Clothing Brand Inspired Dog Names

Of all the modern comedy shows on television, few were held in such high regard as Parks and Recreation. Originally inspired by the comedic genius of Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant’s The Office (the British version, which then inspired the American hit), Parks and Recreation took the genre beyond its origins and into a realm of its own, mastering the interview style and meshing it with a fantastic cast of “normal” characters working their boring old jobs. 

Although the characters were significantly different in terms of personality, they occasionally end up with some overlap, one of the most endearing of which was their insatiable love for animals, especially dogs. In one episode, April Ludgate saves an animal shelter from being closed down. In another, nearly the entire cast fawns over Lil’ Sebastian, a local celebrity pony and later in the series, they even hold him a funeral. In another yet, the cast tries to figure out what their spirit dogs are. 

But one of the most beloved reoccurring animal characters in the series is Champion, who Andy so names because he claims that “Champion is the champion of the world.” In real life, Champion’s real name is Lucy and she’s a three-legged dog actor who also appears in an episode of The Office, as well as numerous other commercials. 

Champion plays numerous roles throughout the series, many of which hold great importance for a few characters individually. After Andy and April adopt him from a local shelter, the dog helps to cement their budding relationship by adding in some responsibility to both of their plates. He’s shown to be good at just about everything (except digging for obvious reasons) and often brings light to whomever he comes in contact with, with a momentary exception of Ron Swanson, whom Champion pees on at the ice rink in Episode 11 of Season 4. He also becomes especially important to Chris Traeger (Rob Lowe) when Chris takes care of him during April and Andy’s honeymoon by helping him to overcome his sadness. Chris even teaches him commands in German. 

But the real Champion, Lucy, is just as much of an inspiration. Originally adopted from a Los Angeles Pit Bull Rescue in 2004, Lucy worked with many trainers over her acting career. It’s unknown how she lost her leg, but those who know her believe it must have been in her youth, as by the time she was adopted, she was already highly proficient in doing just about everything she needed to with the other three. Those who have worked with her say she shows no care for being three-legged and still composes herself with great determination, even when the activities she wants to participate in are considerably harder for her compared to most other dogs. She is said to be extremely sweet and intelligent. 

 Outside of Parks and Recreation and The Office, she’s appeared in a Crown Royal commercial, was an extra in Hotel For Dogs, and even retrieved her own fake leg in Jackass 2.