In 2026, it’s not unusual for a dog to have a top shelf, a bottom shelf, and several extremely curated shelves in between. There are calming donut beds, tiny Barbour harnesses, and dog shampoos that lather better than some human ones. Just ask Madeline Sensible, an LA-based social media director, and the very devoted mom to almost two-year-old Smooch, a wire fox terrier with pricked ears, a sensitive stomach, and hand-stripped paws. We called her up to talk about Smooch’s routine—everything from post-bath zoomies and banana-mint toothpaste—but Smooch quickly took the reins. Ahead, Smooch talks to ITG about her life as a Hollywood girl.
“I’m Smooch, and my job is dog. Well, sometimes I go to work with my mom and one of her coworkers says I’m the security team, but I think she’s joking—that’s a lot of responsibility for a baby; I’ll only be two on May 30, you know.
I’m not really sure where I was born, all I know is that I was smelling butts in the desert when one day a lady and man appeared, pointing in my general direction. ‘OK, the one with all the spots,’ said the lady who I’d soon find out was my new mom. Best day of my life. Next thing I knew I was in the car headed to a place called LA—I’m a Hollywood girl and live close to where they make something called the ‘Hailey Bieber strawberry glaze smoothie.’
Dad came up with my name before they even found me, but Mom says it was fate because I’m the most loving, wonderful girl. To quote them, I’m a ‘big kiss of a dog.’ I take that responsibility very seriously by climbing up any human in sight. But Smooch is just my government name. I also answer to Bamba, Smoocharelle—pronounced like mozzarelle—Smoocharina, and Peabo. That last one stuck after Mom and Dad saw a wire fox terrier like me at two different dog shows on TV. His name was Mr. Peabody, but they kept calling him Peabo. Now I’m Peabo, too.
FITNESS + WELLNESS
Last year I went to a two-week training bootcamp because Mom says ‘wire fox terriers are not for the faint of heart.’ I bet she says that because I love to run around, but I can’t help it—I’m so excited. What am I excited for? Everything. But if you ask my trainer, she’ll say it’s because my ancestors hunted foxes in England, wherever that is. Are they like butts? Butts are my fave.
I always take a long walk in the morning and another one in the evening. And if I’m being frisky—Mom says that’s my word because I get a little twinkle in my eye when I run around—I’ll even get a third walk. I always want to say hi to the other dogs, but apparently that’s not appropriate leash behavior and sometimes they don’t want to talk to me. Mom calls me a frustrated greeter—add it to my list of nicknames—but what she doesn’t understand is that I’m just networking. In LA, your network is everything.
Sometimes on the weekends I get special tennis-ball-throwing time outside with Dad. But I have so many other fun toys: Benebones, rope toys, Lamb Chops—I especially love the Halloween one Mom bought me. And not to brag, but I even have an extra virgin olive oil from Flamingo Estate. It’s not the real EVOO—I’m not allowed to cook—but it’s soft and squeaky, and I love it.
Knock on wood, but I’m very healthy. Every morning I take my probiotic from Proviable because I’m serious about gut health, and once a month I take Simparica for flea and worm prevention. I used to eat The Farmer’s Dog, but it upset my tummy. Now I eat Purina Pro Plan sensitive stomach salmon kibble mixed with plain chicken breasts so I can protein-max. I also love Kindfull dehydrated beef liver and salmon treats and my Woof Pupsicles.
I’m really into my sleep routine. I have a lot of beds, too. One is shaped like a donut to help me relax, and I curl up in it like a perfect croissant. And then there’s my crate, or as we call it, my chill zone. Sometimes I sleep in it, but I’m allowed to sleep wherever I want and I don’t like to limit my options. I think that’s part of wellness, and wellness is really important to me.
DENTAL HYGIENE + HAIR
People love to call girls high-maintenance when they simply take care of themselves, but I’m actually really low maintenance. My parents brush my teeth every couple of days with my vanilla-mint Virbac toothpaste. But I know bacon toothpaste exists. Why are they pretending otherwise?
I’m a curly-haired girl and I need a curly-haired girl routine, so every four to eight weeks, I go to a spa called Healthy Spot on Melrose. I always get hand stripping, a technique where they pull out dead hairs by hand rather than with clippers. Someday I want to try Jess Rona’s JRG Salon, but Mom says it’s expensive and costs way more than her own haircuts. But has she seen her haircuts? Compromises can be made.
Every two weeks I get a special sponge bath. I always know when it’s bath day because Mom starts acting weirdly upbeat and then suddenly my collar comes off. I get a little shaky and have to do my affirmations. Mom thinks I’m dramatic because we’ve done this a thousand times, but guess what? I don’t know how to count.
At first, I was using a moisturizing dog shampoo from Kindfull—it’s less than $10 and smells like cedarwood. Then the Dedcool team—my first PR package—sent over their Taunt pet shampoo that lathers really, really well. It really does make a difference with my coat; it’s so much softer and shinier. Recently, I tried the Biche Cloud shampoo. This one smells like fig, sandalwood, and hay—it’s warm and creamy. And like any dog worth their weight in dog toys, I have the Biche Après oil, too.
After my bath, I have what Mom calls my ‘post-bath zoomies.’ What she doesn’t understand is that it’s a grounding experience where I run around the house at top speed. Mom tries to dry me with my strawberry towel from Geometry. We don’t use the blow dryer anymore because I like to sing—some may call it barking—when it’s on. Oh, well. As a reward for my bravery, I get a Greenie, but I only stay calm for about three seconds before the zoomies come back.
One thing about wire fox terriers is that our ears are technically supposed to flop, but mine never did. Mine stand straight up, which Mom says is part of my personality. I just think everyone should wear their hair however they want.
STYLE
We need to talk about my closet. Mom knew from day one that I needed a Barbour harness because I had to stay true to my English heritage. Then Little Beast gifted me a bunch of things. I started out with a red leather flower collar, but now I mostly wear the black leather one with stars because Mom says I’m her little rock and roll star. I also have the brown leather and silver stud set they did with Lisa Says Gah! It’s very me.
In the winter I wear little striped shirts, and I have a sweater from the Peanuts collection with Snoopy. My poop bag holder is also from Little Beast—it looks like a tiny boat and tote. Accessories matter.
I’m a lucky gal. Dad’s a teacher so he’s out during the day, which means mornings are usually me and Mom cuddling together. But I make sure that Dad gets cuddles at night, too. There’s enough Smooch for everyone.”
—as told to Daise Bedolla
Photos courtesy of Madeline Sensible