Every August designates the start of National Dog Month, where dog owners everywhere are given the opportunity to celebrate their pets and their companionship. To dog owners, their dogs are so much more than pets. Dogs can serve a deeper purpose in their owner’s lives, whether it is being a service dog, providing emotional support for an owner with anxiety or just keeping their owner company. Happy National Dog Month from The Paisano.

Augie

Augie, a pit bull, Rottweiler and Australian cattle dog mix, is one and a half years old. He was taken in by his owner, sophomore accounting major Lauren Mahnke, when he was brought into the vet hospital where she previously worked. Augie was brought in because his mother was hit by a car, leaving him and the rest of his litter to fend for themselves. 

At six weeks old, Mahnke took Augie home because she did not want him to sleep alone at the vet hospital. “He was the smallest one and I took him home for a night so he didn’t have to stay alone in the kennels, but in the morning, I just couldn’t give him back,” said Mahnke. As a result, she has had Augie ever since.

Mahnke describes Augie as a goofy dog who is extremely curious about the world around him. She loves Augie’s fun and goofy personality, but also his ability to cuddle after a long day of fun. 

Augie loves people, going on walks, playing fetch and watching TV. His favorite things to watch are infant sensory videos and bird feed cams. Additionally, she loves the coloring around his eyes, saying she calls it his “eyeliner.” 

If Mahnke could pick one famous person to be the voice of Augie, it would be Zach Galifianakis because she feels Augie resembles the actor and how he sounds. 

Bella 

Bella is a four-year-old chihuahua and Yorkie mix. She was adopted as a puppy by her owner, sophomore biology major Chris Olvera, three years ago when his father’s

 friend’s dog delivered a litter of puppies. 

Olvera describes Bella as being a very playful dog that loves people, attention and belly rubs. She also loves to play fetch with a variety of different toys, her favorite being water bottles. Olvera loves Bella’s friendliness, especially with his friends and family. He stated, “She always shows curiosity in my friends that she meets and easily warms up to them after some play time.”

If Olvera could pick one famous person to be the voice of Bella, it would be Elizabeth Olsen because he thinks they both encompass the same playful energy. 

Skye Coco

Skye Coco is a seven-month-old Shih Tzu who was given to her owner, Ortiz, as a gift from her grandpa before his passing. 

Junior criminal justice major Angela Ortiz described Skye Coco’s personality as energetic and sassy. Skye Coco’s favorite activities include sleeping, eating and going for walks around campus. Ortiz added, “The things I love the most about my dog are that she’s very fun-loving, but also very active and is always ready to watch Netflix.” If Ortiz could pick one famous person to be the voice of Skye Coco it would be Margot Robbie because she has similar qualities to the actress such as being very girly, sassy and independent.

Gibby

Gibby is a four-year-old pug who has been with his owner, sophomore kinesiology major Mia Gonzales, since the day he was born. Gonzales says that Gibby tends to be shy at first but he is affectionate and bubbly once he gets to know someone. His favorite activity is going to the events on campus and meeting new people. 

Gonzales loves Gibby for being her absolute best friend. She says, “He has taught me what unconditional love is and he’s always there for me no matter what.” 

If Gonzales could pick one famous person to be the voice of Gibby she would pick Andrew Garfield because he is her favorite actor. 

Jake

Jake is a twelve-year-old pug bought on Craigslist by his owner’s family in 2011. 

Jake’s owner, sophomore psychology major Bethany Garcia, described Jake as extremely social and interactive with everyone he meets. They say he is also a huge couch potato and loves to nap for

long periods of time. Jake’s favorite activity is going for walks, despite making Garcia carry him on the way back.

Garcia says what they love about Jake is that they have grown up together. They added, “We’ve seen each other through our roughest moments and I know he will always be there when I need someone to nap with.” If Garcia could pick a famous person to be the voice of Jake it would be the voice actor of Jake, the dog from “Adventure Time,” because he is named after the character. 

Juan

Juan is a thirteen-year-old chihuahua that was purchased by his owner’s mother. Senior English major Elisa Martinez says that her dog Juan was gifted to her and her sister as a surprise. “My mom got Juan for $200 from a friend when I was in second grade. She brought him wrapped up in a coat because it was winter and surprised me and my sister when we got off of school,” said Martinez.

Juan is described as being a loving but grumpy old man. He likes a quiet and peaceful environment and tends to bark at those who disturb it. Juan’s favorite activities are sleeping and taking baths. Martinez says what she loves most about him is how much he loves to relax. She says that Juan has back issues as a result of his old age, so he spends a lot of time sleeping. However, this does not stop him from losing his tenacity, and Martinez says that he is not afraid to bark at dogs much bigger than him. If she could pick one famous person to be the voice of Juan it would be Antonio Banderas because they seem similar. 

Kobe

Kobe is a three-month-old lab mix that was adopted by her owner’s family when a friend was giving away puppies for free. 

Biology graduate student Emily Ibarra says that Kobe is crazy, loving and dramatic all at the same time. She added that Kobe gets random bursts of energy that result in trying to bite other people’s shoes. Her favorite activities are sleeping in odd positions and doing nothing all day. “I love how she always wants belly rubs when she hasn’t seen you for a solid two minutes,” Ibarra added. If Ibarra could pick one famous person to be Kobe’s voice, it would be Megan Thee Stallion because she is sassy and independent like Kobe. 

Lana

Lana is a one-year-old pug that was taken in by her owner sophomore psychology major Hazel Medina about three months ago when she offered to take over caring for Lana from her boyfriend. Medina says that Lana is now a certified emotional support dog and goes everywhere with her.

She describes Lana as being a playful, energetic and sweet dog. Medina added, “Although, she is very attached to my boyfriend and I, so she will switch from playful to guard dog in a heartbeat if she senses any danger.” Lana’s favorite activities are swimming and chasing her Snoopy toy. What Medina loves the most about Lana is that she always finds a way to cuddle with her and make funny faces, even if Lana has just been in trouble for something. 

If she could pick a famous person to be the voice of Lana, it would be Jennifer Aniston because Lana’s relationship with her late brother Kobid reminds her of how Aniston and fellow actor Adam Sandler interact with each other in interviews. 

Oscar

Oscar is a twelve-year-old lab mix who was rescued from a shelter in 2011 by his owner’s family. 

Maddie Puente-Bonilla, a senior women’s, gender and sexuality major, describes him as being a super docile dog who loves people. She added that, despite his age, he still acts like a baby as he attempts to cuddle in people’s laps.

“Since he is a little old, his favorite activity is taking naps, but he used to love running laps around the park,” said Puente-Bonilla. What she loves most about Oscar is that he follows her around everywhere, making her feel protected. 

If she could pick one famous person to be the voice of Oscar, she would pick James Earl Jones because his voice would match Oscar’s personality perfectly. 

Romeo and Juliet

Romeo and Juliet are poodles that were adopted by their owner, senior communication major Gabriella Brandberry,

after she spent years wanting a dog, but refrained from getting one because of her allergies. As a result, she researched allergies related to dogs and decided that poodles would be the best option for her. She came across a rancher who bred poodles in memory of his late wife and found Romeo in 2018 and Juliet later in 2019. “The breeder had told me poodles were made entirely of love, and I can’t think of a better descriptor,” said Brandberry. She added that Romeo is talkative while Juliet is more shy and quiet and that she feels both of them share high intelligence and curiosity. Their favorite activities are road trips and going to the river. What Brandberry loves the most about Romeo and Juliet is that they are sweet, smart and super easy to train. 

Gabrielle could not think of a specific celebrity voice that would match their personalities, but in her head, she had always envisioned their voices as sounding young.