Get to know Babushka, our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Babu’s humans, Jo and Isabel, for their support.
Dog name: Babushka (Babu for short)
Age: 2
Breed: Border Collie X poodle
If rescued, where from?
While she is not a rescue dog, she is quite possibly a “farm accident” from Hawke’s Bay. We heard that her dad is an opportunistic “very smart and he knows it” Miniature Poodle, while her mum is a full-sized Border Collie. Not sure how the logistics of that works.
If dog of the month had not been a reward in our PledgeMe campaign, give us the pitch on why Babu would be dog of the month anyway
Babu is notorious in Newtown. She is the laser-focused, ball-chasing bandit across Newtown woof ruffs. Everyone who has witnessed her dashing to and fro, catching the ball mid-flight and tirelessly doing hill sprint after hill sprint in pursuit of a moving ball has probably thought to themselves: “Gee, that dog deserves a medal. If ever there should be a Spinoff dog of the month from Newtown, it is that dog right there.”
There is so much more to Babu than chasing balls, though! She also loves to follow Artemis (her flatmate cat) around way too closely like a creep, watch sport on TV, socialise with strangers, and nap on human beds.
The photo Babu would use for a social media or Tinder profile photo
The photo Babu would ask to be taken down if you shared it on social media
What is Babu’s idea of happiness? (stolen from Proust questionnaire)
- Wake up, lick a human face, chase a ball or frisbee (the longer this can go on for, the better)
- Eat bowl of old cheese shavings, exclusively
- Nap, multiple times, allowing for interruptions to follow Artemis around the house like a bad smell
- Go out to chase a ball or frisbee once again (the longer this can go on for, the better)
- Eat a cheese or dairy based dinner, sleeping for at least eight hours, dream of chasing objects
(Rinse, repeat)
A photo of Babu in her happy place
If Babu could talk, what famous voice would she sound like?
Chasing a ball, her voice would be like Aaron Smith yelling at the forwards to give up the ball because there is a two man overlap out wide. Creeping on Artemis, her voice would be like Ed the hyena, from the Lion King. All other times, she would sound like Hannah Arendt in her 60s. Wise, knowledgeable, sassy.
If you’ve ever dressed your dog for Halloween, Christmas or any seasonal occasion, please tell us why you chose the costume you did
We dressed Babu up as Count Dracula for Halloween once because the costume was on special.
Would you say Babu was charisma or glamour? (stolen from Dichotomies)
Babu is a lot of things, but not glamorous, she is too much of a battle-axe to care for glamour. However, she is very charismatic, particularly when beguiling some unsuspecting stranger who happens to be carrying dog treats or has the ability to throw an object for her to chase.
Thunder or lightning? (also stolen from Dichotomies)
Lightning. Definitely lightning.
What is Babu’s best quality?
Babu is a very curious dog. This makes her very independent and takes her to interesting places. She also gives the best cuddles.
What is Babu’s worst quality?
She is a bubble-bursting creep to Artemis. Whenever Artemis is around, Babu immediately turns into that punishing drunk at a party that backs you into a corner and repeats their terrible chat over and over, mere centimetres from your face.
What food would Babu want to see ranked by The Spinoff?
Babu would like to see “rinds and end bits of famous NZ cheese brands, cured and hardened in the fridge for two-plus weeks”, ranked.
Does Babu have a job?
Chasing round objects and herding Artemis is her raison d’etre, it is much more than a mere vocation.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. What’s Eating Aotearoa is a reader-funded editorial project from The Spinoff focused on food and how it shapes this country.