From costly purebreds and ‘oodles’ to staffys and rescue dogs: The dogs of sporting stars and WAGs
Worried about crime in Brighton, influencer Bec Judd now has a Rhodesian ridgeback — a dog known for their guarding and lion-hunting abilities. See the breeds Melbourne A-listers are choosing.
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It’s said you can judge a person’s character by the way they treat their dog.
It’s also said you can tell a lot about a person by the breed or type of dog they are most drawn to, or own.
Victoria’s sporting stars (past and present), WAGs and influencers own everything from expensive pedigrees, designer ‘oodles’, to cheerful staffies, working dogs and pound hounds.
Are these dogs a fitting reflection of their owners?
The Judd family: Rhodesian ridgeback
Former AFL star Chris Judd and his influencer wife, Bec, have recently welcomed a Rhodesian ridgeback puppy called Snoop into their family.
Bec, who has publicly campaigned about the level of crime increasing in her patch of well-heeled Brighton, has selected a famously protective breed that makes an excellent guard dog when mature.
Historically used to hunt lions in Africa, these big, strong and fiercely loyal dogs are beautiful looking but extremely powerful and can be independent and stubborn. They are, however, usually even tempered, affectionate and loving towards their family members.
They are also an active and high-needs breed and as such are not usually recommended for inexperienced dog owners because of the requirement for extensive training, exercise and mental stimulation.
The breed’s most distinguishing feature is a ridge of hair that grows along the spine from the shoulders to the hipbones in the reverse direction from the rest of its shiny, beautifully copper-coloured coat.
“Officially in the dog season of our lives,” Bec posted in August, with a video of Snoop as a small puppy.
“He’s a Rhodesian ridgeback but a less common liver nose (brown) so often confused with a Hungarian vizla,” she said, adding Snoop would grow to be quite a lot bigger than a vizla.
In an October 20 post she showed an already much bigger Snoop snuggling with one of her children on the floor, with the comment “Boy loves dog. Dog loves boy”, to which former WAG and social media influencer Nadia Bartel responded: “Awww”.
Brodie Grundy: Golden retriever
The former Collingwood then Melbourne champ, who has now signed on with the Sydney Swans, favours the dog breed most known for its even temperament and gentle, affectionate nature, the golden retriever. So obliging is Grundy’s adored dog Sam he just last week posed up in a pair of socks to raise awareness for Ronald McDonald House alongside his owner.
“Sam is always stealing our socks, so we decided to get him his own pair of McHappy Day Silly Socks,” Grundy posted.
Jack Viney: Bernese mountain dog
Melbourne star Jack Viney and his influencer wife Charlotte have a “big, cuddly bear” of a dog in Sebastian the Bernese mountain dog. ‘Berners’ like Sebastian don’t come cheap — usually costing thousands of dollars — and they also live for an average of less than eight years.
But according to the authority on all things canine, the American Kennel Club (AKC), these big, powerful and strikingly beautiful dogs typically have a sweet, affectionate nature and are placid and very good with kids — a blessing for the Vineys, who are parents.
A hardy dog with a stunning tricoloured black, white and tan coat — the good looks of Berners also make them highly Instagrammable. They thrive in cold weather thanks to their origins as a farm dog in Switzerland.
Nick Kyrgios: Dachshund (AKA ‘Wiener dog’)
Tennis bad boy Nick Kyrgios shares with his influencer partner Costeen Hatzi a very small but very cute dachshund.
In an August Instagram post by Hatzi of the trio in the car, Kyrgios said “my beautiful family”.
Often called wiener or sausage dogs, dachshunds may be small but they have big personalities. Originally bred to hunt badgers and other tunnelling animals like rabbits and foxes, dachshunds have even been used to track and hunt wild boar.
According to the AKC, the dachshund’s German history dates back some 600 years, with the breed developed to be able to dig its way into a badger den and dispatch its ferocious occupant. It’s long, low body was “custom made for this dirty, subterranean work”, the AKC says, adding the little dog’s “surprisingly loud, houndy bark” belied its small stature.
Tayla Harris: Border collies
High profile Demons AFLW player and boxer Tayla Harris favours a smart, obedient, active and reliable working dog breed — the border collie.
A big dog lover, Harris frequently posts on socials about her dogs Beans and Elaine (named after the Seinfield character).
Bred to herd livestock, medium-sized border collies are remarkably intelligent workaholics that need lots of training, exercise and mental stimulation in order not to become bored and destructive.
With Tayla Harris’ extraordinary athleticism and focus, that shouldn’t ever be a problem for her dogs.
Tom Lynch: Groodle
Gryff the groodle — a cross between a poodle and golden retriever — featured prominently in the proposal of Richmond star Tom Lynch to his now wife Olivia Burke, with the romantic gesture taking part in a dog park.
According to Groodles Australia, the so-called designer dogs can vary in size, colour and coat type (wool, straight or fleece) and are a highly social breed suited to families.
Their happy-go-lucky and fun-loving nature makes them usually both people and dog friendly, while their poodle lineage makes them smart and highly trainable.
While a groodle rarely possesses aggressive tendencies, they can, however, make good guard dogs with their loud bark. Like retrievers, groodles are usually great swimmers and love water.
Jayden Hunt: Staffy
Former Brighton Grammar School student and now West Coast Eagles player Jayden Hunt loves a cheeky, friendly, love-bomb of a staffy.
Simba the dog featured prominently on Hunt’s Instagram when he was a pup and a boisterous young dog — in 2018 and 2019 — but not recently.
The Staffordshire bull terrier, also called the Staffy, is a purebred dog of small to medium size that originated in the northern parts of Birmingham and in the Black Country of Staffordshire, for which it is named. They descended from 19th-century bull terriers that were developed by crossing bulldogs with various terriers.
Staffys are known for their outgoing, friendly, mischievous natures, funny antics and love of people, particularly children.
However, they can be reactive and even aggressive towards other dogs if not socialised and trained well from an early age.
Mark Philippoussis: Rescue dog
Former Australian tennis star Mark Philippoussis and his Victorian Surf Coast based family could afford any purebred dog they desired — but they have opted for a pound hound.
Last year Philippoussis and his family adopted an energetic, mixed-breed puppy on popular reality show The Dog House Victoria.
Philippoussis, who has previously had, and loved, a rescue dog, has since posted many happy photos and a video on Instagram of his family with its new best friend.
“I wasn’t ready (to adopt),” Philippoussis said on The Dog House.
“I just felt like I was putting these unfair expectations on, no matter what dog came through that door, because of the connection I had with (my past rescue dog) Myka (but) we were driving, and I called to say ‘get the paperwork ready’,” he said.
“I fell in love with her.”
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