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Updated on February 26, 2026 at 01:39 PM
It’s no secret that top professionals have a small army of support staff helping them get to each starting line – from coaches to physical therapists, nutritionists to sports psychologists. But have you ever wondered about the canine companions who provide unconditional love and much-needed recovery warmth to some of the sport’s top professionals?
Let’s meet the four-legged friends who offer love, licks and support – no matter if it’s a podium day and a pay check or a DNF and despair.
Lucy Charles Barclay with Lola and Pickle
Those who have been around triathlon know that Lucy Charles Barkley famously said that if she got on the podium at the Ironman World Championships in 2019 she would treat herself to a dog. Finishing second that year meant that Lola, the miniature Jack Russell, became a key part of Charles Barkley’s team. A few years later, Pickle, a teddy bear who is now three years old, also joined the group. She says now that although she likes to think that she and her husband, Rhys, are in charge of the family, “if we don’t stick to their schedule, they make sure we know it.”
Lola and Pickle — also called Fish Pig, Feral, Princess (Lola), Pickly Pops, and Pickle the Tiny Deer — run the show in more ways than one. They have been known to train Charles Barclays late into the early morning (because they protest if not fed, even at 5am) and Lola always wants to hit her tennis ball, even if her mother holds a plank during basic stability sessions.
there Stickers of them on Charles Barkley’s bikes and equipment, and her dogs join her for many of the sessions — whether it’s indoors in her pain cave (where they sit and watch) or outdoors on forest trails, as Charles Barclay tells us Triathlete: “Lola goes into full wild mode to chase the squirrels and then comes back to check in. Pickle is happy to be there and loves to run!”
One place where they don’t enjoy full access is the bedroom. “If they sleep in our bed, we usually regret it,” says Charles-Barkley, adding that her Whoop score usually goes down if they do. “They usually sleep downstairs. They share a big bed together, which is very nice.”
Charles-Barkley is quick to acknowledge the love and balance her dogs bring to her life, saying, “There’s nothing better than coming home to them. They don’t care if you make it or have a nightmare session. Whether you get injured, have a bad day, win the race or have a blowout, it makes no difference. They just want cuddles and feeding.”
She says the daily dog walk with the family is her and her husband’s favorite part of the day: “It forces us to step away from the crazy world of triathlon for a while, and makes it all about the dogs. It brings so much balance and happiness. No bad day – from training or racing – is ever bad when I can come home to my dogs. They are endlessly entertaining and give so much love. Who knows, if I keep doing well, I might even have more dogs!”
Patrick Lange and Rudy
It’s a similar story for three-time Ironman world champion Patrick Lange and his wire-haired dachshund Rudy, a little dog who made a huge impact in the few months after joining the family. The seven-month-old pup is “very supportive” of Lange’s training, often “supervising” the trainer but also taking naps on occasion. He soon joins Lange and his wife, Julia, for an evening and quiet time.
“Rudy is very outgoing and loves people,” Lange says. Triathlete. “He is very outgoing and good at cuddling with pets. He is also a killer of pet toys – nothing lasts longer than two hours!”
As a pup raised in a triathlon family, it’s perhaps not surprising that he’s already developed some “on-brand” triathlon habits. His favorite food is salmon, and according to Lange, he prepares for 40 minutes to make a six-minute mess and then takes a two-hour nap. “I think Rudy is an ITU-style racer right now, but I plan to teach him how to move forward.”
And like Charles Barkley, little Rudy helps keep things in perspective: “He doesn’t care if I’ve done a hard workout or not; he still insists on using his walkie-talkie. He shows me every day that it’s the little details that matter most.”
Since Rudy only joined the family in September 2025, Lange has not acted as a father to the dogs at any races, but he can’t wait for the summer to arrive and that to change. This may also give him some time to sleep. “Right now, it’s definitely hindering my recovery,” Lange says. “He sleeps in a box next to our bed.”
Lange says it’s hard to pick his favorite thing about Rudy’s, but it might just be its smell: “It’s home.”
He adds: “Coming home to him is the best, he is so active and happy. I love it!”
Amelie Kretz and Brioche
Two-time Canadian Olympic champion Amelie Kretz has had a tough few years recently with four major stress fractures in 2023 and 2024 — and she credits her dog Brioche for helping her get through the testing period.
