Is being the furry face of a modern lifestyle brand glamorous or grueling?
With one year of serving as lifestyle brand mascot for Milk Punch under his harness, Phin sits down with a bottle of bubbles to bark about work behind the scenes and his own sense of doodle style.
Birthplace: Somewhere near Dumas, Arkansas, but no judging. I’m not stupid!
Breed: F1B Goldendoodle so I’m 75 percent Poodle.
Occupation: Milk Punch mascot and Delta therapy dog. It’s a full-time gig, trust me.
Favorite color: All stylish men, not just “real men,” wear pink! I’m partial to the navy side of Milk Punch though. It’s a chic neutral.
Cocktail of choice: Old Phashioneds with rye whiskey or Buffalo Trace bourbon. No neon cherries, though, pleaze!
Favorite restaurant: Lucy’s Retired Surfer Bar in New Orleans because of doggie dining equality. I always order the Hot Diggity Dog off the Sur-Fur menu.
Most embarrassing moment: Damn near got kicked out of the Graduate Oxford hotel, but I was a puppy then and can’t wait to check out another property!
Tell us about your recent health scare and how you are doing.
Everyone kept asking why I wasn’t myself for weeeeeeks until I finally just collapsed over Memorial Day weekend—in the midst of a global pandemic. They rushed me to the pet ER. All these pretty female doctors wearing masks thought I had pneumonia or the ‘rona or something.
Two days on an IV later, they diagnosed me with Addison’s Disease. Apparently my adrenal glands weren’t producing enough cortisol, the hormone that helps you deal with stressful situations. Yikes!
I asked if I could just start drinking wine every night like everyone else, but now I take daily steroid injections and pheel phabulous! Better warn the kitty cats in the ‘hood! I’m swimming and phetching again.
What's your favorite snack?
I’m a big Pup-Peroni guy, definitely not a vegan! People always try to bribe me with gluten-phree veggie treats! Although I did have some “all-natural” pumpkin treats from Trader Joe’s at a cookout and not bad. Maybe I was just hungry. Then, after everyone was kinda buzzed and not paying attention, I snaked a whole marinated flank steak off the grill and finally had a decent meal. {laughs} Keep drinking your wine, humans, the doodles are watching and waiting! Steak is highly motivating.
What's your biggest fear?
Other than my paws hitting wet grass? That you will make me wear a 😷 in an elevator right when some kid is trying to slip me a Pup-Peroni.
Any Netflix picks or shows you recommend?
We watch a lot of true crime. Kinda makes you nervous about leaving DNA around and I’ve even been swabbed! Lately, I’m digging music documentaries on Amazon Prime, but I rarely watch, mostly listen.
Why do you use the phonetic spelling of words that start with the letter F, even on your instagram posts?
Cause everybody thinks my name is spelled Finn, but it’s Phin. So technically isn’t everyone else using the phonetic spelling of words that sound like a “f”? 😜 My phull name is Phinizy, named after Billups Phinizy “Phin” Percy, brother of writer Walker Percy of Mississippi literary family heritage. Good thing I can act like a blue blood when I want, although I’m a hybrid and with no law degree. Mostly I just think it’s phunny.
What have been some highlights with Milk Punch Media this past year?
I’m partial to producing style essays like the piece on Slim Aarons and when we have cute gurlz everywhere shooting new t-shirt collections and funky stuph for shopmilkpunch.com. When the world opens back up, I can’t wait to finally share my dog-phriendly hotel picks and happy hours!
Have you ever tasted a classic milk punch cocktail?
Oh, gosh, no. Can’t get past that nutmeg aroma on the nose. I wait till everyone is on their second milk punch and sneak sausage balls.
How do you feel, or pheel, about modern technology and working from home these days?
I’m OK with Zoom meetings as long as we’ve had a phull gallon of coffee phirst. Please don’t wake me up, shoot me up with steroids and then put a video camera in my phace! And don’t get me started on FaceTime. I don’t understand where the hell everyone is.
Any daily health habits and self-care tips?
Phancy mattresses are overrated. Sleeping on a flat, hard surface is good for your core. And watch your electrolytes. I’m getting mine checked monthly and lemme tell you: toilet water is just as good as Smartwater or philtered.
What advice do you have for other lifestyle brand mascots?
Just pose, man. It’s a pretty cushy job when all you really have to do is be moral support and clean up well. Hashtag, whatever.
Phin posing in the shadow of Lady Daphne Cameron by photographer Slim Aarons. Pillowscape by Stuck on Hue.
Let’s have cocktails! Follow Milk Punch on instagram @milkpunchofficial