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As a kid growing up in Michigan, making it to the NBA was not the only thing Devin Booker yearned for. “My whole life I always wanted a dog, [but] my brother was allergic,” he tells Vogue. “Then, once I got to the NBA, my brother lived with me for some time. The second he moved out, I brought Haven in.”
That was six and a half years ago, and the six-foot-six Phoenix Suns point guard and 140-pound cane corso have been inseparable ever since. They’re avid hikers (Haven is partial to the Grand Canyon), enjoy lounging at home (sometimes by the pool or basketball court, but mostly in the well-appointed living room), and, as they did for their Dogue photo shoot, spend much of the NBA offseason basking on the beaches of Lake Michigan. Indeed, Haven enjoys the perks of having a wildly successful pro-athlete owner, but perhaps his biggest flexes are these: In April 2024, Booker’s signature shoe, the Nike Book 1, was released in a new colorway—a black base reminiscent of Haven’s gleaming coat, with a brown marbled swoosh inspired by his eyes. The Nike Book 1 Haven sold out immediately. A month later, when Booker became a playable Call of Duty character, Haven was rendered for the video game too, along with a “Sick ‘Em Haven” finishing move.
That Haven isn’t in the frame when Booker hops on Zoom with Vogue is surprising, because “he’s never further than six or seven feet from me,” the exceedingly proud dog father says. (Booker just happens to be on the golf course; they’ll be reunited soon enough.)
Though their bond couldn’t have been predicted, a dog with Haven’s unwavering loyalty—and the size and aptitude for outdoor adventures—is what Booker was hoping to find when he began his search for a four-legged companion. His canine preference did not fall on deaf ears: “Bro, are you still looking for a dog?” Booker’s former teammate Jamal Crawford texted one day. “He had retired, but he remembered me talking about wanting to get a dog,” Booker says. Crawford, who owns Haven’s cousin, urged Booker to look into cane corsos. “Everything I read up on them I loved,” says Booker, “and yeah, the rest is history.”
Earlier this year, the Booker family expanded with the addition of Hector, Haven’s son. “We’re still getting acquainted,” Booker says, but the NBA star now confides in them both about all that goes on in his life. “They’re the only ones I tell everything to,” Booker says.
So they know all the tea? “For sure.”
Below, Devin Booker answers the Dogue questionnaire.
Vogue: What is Haven’s best quality?
Booker: Loyalty. When I first got Haven, he was more of a guard dog. Even when my family members came over, he’d get a little snappy. But he adjusted to the lifestyle of a lot of moving parts and people around, and now he makes everybody feel at home. He’s also kind of the “whatever you want to do” dog. He’ll play for as long as you want, but if it’s a chill day and you want to sleep, he’ll be right there with you.
Do you use a special voice to talk to your dogs?
I talk to Haven like he’s a kid going to college, and Hector like a baby. So I kind of talk to them based on their age range.
Do they have nicknames?
Haven has so many given to him by my friends. I’ve heard Big Hungry, Big H. His full name is actually Grand Haven Booker, from Grand Haven, Michigan. So Haven’s technically his middle name, but that’s what everyone calls him. Hector’s nickname is Hector Holmes.
Where is one place you wish you could take your dog?
I’d love to see Haven in the city. I’ve probably taken him to every mountain town possible, and he loves to hike, but I think taking him out of that environment and putting him in New York could be pretty crazy.
Where is the strangest place you’ve taken your dog?.
I just threw the first pitch out in Detroit at Comerica Park for a Tigers game. I don’t know how many people have brought their dogs to a baseball game, but I thought that was pretty special. I texted one of my friends a picture and his comment back was, “Bark in the park,” which I thought was hilarious.
What’s the most human thing your dogs do?
They always enjoy a nap. They love to sleep.
What’s the most dog thing that they do?
Hector’s a little more playful and untrained, so he’s sporadic. He’ll give you some random barks and you don’t know what’s going on. But Haven’s pretty chill. He uses his voice wisely, but when he does, it’s definitely a showstopper.
Do you know their astrological signs?
I don’t. I need to dive into that.
What are their favorite toys?
Honestly, I’ve bought everything on the market, but those guys, they’ll ditch their toys and go find a stick. Or they love a bone that’s supposed to be undestroyable, but they can destroy it.
Do they have a favorite meal?
I had Haven on a raw diet for a couple years, so he was eating pretty much everything that I was eating; my chef would just get the scraps for him. So any protein—salmon, steak, chicken. But I put him back on kibble. He was raised on kibble, and when I tried to switch over to the raw diet, I don’t think his stomach was holding up too well. But I am inspired by the TikTok videos I see of people whipping up gourmet meals for their dogs.
Do they have any bad habits?
Haven is super spiteful when I leave him at the house. I’ll clear his bladder, make sure he gets it out before I leave, but he’ll usually leave a little mark, a little piss stain somewhere. He doesn’t do it on furniture—he’ll usually do it on a surface he knows we can clean up—but he definitely lets me know I shouldn’t leave him.
If you could tell your dogs one thing, what would it be?
I tell them everything.
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