For just the second year in a row, the Clemson community crowned its Best Campus Celebrity — and if you’ve spent any time on campus since his debut in the 2022 fall semester, the result won’t shock you.
Buddy the dog and his owner, Dave Eckstein, began trekking around Clemson’s campus for the exercise; the neighborhood scenery was getting “monotonous.” Though they still benefit physically from getting their steps in, they’re now more motivated by their frequent interactions with the students.
“In the beginning, it was a few pets during a walk and a lot of trying to read my sign as they walked by for the students,” Eckstein told The Tiger. “As we got more and more familiar and comfortable with each other, things began to grow. At the start, we might get 7-10 students to stop and pet Buddy on a trip. Today it’s hundreds.”
And as the attention they receive from the student body grows, so does the space Clemson occupies in Eckstein’s — and Buddy’s — heart.
“My favorite part of being on campus with Buddy is watching the interaction between Buddy and the students,” Eckstein said. “It ranges anywhere from cute to heartwarming to downright hilarious depending on his and the students’ moods.”
“Our time on campus provides an outlet for me in retirement where I feel like I’m doing something that might make a positive difference, here and there, in somebody’s day and that makes a difference in my day. We have tears some days and we have smiles and laughs every day. For Buddy, I think the exposure helps keep him really good with people. He loves the attention and genuinely loves making people happy,” he continued.
The most important thing for students to know about Eckstein and Buddy is that they walk on campus for one reason.
“Getting to say hi to [their] friends, new and old. So please never hesitate to stop [them],” Eckstein told The Tiger.
“I walk with one earbud in and I might not hear you right away, but please keep trying until I do,” Eckstein added. “[Pam thinks it has more to do with my being 70 than the earbud, but who asked her?] We do sit during class breaks to concentrate on meeting folks and we don’t want to create a traffic jam on the sidewalks, but we do a lot of walking while classes are in session.”
The dog of the hour is a six-year-old English labrador who is “obsessed with food,” hence the lack of food and treats during his walks with Eckstein.
“If he gets fed, game over, no more paying attention to anybody — he will be totally focused on the next morsel,” Eckstein said.
Of the five labs Eckstein and his wife, Pam, have had, Buddy is easily the most chill.
“He genuinely wants to please and he loves your attention,” Eckstein said. “He is a very good boy and deserving of all of your affection.”
“If Buddy could speak, I’m afraid part of him would say, ‘Yeah, of course I’m Clemson’s favorite celebrity,’ but the other part of him would just be happy for the honor,” Eckstein said.
“See, the thing about this recognition is that it’s not just about Buddy or Pam and I. This is about everybody on campus that gives us a smile or says hi or, if they have time, stops for a pet or a quick chat. There’s no celebrity without fans! Above all, we just want to say Thank You. You have welcomed us to your campus and treated us like we belong. We will forever be grateful. Hopefully, this is just the beginning!”
Anyone interested in meeting Clemson’s most famous four-legged friend can find him and Eckstein perusing around campus every week — don’t be shy!
@daveandbuddy (Instagram)
