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Like Lewis Hamilton, his bulldog, Roscoe, was destined to be a champion. For the Formula 1 driver, being a dog parent was always part of the plan. Hamilton grew up splitting time between his divorced parents’ homes in Stevenage, England, and during weekends spent at his father’s house, he would count down the minutes until he could return to his beloved retriever, Goldie, who lived with his mother. Hamilton describes the day Goldie died as the saddest day of his life.
Luckily for Hamilton, his days soon got busier. Two years later, at just eight years old, he got into the business of racing, starting with go-karting, then Formula 3 and GP2, before reaching the pinnacle of the sport: Formula 1. Hamilton’s young racing life kept him traveling around the world, but whenever he returned home, he was welcomed by his parents’ pets, including many English sheepdogs. One day he decided he was ready to be a dog dad. “I remember telling my family that I wanted to get a dog,” explains Hamilton over Zoom. “But my family told me, ‘You wouldn’t be able to look after a dog,’ and I hate when people say I can’t do something. I like to prove them wrong.”
Hamilton took that resolve to the internet, where he began his search. When looking for his perfect dog, he had a few requirements: For one, a small- to medium-size dog was essential, as the racing pro is on the road traveling from one Grand Prix to the next for much of the year. Second on the checklist was a strong dog, ideally a boxer. This led him to bulldogs, which Hamilton describes simply as “the coolest dogs ever.”
“I scanned through probably a thousand dogs and looked through all these documents,” he recalls nostalgically. He was searching for the best pedigrees because, well, a champion race-car driver should only have a champion dog. Roscoe’s dad was a Spanish champion, and his mother was an Irish champion. It was also love at first sight: He took one look at the young puppy and knew Roscoe was the one.
For Lewis, becoming a dog dad has changed his life. Parenting came naturally to him, so much so that he adopted another bully named Coco (who sadly passed away in 2020 from an unexpected heart attack). With his dogs, Hamilton found constant partners. These days Roscoe goes wherever Hamilton goes, and the bulldog has even acquired the same tastes as his dad. “He likes fancy, fancy sneakers,” the driver explains. “He picks up my Dior trainers and always takes them with him. He’s so bougie.” Roscoe’s even acquired some human-like traits—like sleeping on his back and only being able to go to the toilet on “good grass” and in utter privacy.
Over the years, the 12-year-old bulldog has even become a star like Hamilton himself. Like any proud parent, Hamilton boasts about Roscoe’s talents (which include a Hollywood-star-level filmography). Most recently, the bulldog was featured and credited in F1: The Movie, starring alongside his dad, and has even dabbled in the world of brand ambassadorships for a vegan dog-food brand. When auditioning for commercials, 9 times out of 10 Roscoe gets picked and brings in a hefty paycheck himself.
Today, the celebrity dog is the cover star of Dogue, which comes just a few months after his dad graced the cover of Vogue. It’s been a big year for the Hamilton family, and we can only imagine what the duo might accomplish next.
Below, Lewis and Roscoe answer the Dogue questionnaire.
Vogue: What is your dog’s best quality?
Lewis Hamilton: Best quality? I think it’s his temperament, honestly. He is the kindest, such a sweetheart. Anyone can approach him from anywhere. He has never attacked anyone ever. He’s super, super easy. He doesn’t go crazy around other dogs. He’s just probably the most mellow dog there is, really, until he sees a bowling ball or football.
Who would voice your dog in a movie?
Well, I would, unless I can find someone else. He’s got an underbite because he’s a bulldog. If you look on his Instagram, you’ll see I always put S’s after the words because he’s definitely got a lisp. So I would have to find someone who could do a lisp to voice Roscoe. Until then, that person would be me. [Editor’s note: Hamilton imitated Roscoe when describing this.]
Describe the voice you use to talk to your dog.
When I talk to him, I always talk with a lisp. I talk like how I imagine he’s talking back to me.
What is your dog’s weirdest nickname, and how did you come up with it?
I’ve never known a dog to have a nickname. We don’t have a nickname for him. He’s a classy dog.
Where is one place you wish you could take your dog?
I would love to take him surfing in Hawaii, but he hates water. He’s been terrified of water since he was a pup. Coco would run for waves, and he runs away from the waves. I don’t know if he’s had a past life, but he’s such a wuss when it comes to water. But the funniest thing is when I wash him in the shower and tell him to come in, he puts his head down as if he’s in trouble and walks in all sad, tries to give you the guilt, like a kid would give you. But then we wash him, and he’s so happy and starts rolling around. He’s having the best time. So he hates the idea of having a wash but loves it afterward.
Where is the strangest place you’ve taken your dog?
I don’t know if it’s strange, but I went to the movies with him a couple of times. The first time I went was to watch Guardians of the Galaxy. It was just him and me. It was 3D, and he sat on the chair next to me, and I put 3D glasses on him, and he sat there watching it for five minutes, and I just couldn’t stop laughing. I couldn’t focus on the movie. He’s just sitting there, he’s watching. You could tell he is so confused. And then he passed out on the chair, and he was snoring the whole movie. And everyone in the theater was laughing because you could hear him snoring loud.
If you could tell your dog one thing, what would it be?
So here’s a funny story: His trainer took him to see a medium, and she sent me a voice note of this whole story that this medium told. He said that all Roscoe wants is some bacon because he’s been plant-based for seven years. So I would say, “I’m really sorry that I’m not giving you any bacon.”
What is the most human thing your dog does?
Farts. He farts a lot. Well, not a lot. I would say when we’re in the mountains or high up, it happens to all of us. Or he sleeps on his back. He sleeps on my bed, and he is literally on his back like a spring chicken, like a turkey. And I have to kick him out in the middle of the night because he is snoring so much. It is like your best friend snoring—you have to kick him like, Hey, stop snoring. And he stops for a second and then goes back into it.
What is the most dog thing your dog does?
He loves rolling around in the mud.
What is your full name?
Roscoe Carl Davidson Hamilton
Astrological sign?
Scorpio
Favorite toy?
Squeaky balls. I go nuts over a ball, but I especially love bowling balls and footballs. I have a little bit of that bull trait in me, and I won’t stop until I pass out when I have a ball.
Favorite meal?
Breakfast on Christmas morning, watermelon, and pineapple. I love pancakes like my dad, and our favorite flavor is blueberry. And clearly bacon, but I haven’t had it in a long time.
Worst habit?
My dad has to wear earplugs because I snore and shake the bed. He tells me it’s cute, though.
Strangest habit?
I pick up my dad’s bougiest trainers (I love his Dior ones in particular), and I love to put my head down on them. I never, ever chew the shoes because I am not that kind of dog but just like to rest my head on shoes. I also only poo on grass, but good grass and only when no one is watching. I can’t have my dad standing next to me when I poop.
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