Pit bull mix named after Broadway musical provides emotional support

Dogs steal hearts every day, and Jacqui Paul’s 10-month-old pit bull mix, Hamilton, is no exception.

“I’m obsessed with the musical,” she said. “After meeting Hamilton in the shelter, I was like, ‘How do I convince everyone he’s the dog for me?’ So I was like, ‘I’m going to give him a great name.’”

Paul said pit bull mixes often get a bad reputation, but Hamilton’s been nothing but affectionate.

“He’s the sweetest dog ever — he loves other dogs. He’s big on cuddling; he really doesn’t have like a single mean bone,” she said. “I’ve never heard him growl, except in his sleep once.”

Paul got him at a shelter where he was neglected. There, he contracted severe mange, an infection that causes dogs to lose their hair.

Because of this, Paul said Hamilton turned into somewhat of a fashionista.

“The vet said to put clothes on him, so he has a very full closet,” she said. “So I went to Walmart, and I got him these Minion PJs.”

His couture has gotten him a lot of attention.

“Everyone kind of knew who he was because he was that one dog who was in little boy’s pajamas,” Paul said.

Hamilton’s also like college students in the morning.

“He’s very lazy and very energetic at the same time, so whenever he has to get off the couch, he’ll slide off and it’ll literally take him three minutes,” Paul said. “So before we go anywhere, I have to give him a three-minute notice and he’ll slowly slide off the couch.”

On a more serious note, Hamilton has been there for Paul when life hasn’t always gone as planned.

“I had some plans fall through,” she said. “The moment the plans fell through and I realized I can’t do exactly what I had planned, I was really upset, and I was on my couch crying, and he just came and jumped on top of me and just licked me and laid there.”

Dogs are great friends, and despite the language barrier, Paul said Hamilton has a way of making her feel better.

“He gets emotions very well,” she said. “It’s cheesy, but dogs really are the best shoulder to cry on.”

Hamilton makes occasional appearances at parties as well. A few weeks ago, he showed up to a party hosted by junior biology major Elizabeth Davidson.

“We were throwing a party and she was a friend of a friend, and (Hamilton) ended up being the life of the party,” Davidson said.

Junior Lindsay Barth is friends with Paul and said she adores Hamilton.

“I absolutely love her dog because he’s so friendly and will come up to any stranger and cuddle with them,” she said.

Dogs and their owners tend to be alike, and Barth said that’s definitely true with Hamilton and Paul.

“He very much reflects her personality,” she said. “So I just really love how sociable he was.”

arts@dailytarheel.com