October 1, 2021
Boilermaker super fans: Purdue’s no. 1 canine fan
Jaden and Ella explain how their Golden Retriever pup, Delta, is the canine embodiment of what it means to be a Boilermaker through and through
Delta the dog’s favorite pastime is making sure the Purdue grounds crew is doing its job. “We’re working on picking up all the sticks they leave behind,” says her owner, Jaden Retter. “The task can be pretty daunting when you can only carry one in your mouth at a time.”
Delta is a 1-year-old Golden Retriever puppy living in a Purdue fraternity house. She has her own steadily growing Instagram account and a similarly expanding collection of custom-made Purdue bandanas. Ella Reiger, Jaden’s girlfriend, started the Instagram account in early 2021 mostly for fun, but also for both of their families and friends to see what they are up to while they both attend Purdue.
Ella runs the Instagram account and hand-makes all of Delta’s bandanas, but Jaden has the ever-important job of putting a fresh bandana on Delta every day. He likes to joke, “I have to get up and dress myself in the morning, but I also have to dress my dog.”
Jaden also provides many of the videos and pictures for the account.
Delta currently lives with Jaden and about 70 other students at the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity. Jaden says, “She can go room to room. The guys love her, she loves all the guys, and it just makes her such a people-friendly dog. She also loves our cook, Jackie, who gives her pieces of chicken.
When the weather is nice, anyone passing Alpha Gamma Rho will likely see Delta on the front lawn playing with the guys or getting a bath. Thanks to her recognizable Purdue bandanas and tendency to say hello to everyone she meets, Delta has become a sort of celebrity on campus.
Her joyful and friendly attitude exemplifies what it means to be a Boilermaker. She may not know exactly what or who she is cheering for, but her persistent wagging tail and puppy smile lift the spirits of those around her.
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