“I don’t know how I would have spent all the weeks on crutches, rehabilitating, and getting back into shape without them,” Kretz says. Triathlete. “She always found a way to keep me happy through it all and gave purpose to my day and routine when I couldn’t train or could barely get off the couch.”
The four-year-old Australian Mountain Dog (Berne Mountain Dog x Australian Shepherd x Poodle) is bilingual (like her mother, who is French Canadian), so naturally she has nicknames in both French and English: Brie-Brie and Croquette – which is French for nugget.
Although she loves to cuddle with her paws, she also actively participates in sessions, often joining in for easy runs. Walking sessions on the treadmill are always difficult: “She hates the treadmill, and won’t stay in the same room if I use it.”
It’s a similar story with the coach. “She hates it when I ride the trainer, she gives me the side eye all the time. She recognizes the sound my computer makes when I stop and save the session, and she gets so excited and brings me a toy.”
At the gym, Brioche comes into her own, joining Kretz in sessions with her strength coach: “She plays fetch while I lift, gets gifts and sees some of her favorite people at the gym.”
While some athletes admit that their sleep may be affected when they share a bed with their dog, for Kretz it’s quite the opposite: “She sleeps in my bed, or am I the one sleeping in her bed? I actually don’t sleep well when she’s not with me. Having her there helps me sleep better, except when she’s lying on me while she’s dreaming.”
A quick FaceTime call with Brioche is always part of Kretz’s pre-race ritual — “Seeing her face makes me happy!” She says – and hopes you’ll bring her to 70.3 Mont Tremblanta home race later this year.
So how did being a dog mom help shape Kritz as an athlete? “Dogs are a great example of how important consistency is and how important it is to keep showing up. They need structure, exercise and routine every day, no matter what. It’s exactly the same with being an athlete; consistency is the key to success.”
Lisa Bashara and Gianna
There aren’t many triathletes with big, bubbly personalities like Lisa Basharas, but she says her dog Gianna gives her a run for her money. The two-year-old mixed-breed dog, who is 25% Border Collie, 15% Pitbull, and plenty of “Supermutt,” is, according to Bishara, “the queen of the house.”
“We both have very big personalities, but Gianna takes the cake because she’s usually a little more expressive,” says Bishara. Triathlete.
However, she still earns her stripes when it comes to being the best training partner. “Gianna was not the best training partner I had,” she says. “They’re agile while running and can get easily distracted while trying to catch up with friends — you know, squirrels, birds, and leaves.”
But when it comes to her welcome home routine, she’s dialed in: “There’s nothing better than coming home to Gianna after a tough work session!” Bishara says. “She’s there shaking her little ass, ready to lick all your sweat and give you the biggest cuddles she can because she’s so excited to bring you home!”
Gianna can also differentiate between easy training days and gradual time: “She knows when the easy training days are coming because it means more play time and cuddle time on the couch, but she’s not a fan of gradual time because that usually means I’m frantically tearing through the house trying to pack for travel!”
Whether or not these racing days are successful, Bishara knows that “Gianna doesn’t care and will love me just as much no matter what.”
“Having Gianna has made me a better athlete because not only do I get out for more recovery walks, but it also helps relieve stress during stressful times. I love how much she loves me and my husband. She’s part of the group and wants to be around us,” she adds.
Matt Sharp, Kirsten Kasper, and Reggie
US Olympian Kirsten Kasper and her husband, recently retired Canadian Olympian Matt Sharp, are the proud parents of five-year-old yellow Labrador Reggie, known to his friends as Monkey Man, Devil Dog, and Sir Reginald.
It’s no secret that he runs their household — Casper and Sharpe simply pay the mortgage — and Reggie always likes to do things his way: “He’ll put the brakes on when we try to take him somewhere he doesn’t want to go,” he says. Triathlete.
Reggie, who is originally from Vancouver Island, isn’t a fan of joining his mom and dad for training sessions, but they say he loves periods of chasing the ball around the park and always breaks up his workouts positively.
Although he loves hiking, he’s not a fan of running, but he absolutely loves recovering on the couch. When it comes to coach sessions, he doesn’t mind much. “I settled in knowing that nothing would happen here for a few hours!” Sharpe adds.
