Poi: The Alpha

10 years old. Miami native. Poi has been with me his whole life, my shadow, my beautiful boy, and the wisest dog I've ever known. He's the alpha of the pack and everybody loves him: calm, sweet, gentle, and so smart he practically understands English and Spanish. His résumé is ridiculous. The Joyrich x Snoop Dogg fashion show intro, Snoop's "Toss It" music video, plus shoots for TA3, Bamba Swimwear, Dsquared, and Nadia Lee Cohen for Paris Texas boots. These days he's earned the right to be lazy. Natural ears, natural tail. And the father of Zoi and Kai.

6 years old, adopted in LA. Emi is spoiled, emotional, and wired a little differently, but point her at something and she follows direction like an arrow. She's one of the sweetest dogs you'll ever meet: anxious, cuddly, always in need of a pet. Her great love is toys, balls especially. Soccer and tug-of-war are her sports, which makes her our chief toy tester. If a toy survives Emi, it's Dobiewood approved. She's been in nearly all the same shoots as Poi. Docked tail, big natural ears.

4 years old, Poi's son, one of a litter of five. Zoi is big, strong, and completely convinced he's a lap dog. He's a cuddle bug: agile, docile, and the best one-on-one companion of the pack. You can walk him through a supermarket off-leash and he'll stay glued to your side without breaking stride. Most of the time, though, you'll find him napping. Professional sleeper, truly sweet baby boy. Docked tail, natural ears.

4 years old, Poi's daughter and Zoi's sister. Kai is brilliant, and she knows it. Her long curly tail never stops wagging. She's always smiling, always hunting squirrels, always looking for trouble. She's not just a troublemaker, she's an instigator. She starts things, and she's really good at it. At eight months old she jumped out of my moving car. Another time she got lost in the desert for hours near a coyote den and walked back in one piece. She's the one I'd bet on in the zombie apocalypse. She knows better now. Mostly.