When Harry Met Dui
Keeping up appearances as a massive beach bum and a super socialite, has its ups and down-boy, as Helen Flanagan found out.
Let’s not beat around the bush. Harry will be fur-ever known as half human and officially a Golden Doodle which is the combo of half Golden Retriever and half Standard Poodle. Yes, it is totally ‘pawsible’ and he has the certificate to prove it according to his Dog Mum Dui (Kate) Cameron, designer and driving force behind colourful local fashion label Boom Shankar, who abides by the mantra of ‘Big Love Big Life’.
Eight years ago, it was bittersweet times for Dui and son Charlie, when Jack a multi-breed, crossed over the mythical Rainbow Bridge. Later, the nanny of a special-needs boy in Sydney explained the dilemma of his pet requiring adoption. Interviews followed and excruciatingly sad times were replaced by big hugs at the airport when Harry finally arrived, although he was bigger than they expected.
In no time at all, Harry settled into his paw-star home and being close… very close to Dui. He does have a teddy bear crush and likes his bed but prefers to be a shaggy sprawler sleeping on the edge of her bed. He loves to touch during a yoga session adding a perhaps a meditative vibe, also less room on the mat, and when it comes to dancing, funk is the genre and Nigerian Fela Kuti is the fave, however with a collection of 120 vinyls, there are grooves for all moods.
Harry loves sticking his head out the car window as he heads to favourite places such as Stradbroke Island to visit his Aunty and say hello to a few kangaroos. “Best of all he likes being a beach bum and surfing,” says Dui who admits he has a few dreadlocks and gets very sandy.
“Despite that, every morning after the beach is ‘puppaccino’ time, otherwise he refuses to hop out of the car at say Peregian Beach’s Skal Coffee or Outer Square and Coolum’s Alley Cat, where he is treated to a bacon bone.
“He is incredibly social, has a fun bunch of greyhounds, mixed breeds, Labrador and other doodle mixes, all beach bum buddies such as Dixie, Mikey, Zara, Piper and Fudge who was found to be related to Harry. Small world.”
On the menu most nights is freshly cooked brown rice, mince and vegetables with turmeric and coconut oil. “After dinner he expects treats from Peticular, he then turns into a couch potato, watching television by my side, and expecting a massage,” Dui says.
“If only I could be a dog, however being a Dog Mum means the world because the love is pure and unconditional. It is fun to just hang out with Harry, he knows when I am feeling down, and feeling great. He really is the dream dog. I tell everyone I have two boys Charlie and Harry – one with two legs and one with four.”
When Dui heads to India each year armed with new season designs, Harry continues his mission to make every post a winner, thanks to aunts, grandparents, admirers and ‘pawsome’ fans.
