Michael Wekerle, the eccentric rock star of the Canadian financial scene, and TV personality from the hit series Dragons’ Den, is a “full throttle” kind of guy. So it should come as no surprise that Wek, as he likes to be called, is not only a devoted father of six, but also an extreme dog lover.
The self-made financial guru and his kids have their own dogs, and they foster others. “We’ve had as many as 16,” explains Michael. “Right now we have 11 and we just try to find good homes for them.”
Described by some as Mick Jagger meets Warren Buffet, Michael says his dogs bring many rewards to his life, including helping him stay grounded when his lavish lifestyle and hectic business schedule get to be too much.
“Having the dogs creates a lot of peace,” he says.
It’s a peace that extends to his kids’ lives too. “They have been good for the children. Having a sense of taking good care of something and being responsible for the dogs has been great.”
Seeing Michael out of his designer suit, playing on the grass with his dogs Zeus, a Doberman Pinscher, and Margaret, a Bernese Mountain Dog, shows that Wek is not much different from the rest of us. These dogs are part of his family, and he knows there’s no fast track to raising a new best friend.
“The more love and work you put into it,” he says with a smile, “the better the dog is.”
AUTHOR PROFILE
With a background in journalism and a keen insight into the landscape of new media, Kyle Dupont has an innate ability to sniff out trending topics and hot news stories. Kyle lives in Peterborough, ON with his partner, Kate, an American Foxhound named Ernie, a mixed breed called Gwenyth, and two cats, Franny and Zooey.
