„An hour and a half – it didn’t take any longer,“ says Angelina Ibehej. Hard to believe with five four-legged friends who are supposed to stand still together and look into the camera. But Ibehej plays it down: „They know their commands. And they stay until I give the next command. Then they get a treat. „I never forget them – and they know it.“ So well-rehearsed, the five seem like they came out of an agency for film animal trainers. But Ibehej is not a trainer, but a works council member at Opel and a passionate Shetland Sheepdog owner.

Her dogs were hired for the Opel statement on World Dog Day – via the short official channels. A photo of the Sheltie pack is emblazoned on her PC, colleagues know the gang. One of them brought them into the conversation when Product Communications was looking for motifs for a shoot for World Dog Day. A little later, the five four-legged friends lined up in front of the lens of photographer Andreas Liebschner – right in the middle of the spacious boot of the new Combo Electric. The modern descendant of the original Combo, the Opel Kadett Combo, presented 40 years ago, offers plenty of space: more than 2.20 meters of usable length and – in the XL version – a load volume of up to 4,000 litres. Perfect for five Shelties and their humans.

But how do you get five Shelties? This was not planned. After her apprenticeship at Opel and moving into her first own apartment, Angelina Ibehej wanted a dog – smaller than the German shepherds she had grown up with. „But just as clever and reliable.“ That’s how she discovered the Shetland Sheepdogs: herding dogs from Scotland, only about 40 centimetres high, attentive, obedient, friendly. The first puppy was Leevi, a bull’s eye. A year later, at a Sheltie meeting, she met Mina, a reserved dog who immediately trusted Leevi and his owner. „She’s still available,“ said the breeder – and number two joined the pack.

A Sheltie in the colour ‘blue merle’ was still missing. But one breeder only had puppies in ‘sable’, a golden hue. The colleague went there anyway – and fell in love with a little diva, whom she initially called ‘Moaning Myrtle’. The dog was later named Yuna. She quickly won show awards, and as is so often the case, the question came: „Don’t you want to breed with her?“ After extensive research into and training on the topic, three litters followed. The puppies moved into loving hands – except for one: Kamikaze, or Kami for short. “He was so cool from the beginning, he had to stay.” In the meantime, Rio had also moved in, a black and white male who came for a test weekend – and of course stayed after three days.

Five Shelties, then. Each pretty, together an attraction – when walking the dogs as well as in front of the camera. The five have known the Opel Combo for a long time: owner Ibehej drives one herself. Ideal for trips with the whole group, but sometimes she would like to have the longer wheelbase. And a what about a Combo Electric as a future successor? „Absolutely,“ she says. “It would be particularly convenient for Rio. He is prone to motion sickness – and a quieter, low-vibration electric motor could be good for his stomach.” A range of up to 344 kilometres (WLTP) is easily enough even for longer trips. And at a 100 kW fast-charging station, the 50 kWh battery is charged to 80 percent again in around 30 minutes – ideal for a short break for a walk.

The photos from the Opel shoot have a wistful value for Angelina Ibehej today: They are the last pictures with Leevi. The male died of cancer a few weeks later, eleven and a half years old. We will remember beautiful hours in which Leevi, Mina, Yuna, Rio and Kami became enchanting Opel models – in a leisure activity vehicle that is made for them: plenty of space, peace and quiet in the interior, low loading sill. In short: perfect conditions for a small, great pack of dogs.