Gretl,” said the woman, who requested not to be named.
The story of Keith and the relationship with his championship winning Alsatian Gretl should be an inspiration to all animal lovers.

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Irwin adopted Gretl at the Springs SPCA in 1969 for a fee of R4 and things got off to a rocky start.
As soon he brought her home, Gretl would cower in the corner of their Casseldale farm and seemed frightened of everything that moved, including her own shadow.
Unwilling to give up on his dog, Irwin showed a great amount of patience as he slowly coaxed Gretl out of her corner and their bond was soon sealed forever.
Irwin said in the Advertiser article from 1969: “It took a long time to win her confidence and trust, but with the help of my family, kindness, perseverance and patience she began to accept us.”
A learner at Springs Boys’ High School, Irwin took his beautiful Alsatian and her newfound confidence to a dog training camp to get her out of her shell.
At the camp, Gretl demonstrated just how far she had come and, moreover, that her spirit was far from broken.

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“She did very well and soon we were winning diplomas regularly.
“We also won three silver floating trophies for obedience tests,” he said.
The chairperson of the club, Gordon Grierson, said it was remarkable what Keith had achieved with Gretl.
“They are inseparable and she is definitely a one-man dog,” he said.
In the Novice Test on May 2, 1969, Gretl came in second place with 99 per cent from the judges.
She won first place in Test A at the same tournament.
Gretl went on to win a second and first place at the Walmer competition.
Many more competitions followed over the years where Irwin and Gretl would stand proudly on the podium.