Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

Happy National Dog Day!

August 25, 2025

Abigail Arnold | Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

They say dogs are man’s best friends – and surely they are graduate students’ best friends too! They are there to keep Brandeis’s students company through thick and thin. Since dogs are such longtime companions, to celebrate National Dog Day (August 26) this year, we asked students to share pictures and stories of their dogs from when they first entered their lives and from today. Read on to be charmed!
Left: Honey, a terrier, stands on a rock in the mountains. Right: Honey sits on a lounge wearing a pearl collar.

Name: Honey

Human Companion: Karen Alfaro, PhD student in Social Policy

Then and Now: “Honey is a mixed terrier I rescued at the end of 2019, though I’d say she rescued me. She’s my best friend and the best travel companion. Honey loves the outdoors but definitely has her diva moments. The photo of her in the mountains was taken just a few months after I rescued her, during a drive along the Pacific Coast Highway in California where we made a quick stop for the views. The other picture was taken during Christmas time in 2024, showing one of her most diva poses, while we were at a dog-friendly restaurant in San Diego.”

Left: Iggy, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, sits in a carrier in a car. Right: Iggy stands on a rug looking up and wearing a bandana and butterfly hair clip.

Name: Iggy

Human Companion: Leon Bester, master’s student in Business Administration

Then and Now: “Iggy is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. When she arrived in our lives, she was very shy. Now, she won’t leave our side and is very protective of us.”

Left: Kira, a Siberian Husky puppy, lies on the floor with a toy. Right: An older Kira stands outside wearing a bandana.

Name: Kira

Human Companion: Chloe Boatright, PhD student in Mathematics

Then and Now: “Kira is a soon-to-be seven-year-old Siberian Husky. When she was a puppy, she had a stubby snout and her ears were too big for her head. Now, she has a long snout, her ears are more proportionate, and she has settled down a bit.”

Left: Mallory, a small dog, lies on a blanket chewing her foot. Right: Mallory sits on a chair.

Name: Mallory

Human Companion: Wilson Borkowski, master’s student in Philosophy

Then and Now: “In 2016, a family friend found my dog Mallory as a puppy (best estimate eight months) wandering at an intersection. Now, she has become the boss of the house.”

Left: Mocha, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, stands on a doormat looking up. Right: Mocha sits on a couch holding a toy tiger.

Name: Mocha

Human Companion: Chelsea Braithwaite, master’s student in Biochemistry and Biophysics

Then and Now: “Mocha is a one year old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. She was scared of everything when we got her, containing herself to the doormat, but now she has so much energy and many toys and dog friends!”

Left: Orlaith, a puppy, lies on a cushion. Right: An older Orlaith stands outside and looks at the camera.

Name: Orlaith

Human Companion: Shannon Cattie, master’s student in Biochemistry and Biophysics

Then and Now: “Orlaith’s name is Gaelic for golden princess, and she takes her role as royalty very seriously. She can often be found peering out over her kingdom (the backyard) and demanding lots of pets and treats at all times.”

Left: Milo, a puppy, knocks another puppy down. Right: Milo rests in the arms of Marie Comuzzo, a PhD student.

Name: Milo

Human Companion: Marie Comuzzo, PhD student in Musicology

Then and Now: “Before, Milo was a feral cuteness overload bossing his sister under their mom’s watch. Now, he is a certified cuddle expert with a PhD in stealing hearts (and still a feral gremlin bossing his sister).”

Left: Piper, a Staffie/Pitbull/Pyrenees mix, sits on the ground. Right: Piper lies on the grass wearing a bandana.

Name: Piper

Human Companion: Yamir Crespo, master’s student in Anthropology

Then and Now: “Piper is a Staffie/Pitbull/Pyrenees mix. She was a nervous puppy, but she was full of love to give to all. She's now six years old and still brightens everyone's day. She loves chewing sticks and palms, taking in the summer heat, eating the winter snow, and cuddling and giving kisses. She has a complicated relationship with her feline sister.”

