Plano’s Own Insta-Famous Pups
If fur was made of cotton candy, it still wouldn’t be as fluffy as Zuko and Azula. These Instagram stars have more than eight thousand followers on their @zukoandazula account; there you can find bordoodle (part border collie, part poodle) Zuko always smiling and mini poodle Azula standing as tall and proper as a princess.
Their mom, Lydia Clinkscales Pierce, started the account early last year as a place to share her countless photos of then two-month-old Zuko, whom she and her now husband, Stephen, had recently adopted. In June, four-month-old Azula joined the family and the page became twice as charming. “I just post their daily cuteness and let Zuko and Azulo do the rest,” said Lydia. “We enjoy seeing how many people appreciate their fluffiness and want to follow along on their daily adventures.”
Named after the fire-bending siblings in “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” Zuko and Azula may look like twins, but their personalities are nothing alike. Meeting new dogs or people is the best part of Zuko’s day, while Azula is shy and reserved at first.
One thing the dogs do have in common? Bandanas. Owning more than a hundred with different colors, patterns and themes, Zuko and Azula love sporting them daily. In fact, Lydia became so obsessed with bandanas that she decided to create her own shop. Geekster Pets is a place for “geeky and nerdy bandanas” that feature characters from TV shows, movies, video games and comic books. The enterprise was launched at geeksterpets.com on Star Wars Day (May 4) last year.
“I noticed that it was hard to find bandanas for my favorite fandoms, such as ‘Doctor Who,’ ‘Star Wars,’ ‘Marvel Comics,’ ‘Skyrim’ and ‘Fallout,’” said Lydia. “So, I bought a refurbished sewing machine, browsed lots of fabric stores, watched YouTube videos on how to thread a sewing machine, called my mom when overwhelmed by bobbin tension and started making bandanas.” Since then, Lydia has launched new collections every quarter that celebrate interests and hobbies that are often overlooked by other pet shops.
You can see the whimsical bandanas (and the sweet dogs wearing them) in person, as Zuko and Azula love exploring Plano. Lydia said, “We love supporting small, local shops, especially when it involves yummy treats for Zuko and Azula!” When they aren’t running around the dog park at Jack Carter Park, you can find the dogs at the monthly Downtown Plano Art and Wine Walks, the upcoming Plano ArtFest, Katy Trail Ice House Outpost, Hub Streat, Three Dog Bakery, Simba’s Bakery and Lazy Dog Restaurant.
“Zuko and Azula have really enjoyed all the dog-friendly areas and businesses in Plano,” added Lydia. “We bought a house here at the end of 2018 and look forward to spending this year and many more in this wonderful city.”
Geekster Pets > Zuko and Azula >
