The Underdog Club is an admirable online community project helping dogs that don’t fit the mould (“the old ones, the ugly ones and the downright unpopular ones”) find the love they deserve.
s READ MOREI once barracked for an underdog football team, it set me up for a lifetime of appreciation for sub-cultures. I learnt that winning isn’t everything, underdogs lack ego and have a secret cool pack stashed in their pocket and, winning can be boring if you don’t understand what it means to lose.
The Underdog Club is an admirable online community project helping dogs that don’t fit the mould find the love they deserve. It’s an adoption agency with heart. Based in Montreal, The Underdog Club champions underdog traits of, well, underdogs who need attention and love but don’t necessarily stand out in a crowd. “We promote hard-to-place dogs, you know, the old ones, the ugly ones and the downright unpopular ones, so they have a shot at a better life” they proudly announce.
The website (and their marketing and copywriting) is articulate and witty as well as a keen reminder of how society judges beauty and cuteness in such narrow terms. Once you start clicking, you won’t just want one ugly dog, you will want the squad. They won’t seem ugly to you because you will see the specialness in their eyes or their floppy ears or their not quite right swagger. Some are old, too old, but nonetheless lovable.
There is a spark in the underdog, a little terrier of power that lays low until just the right moment, the moment you take them home and realise that they will stay by your side, as your best friend, for as long as you both shall lose, oh, live! Looks aren’t everything.
—
underdogclub.com
You can donate to The Underdog Club here
Artwork by Jessica Ghersi
We are thrilled to introduce Dog-Friendly, a collection of city guides for dog-loving people, created together with our long-time contributor, photographer Winnie Au, and fellow enthusiasts, indie publisher Hoxton Mini Press. Available for purchase here.
August 25, 2021
Have you ever imagined Amy Winehouse or Nick Cave as a Chihuahua, Neil Young as a Vizsla, or PJ Harvey as an Afghan hound? That’s exactly what San Francisco-based artist Michael Gillette has done through his unique illustration project, blending beloved, iconic music legends, both past and present, with their dog counterparts. Pack of Dogs, our first foray into book publishing, is a celebration of pup and pop culture for music and dog lovers alike.
August 25, 2020
Spanish photographer Sara Monsalve strives to ‘capture your memories’—to immortalise the beauty, innocence and wisdom of our pets.
November 8, 2023
French artist Jochen Gerner distils the magic and energy of dogs using disarmingly simple techniques, relying on felt pens and school notebooks.
November 3, 2023
Photographer Rebecca Rinaldi knows that to capture a dog’s true essence, play is the key ingredient.
July 13, 2023
An antidote to mass-produced dog accessories, MiaCara’s range of carefully crafted toys are designed to surprise, endure and delight.
July 12, 2023
Photographer Randal Ford’s fierce clarity draws dogs’ personality to the fore to reveal each animal’s “true essence”.
June 8, 2023
Moving your buddy from A to be B becomes an exercise in style, comfort and convenience with Cloud7’s Travel Collection.
June 2, 2023
In his series ‘Kinetic’, San Diego-based photographer James Lee celebrates dogs at full speed.
May 7, 2023
Jouk Oosterhof photographs Amsterdam’s beloved family members (with a dash of lifestyle accessory).
May 3, 2023
What started as a fundraising effort to save photographer Kristoffer Paulsen’s beloved dog Josie, morphed into Melbourne’s most in-demand pet portraits.
March 31, 2023
For decades, legendary Irish documentary photographer Tony O’Shea has captured the country’s annual drag hunt, and a country’s rich history along with it.
March 24, 2023