Left: Lincoln, a one-day-old Chihuahua mix puppy, is held by PhD student Kerry Jo Green. Right: An older Lincoln lies on a blanket.

Name: Lincoln

Human Companion: Kerry Jo Green, PhD student in History

Then and Now: “Lincoln is an eleven-year-old Chihuahua mix. He is twenty pounds of attitude who loves to eat anything that crunches (especially carrots), hates wheels of all kinds, and has been my best friend since the day I met him (also the day he was born).”

Left: Kirby, a dark-colored Yorkie mix puppy, stands outside. Right: An older and lighter-colored Kirby runs on a leash in the grass.

Name: Kirby

Human Companion: Hannah Harrison, PhD student in Chemistry

Then and Now: “Kirby is a twelve-year-old Yorkie mix. He turned grey at only a year old and, while he looks very old, still acts like a puppy. He's very adventurous and goes hiking and climbing with me.”

Left: Caicai, a Shiba Inu, stands outside on a leash. Right: Caicai stands inside.

Name: Caicai

Human Companion: Yuan He, master’s student in Business Analytics

Then and Now: “Caicai is a Shiba Inu. When he first came home, he was very shy. Now, he’s happy every day, very well-behaved, and loves going out to play.”

Left: Olive, a dog, sits on a rug. Right: Olive lies on a couch next to Gustavo, a cat.

Name: Olive

Human Companion: Zach Knotts, PhD student in Molecular and Cell Biology

Then and Now: “Olive is eight years young with plenty of sass. She is mostly seen spending time with brother Gustavo, AKA ‘baby Gus,’ the cat she pretends to hate. Olive likes to watch her parents eat, hoping that she will receive something equally delicious.”

Left: Waffles, an Akita/Husky/German Shepherd mix, sits in a car. Right: Waffles sits on a rug.

Name: Waffles

Human Companion: Ersie Konstas, PhD student in Sociology

Then and Now: “Waffles is an Akita/Husky/German Shepherd mix. When we first adopted him as a puppy he would not go to sleep unless someone was sleeping right next to his crate. As he has gotten older, Waffles is much more independent and now acts as baby security to his new human baby sister. He sleeps next to his sister’s crib just as we slept next to him when he was a puppy. Waffles is a wonderful dog, best friend, and protector.”

Left: Two pictures of Kiwi, a dog, one lying on a bed and one in a car. Right: three images of an older Kiwi, one lying outside, one lying in a blanket on a rug, and one standing by the water.

Name: Kiwi

Human Companion: Kathleen Maigler, PhD student in Neuroscience

Then and Now: “She may have more grey hair and fewer teeth, but Kiwi's eyebrows still express her joy for life – and ducks.”

Left: Mars and Pluto, two golden retriever puppies, lie in a blanket on top of newspaper. Right: Adult Mars and Pluto sit outside wearing red jackets.

Names: Mars and Pluto

Human Companion: Tara Mohan, master’s student in Global Health Policy and Management

Then and Now: “Mars and Pluto are rescued golden retrievers. When they first arrived, they were too polite to take treats from anyone's hand. Now they've mastered the art of the synchronized head tilt and can guilt trip a sandwich out of you from across the room.”

Left: Gibson, an Australian Shepherd puppy, sits on a colorful blanket. Right: An older Gibson lies on the beach.

Name: Gibson

Human Companion: Tony Moureilles, master’s student in International Economics and Finance

Then and Now: “Gibson is an Australian Shepherd. When we first got him, he was scared of waves at the beach; nowadays, he still won't swim, but he does get his legs wet.”

Left: Helix, a dog, stands on the sand among footprints. Right: Helix stands in the ocean.

Name: Helix

Human Companion: Cori Posner, PhD student in Biochemistry and Biophysics

Then and Now: “Helix has always loved the beach, but now he's not afraid to go in the water!”

