I went to Los Angeles last month to profile Pacman, who runs most mornings with his owner, the champion boxer Manny Pacquiao. His ring nickname is also Pacman. The story (and video) includes chicken kebabs, beef jerky, Toy Story, The Mask, the Hollywood sign and much, much more. Also, here’s a Q&A with George Foreman about his own dogs (11 German shepherds!), plus lions and hyenas and horses. 

One thing I should mention is that I talked on the phone with David Frei, the person you probably know as the voice of the Westminster Kennel Club dog show. He told me that Jack Russell terriers were originally bred to lead the way for hounds on fox hunts, which is not unlike what Pacman does for Pacquiao. In fact, even before I told him, Frei predicted that Pacman would dart out in front of Pacquiao, which was true. “In terms of energy level and being athletic enough to run in the hills with a boxer, that’s totally within their scope of duties,” he said. “But the important thing is they can run all day and they have this independent intelligence about themselves. They’re cocky little dogs. They think the world revolves around them: It’s their world, and we’re living in it.” Aren’t we all?