The Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary is currently home to famous coydog, Rango, who can be seen on the latest season of CBC's Heartland.
The Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary is currently home to famous coydog, Rango, who can be seen on the latest season of CBC's Heartland.
Rango was taken on the set of Heartland earlier this summer, where the crew had him for three days of filming when the coydog was just a pup.
“He played the role of a little coyote puppy who was injured and he ended up being in a couple of scenes, ” explained Georgina De Caigny, director of Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary.
Heartland star Amber Marshall posted a photo of herself and the pup on her official Instagram account @amber_marshall_farm this summer giving the spoiler, “Little Rango from @yamnuskawdsanct was on set today. This little Coydog is playing the role of an injured coyote pup. In the story Ty and Amy need to find a wildlife reserve that will take him on. ”
Rango can be seen on two episodes in the current Season 9 of Heartland. He appears in Episode 05 and Episode 06.
“He worked very hard and his job was to look cute, ” De Caigny said, with a laugh, of the part coyote/part dog.
“He did a remarkable job of letting people handle him and doing the different scenes. We are really proud of him. ”
Heartland directors did contact the local wolfdog sanctuary asking to use Rango for future filming, and De Caigny said she explained the challenges now that the pup is older (approximately 6 months).
“The animal co-ordinators asked to use him again and I explained he is not quite as relaxed with letting people handle him, ” De Caigny explained.
Currently, the staff has not heard back from Heartland executives.
But for now Rango is loving his life at the sanctuary.
Rango was rescued at four weeks old by a local couple who removed the pup from a “sad and bad breeding situation. ”
“He is much more human-orientated than some of the wolfdogs and I think that is because he is coyote mix so he doesn't have that same instinctual fear of humans, ” De Caigny explained.
“And the fact that Rango was so socialized to humans. I think he's really been able to have lots of positive association to humans. He sees the visitors and wants to be petted. ”
Rango is one of the animals at the sanctuary that visitors are allowed to interact with, such as sticking their hands through the fence and calling the coydog over to the fence.
“He is quite the character, ” De Caigny said with a laugh.
“He is quite goofy (and) can be seen chasing his tail. ”
Rango is featured on the two Heartland episodes in Season 9 or he can be visited at the Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary, outside of Cochrane.
So far none of the visitors have recognized Rango from the show but De Caigny said the episode that he was featured in just recently aired.
“I'm sure the day will come when someone will recognize him, ” De Caigny said with a smile.
The Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary made its home in rural Cochrane last April, located on 160 acres west of Highway 1A off of Range Road 53.
To visit the famous Rango or other wolfdogs and to learn more, visit yamnuskawolfdogsanctuary.com. Tours are $39/person for those aged 12 and up.
