She’s a fashionista on all fours. A clothes hound with a nose for designer duds who’s done magazine shoots and commercials and been featured in calendars.
She’s Hokulani, surely one of Hawaii’s best-dressed dogs.
The 10-year-old Pomeranian started dressing up about eight years ago, according to owner Norman Dung of Kaneohe. "We started out with some simple T-shirts and just got more and more elaborate," he said.
Her wardrobe includes more than 125 outfits, designer purses, jewelry and accessories. Her fashion tastes range from dresses, kimonos and costumes to everyday tees. And she’s not afraid to camp it up. She even has a Spam outfit to wear to the annual Spam Jam street festival in Waikiki.
Fans are always giving her stuff to add to her collection, Dung said.
"People kept giving her (clip-on) flowers, so we started attaching them to the glasses," he said. Hokulani can be seen wearing her flower-adorned UV goggles at most of her outings.
Dung and his wife, Debbie, know it’s all in fun, but they say they have been getting out of the house more often because they enjoy the smiles they get when Hokulani is out and about at parades, festivals and sporting events. They recently started going to University of Hawaii softball games.
"It’s free, dog-friendly, and she’s dressed in a cheerleader’s outfit," he said.
Some of the items in Hokulani’s wardrobe are designed for dogs; others are baby clothes. Her owners say she doesn’t seem to mind dressing like a human and needs no help sticking her head through the neck openings.
"Some dogs aren’t tolerant of clothes, but she enjoys it. Once she is dressed, she sits by the door, ready to go out," Dung said.
Not everyone the Dungs and their prized pooch encounter finds the dress-up amusing. There are usually a few who think it’s silly or absurd, Dung said. "People will tell me she is overheated or we are being cruel, but most people enjoy seeing her and taking photos," he said.
He estimates Hokulani has been photographed with about 2,000 fans, with many of the pictures posted on the dog’s Facebook page.
"She has lots of pictures with politicians," Dung said. "She’s definitely the hit of the party."