Published: 8/2/2021
 When someone mentions famous Olympic athletes, our minds tend to think about their pawmazing feats: swimming like seals, leaping like grasshoppers and running like cheetahs. In reality, these champions are just like most of the rest of humanity in their love for pets, especially dogs. 

While Usain Bolt, the fastest man on the planet, calls a cheetah his best furiend, many other Olympians have embraced pups as their best fur-buddies, a few of whom are famous in their own right. Let’s find out about some more about these famous Olympians’ dogs.

Simone Biles is a superstar whose name is known all over the world as the Olympic women’s athlete with the most medals. Inarguably the greatest U.S. woman gymnast of her generation, Simone has another love to confess: her two French bulldogs Lilo and Rambo. These adorable doggos are the pawfect match for Simone’s upbeat, can-do style of competing, and they keep her centered off the stage, too. Having grown up with three family German Shepherds, Simone is no stranger to Pup Parenting and she takes her role seriously. Lilo and Rambo have their own Instagram account, The Biles Frenchies. Check it out for lots of great photos of Simone with her pups!

Michael Phelps was called the greatest Olympic swimmer in the world prior to his retirement in 2017, and he might still be. Retiring from competition after winning 18 gold medals in swimming, he’s now a father to his son Boomer and a daughter named Beckett. Phelps is also a Pup Parent to two French bulldogs named Juno and Legend. He and his wife Nicole dote on these two canine pals, and Juno’s personal Instagram page contains numerous photos of her lounging near the pool. While Juno loves the water like her pup dad, she still needs a lifejacket. She and Legend can be seen in many of the photos with little Boomer Phelps, who sleeps beside them and plays puppy games with them. Awwwwww.

Young Chloe Kim took on some of the world’s slickest snowboarders at the 2018 Winter Olympics, where she became the youngest woman snowboarder to win a gold medal. After her win, she was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated with her pup Reese. Reese is a miniature Australian Shepherd who goes everywhere with Chloe. After the SI cover came out, searches for Chloe and Reese on the web skyrocketed and Chloe once joked that Reese had become more famous than she was.

The Williams sisters have each won four gold medals at the Olympics, but they also share their love of dogs along with their love of tennis. They each have small pups that can fit into their tennis bags, though they never take them on-court. They all make perfect lap dogs, including Venus’s Havanese named Harold. Serena’s doggos are a Maltese named Laurelei and a Yorkshire Terrier named Chip. These three fur-buddies aren’t up on the finer points of tennis, but they love their mommas and are always waiting when Serena and Venus come off the court!

Three-time Olympic medalist Lindsay Vonn is a proud Pet Parent to Lucy, Leo and Bear. A genuine dog person, Lindsay has long been part of the dog adoption scene, and all three of her adopted pups care for her in ways that have, in her opinion, literally saved her. When Vonn had to drop out of the 2014 Winter Olympics to have knee surgery, her newly adopted Lab, Boxer and Staffordshire Terrier mix named Leo was her constant companion through the anxiety and depression she suffered. Her second dog, a Chow Retriever named Bear, and Lucy, her “diva dog” fond of wearing a pink tutu, are also always there for her. Lucy, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel rescue is small enough to take with her when she travels, and as Vonn tells it, is ready to listen any time of the day or night. Lucy also co-hosts Lindsay’s Amazon televised competition show, “The Pack.” (Think “Amazing Race” but with dogs competing, too.)

Gibson the Maltipoo and Magic the Maltese are Aly Reisman’s “fur-vorite” companions. The two-time gold medalist met Gibson at an NBC promo that also featured puppies, and immediately fell in love! Gibson was a shelter dog, and he melted Aly’s heart at first sight. These two doggos are at her side whenever she’s not competing or traveling. If she’s away from home, she FaceTimes with them with the help of Reisman’s mom and dad! 

These seven famous Olympian Dog Parents are the gold standards for their respective sports, and their love of dogs puts them first in the hearts of Wagsters as well!  Looking to add a new furry furiend to your pack? Check out all the furbulous dog breeds featured on Wag!