ABBOTSFORD, B.C. — Hank the Tank, Mack Trucks’ beloved four-legged western sales rep, has passed away.

The affable bulldog, which has represented Mack at Western Canadian trade shows for the past couple years – licking thousands of smiling faces in the process – died recently when visiting the vet for minor surgery. His death has left his owners distraught, but comforted by the many memories the beefy bulldog created at truck shows.

Wendy Wilson, bulldog breeder and Hank’s co-owner, said he was born to entertain.

“He greeted thousands of people,” she recalled of his truck show appearances. “Hank would saunter in and take his spot and everybody would come up and meet and greet him. He’d give everybody a face wash and smile for the camera. He was a gorgeous boy; a really sweet boy. And he was very good for Mack.”

Hank the Tank came by his nickname honestly; he was a stout bulldog, tipping the scales at nearly 85 lbs. But Wilson said he carried it well.

“He was not overweight,” she said. “He was very toned and very well muscled; just an impressive big boy. Gentle as a kitten.”

Hank lived with Mike Lebich and Jacki Schultheiss along with their other bulldog, Henry. Like many bulldogs, Henry was hyper at times, but when Hank moved in, he taught Henry how to properly interact with visitors.

“Henry totally changed when Hank came into the picture,” Wilson said. But like a celebrity, Hank’s popularity made it difficult to go out for walks unmolested.

“The hard part was trying to take him for a walk,” Wilson laughed. “He never got much exercise, because you didn’t get far. You’d take two steps and there’d be a group of people there. Sometimes, it would take half an hour just to get from the Mack booth to the side door, which was literally 12 feet away.”

While she mourns Hank’s passing, Wilson said she’s comforted by the many lives he touched and the thousands of photos that exist of him, taken at the various truck shows.

Hank died before getting the opportunity to breed, but Wilson said his spirit will live on through his nieces and nephews. She’s hoping one of them may eventually go on to represent Mack, but she admitted they’ll “have hard shoes to fill.”

Hank the Tank would have been three years old on Aug. 3.

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