Left: Reign of Terror, a dark-colored shih tzu puppies, sits on a blanket with a stuffed toy. Right: An older and lighter-colored Reign of Terror sits on a couch.

Name: Reign of Terror

Human Companion: Diane Rohrer, PhD student in Psychology

Then and Now: “Reign of Terror is a shih tzu. Over the years, her fur has lost its darkness, but don't worry – it has been absorbed by her soul. Seriously, we don't call her Reign of Terror for nothing.”

Left: Milo, a puppy, lies on a couch. Right: An older Milo lies outside on the grass.

Name: Milo

Human Companion: Pamela Rosales, PhD student in Molecular and Cell Biology

Then and Now: “Milo is (allegedly) a terrier mix. We adopted him when he was two months old from Northshore Animal Shelter and were told that he'd be a thirty-five to forty-pound dog. He now weighs almost eighty pounds. Milo has always loved to sit on the couch and look out the window to watch the people in passing the streets, birds flying around, and bunnies eating grass. Milo is a sweet six-year-old dog who completes my family's life.”

Left: Noah, a miniature poodle puppy, stands outside on a rock. Right: An older Noah looks at the camera, with the Gateway Arch in the background.

Name: Noah

Human Companion: Jake Shawskiy, PhD student in Biochemistry and Biophysics

Then and Now: “Noah is an eleven-year-old miniature poodle. My family rescued him from an abusive home as a puppy. Now he lives with me and just accompanied me on a road trip across the country!”

Left: Baby, a dog, lies on his back being petted. Right: Baby looks at the camera and sticks out his tongue.

Name: Baby

Human Companion: Roni Sosis, PhD student in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies

Then and Now: “When we rescued Baby, he was an anxious ex-breeding dog with a mouth full of rotting teeth and incontinence issues. Now, after four years of love and some expensive vet bills, he is an anxious toothless dog with incontinence issues – and lots of cuddles!”

Left: Stella, a corgi-mini-Australian-shepherd mix, lies on a blanket with a stuffed blue penguin in front of a whiteboard describing her first vet visit. Right: An older Stella sits on the rug with a large stuffed corgi.

Name: Stella

Human Companion: Liv Zinn, PhD student in Sociology

Then and Now: “Stella is a corgi-mini-Australian-shepherd mix. When she first arrived last December, she loved to carry around a small blue penguin the vets gave her. Half a year later, she's much bigger, so her toys have grown, too!”

And on the staff end...

Left: Lucy and Louise, two Shih Tzus, each sit inside. Right: Lucy and Louise both sit on the grass and look up at the camera.

Names: Lucy and Louise

Human Companion: Jaclyn Farina, Assistant Dean of Admission

Then and Now: “Lucy and Louise are two sweet Shih Tzus who may not be related, but they lived together in the same home for a year before joining our family six months ago. Though they were a bit hesitant at first, they’ve since settled in beautifully. These days, they love soaking up the sun, curling up in laps for cozy snuggles, and keeping a close eye on the yard, especially when it comes to chasing rabbits.”

Left: Zilla, a corgi, lies on the rug with Russet, a corgi puppy, curled around her nose. Right: An older Zilla and Russet lie on the floor.

Names: Zilla and Russet

Human Companion: Becky Prigge, Assistant Dean of Student Affairs

Then and Now: “Meet the adorable mother-and-son duo, Zilla (four years old) and Russet (eight months old)! Last summer, after the unexpected loss of our beloved corgi, Kitty, we decided to volunteer as foster parents for a pregnant Zilla. We quickly fell in love with her calm, gentle personality and decided to adopt her AND one of her pups! Zilla had a tough pregnancy and was often nauseous. The only thing that would entice her to eat was melting butter over her food. Since corgis resemble potatoes, we started calling her puppies ‘buttered potatoes’ and that's how Russet got his name!”