For our last issue, we went out to the dog hotspots of the West, in search of some of our Island’s cutest dogs. After papping furry friends of many different breeds and sizes, we put it to you guys to vote for your favourite. It was a close call between LiLoup, expert rabbit chaser, and the Insta-worthy duo Huntar and Gunnar, spotted prancing gracefully around St Peter’s Reservoir. In the end it was the former that came out on top.
LiLoup was the result of endless begging by Tristen’s son, Malo, supported by his sister Lya and “more surreptitiously” by their mum Nadine. Pleading notes were left all over the house – socks drawers, coat pockets, you name it – they did it.
Nadine is French, so in the short gap between border closures during the pandemic she and her friend Sophie raced to France to pick up LiLoup and her identical partner in crime, Raven. “It was all very dramatic as to whether they would get back before the border closed”, Tristen said. Luckily, they just made it.
Whilst the reason behind the name ‘Raven’ is pretty self-explanatory, ‘LiLoup’ is one that alights curiosity. It was a matter that was settled one day at the Midbay Cafe, when Tristen proposed ‘Wolfie’, spurring his daughter Lya to come up with ‘LiLoup’ – ‘little’ mixed with ‘loup’ (wolf in French). After all, LiLoup is a French dog in a French family.
Whilst the dogs are often mistaken for each other, Raven much prefers the countryside around Trinity, whilst Liloup can be found “cruising the beaches and the dunes out West”. It was there that we spotted her, soaking up the winter rays on a crisp, wintery Sunday morning. Little did she know she was about to become (arguably) Jersey’s most famous Eurasian*.
In winning the coveted ‘Gallery Ball’ LiLoup would like to thank her friends in Canada, USA, New Zealand, Switzerland, Spain, France, UK and of course Jersey for voting for her. Special mentions go to her doggie friends, Coco and Buddy, for all their love and support.
*A gentle family dog originally bred in Germany in the 1960s. They are a cross between European and Asian Spitz, the Chow and Wolfspitzer.
Tristen Dodd
Breed: Human
Age: 241 dog years
Hobbies: Surfing, fitness training and Duolingo.
Dislikes: Walking the dog on rainy dark evenings.
Likes: Cuddling the dog by the fire afterwards. Spending time with the children.
Favourite thing? Dog walks with good friends on fine winter afternoons, followed by a beer and a laugh by the fire in a warm country pub. Yes, there’s a bit of a fire theme going on here.
If I were an animal I would be: A seagull. They are amazing at surfing soaring air currents, and of course, who wouldn’t like having free chips.
Main goal in life: To simply be content – spending time with fun, interesting people, traveling the great outdoors and enjoying family and friends.
Interesting Fact: I’m good at fixing almost anything with Gaffer tape.
Biggest achievement: Getting spat on by Metallica whilst working as a stage hand at the Freddie Mercury Memorial Concert.
LiLoup
Breed: Eurasian
Age: 5 human years this May.
Hobbies: Chasing rabbits
Dislikes: Being home alone, the fire alarm and the sound of a Coca Cola bottle opening.
Likes: Belly scratches, sleeping in Lya’s bed and playing hide and seek.
Favourite thing? Being out in the cold weather and successfully catching a rabbit/bird.
If I were a human I would be: A hairy, gentle and loyal person, with murderous intentions towards rabbits.
Main goal in life: Rabbits.
Interesting Fact: Can understand French.
Biggest achievement: Learning how to kiss, ‘stay’ and hold out my paw.
