Gobi the Stray Dog's Inspiring Story of Friendship and Perseverance

Gobi, a stray dog from Mongolia, captured the hearts of many with his incredible story of friendship and perseverance. He was found by Australian adventurer Dion Leonard in 2016.

Gobi's journey began when he unexpectedly joined Dion on a 25-day run through the Gobi Desert. This was an unusual occurrence, as dogs are not typically allowed to participate in ultramarathons.

Gobi is a remarkable stray dog who completed 77 miles of a 155-mile desert race across the Gobi Desert in China.

She joined extreme marathon runner Dion Leonard on the second day of the race and ran with him for the next three stages, even receiving the name Gobi from the desert.

Gobi ran 25 miles on the second stage and 26 miles on the third stage, with Leonard carrying her several times through water barriers.

She completed the final 8-mile stage with Leonard to finish the race with him.

After the race, Leonard started a crowdfunding campaign to raise £5,000 to bring Gobi back to Scotland from China, which ultimately raised over £38,000.

Leonard and his wife Lucja committed to donate the extra funds to welfare organizations that care for stray dogs.

Gobi went missing while in the care of race organizers in Urumqi, but Leonard flew back to the city to find her, and with the help of a search party, she was eventually found.

Gobi had a deep gash on her head and was limping, but was otherwise unharmed, and Leonard used some of the crowdfunding money to fly her to Beijing for an operation on her hip.

Leonard waited four months for the quarantine process to be completed before bringing Gobi home to Scotland.

Gobi has been recognized for her incredible journey and bond with Dion Leonard. The book "Finding Gobi" received favourable high praise in Publishers Weekly and other reviews, and was even a New York Times Bestseller at number 3.

A chapter book edition for young adults won the 2017 New York City Big Book Award, and a children's picture book was also released in 2017. In 2024, a new picture book titled "Where's Gobi" Seek and Find was released.

Gobi's story has been covered in a podcast episode and she has been featured in a special television program called "Dogs Of The Year" where she won the Dog Of The Year award.

The media and publications surrounding Gobi's incredible story have been nothing short of remarkable. A trilogy of books about Gobi and Leonard's journey together was published, with the first book, Finding Gobi, becoming a New York Times Bestseller at number 3.

The book received high praise in Publishers Weekly and other reviews, and its paperback version was officially launched in the US on June 1, 2017. The hardback version was released in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand on June 13, 2017, reaching The Sunday Times Bestseller List.

A chapter book edition for young adults, Finding Gobi: The True Story of One Little Dog's Big Journey, was also released in 2017 and won the 2017 New York City Big Book Award. A children's picture book, Gobi: A Little Dog with a Big Heart, was released the same year.

In 2024, a new picture book titled 'Where's Gobi' Seek and Find was released. Gobi's story has also been featured in a podcast episode, "Gobi", on This is Love in June 2020.

Are you Team Dogs? If so, you're in good company. Dion Leonard, a runner who found a stray dog named Gobi in the Gobi desert, is a proud dog lover.

Dion's story is a testament to the incredible bond between humans and dogs. He adopted Gobi and wrote a book about their journey, "Finding Gobi - The true story of a little dog and an incredible journey'".

Gobi's story is not just about survival, but also about the transformative power of kindness and friendship. Dion's book has become a Sunday Times bestseller, available in 21 languages globally.

Dion and Gobi's Instagram updates showcase the happy life they're living together. Gobi has come a long way from her stray days in the desert.