What’s the cure for a broken heart? Of course, the unconditional love of a dog. That, or a lavish shopping spree. In the case of Dave Portnoy, it was both.
After ending things with his girlfriend over the holidays and, by extension, their dog Brody, the Barstool Sports founder famed for his one-bite pizza reviews knew he’d find puppy love again, it was just a matter of when.
Then, on Valentine’s Day, Miss Peaches came home.
“It was love at first sight,” Portnoy tells me from his Miami home. The six-year-old rescue pitbull from Georgia (her age is a best guess) is draped across “Papa’s” lap. Together, they overlook Portnoy’s infinity pool and, beyond that, the sparkling Biscayne Bay.
“She doesn't have a mean bone in her body, after everything she went through,” he says when asked what they love most about each other. “And I think she likes me because I'm rich, so she has all this stuff that she’s never had.”
Portnoy’s delivery is characteristically brash, which can rub some the wrong way, especially when it comes to the pizza reviews. With Miss Peaches, though, his bravado melts away. In a few short weeks, Portnoy has dropped thousands on his new lady, showering her with everything from a designer doggy stroller to luxury bowls and locally sourced food.
“She does this thing where she just kind of paws at me, and then she walks back and forth over my face, essentially, until I'm up,” he says, describing their typical morning. “It's a good way to wake up.”
Hefty yet compact with cropped ears and a silvery tri-color coat, Miss Peaches was rescued along with 26 other dogs from a hoarding/breeding facility in Atlanta. Now, she’s rocking a Gucci jacket and gnawing on bones hand-selected by the chef at Carbone.
“I went from the outhouse to the penthouse,” reads Miss Peaches’ Instagram bio. It’s a refrain Portnoy delights in and a story that’s helped hers become the fastest-growing social account in Barstool’s history. When we met, Peaches’ Insta had reached over 700,000 followers. One week later, it’s up to more than 850K.
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“She's getting hundreds of DMs a day. People love her,” Portnoy says. “They're trying to do partnerships, but everything we're doing is just for charity.” He’s referring to Miss Peaches’ Barstool store, where you can purchase merch like an embroidered, peach-colored hoodie for $80. From those proceeds, they’ve already donated $277,000 to LifeLine Animal Project, Miss Peaches’ rescue non-profit.
Plans are in the works to donate an additional $25,000 each to two Florida rescues, True & Faithful Pet Rescue and Paw Patrol Animal Rescue and Sanctuary, along with the New York Bully Crew.
Between responding to her DMs, cuddling and exploring her new hometown with Papa, Miss Peaches doesn’t have a ton of spare time. “A lot of boy pitties out there are trying to get her number,” Portnoy says, scratching her belly and gazing into her eyes. “But she's not dating right now, right?”
So how does the internet’s favorite dog spend her days? If you follow her, you already have some idea: zooms in her lush yard, waterfront naps in the sun, unboxing gifts from her fans. Peaches gets out of the house, too. Papa might have multiple residences, but she calls the Magic City her home (183 days of the year, “so she can avoid Uncle Sam”), and there’s lots to explore for a newly crowned Miami princess.
We asked, and they broke it down for us: Here’s how Miss Peaches and Dave Portnoy spend a perfect day together in Miami.
7am
I wake up my dad by pawing at his face until he opens his eyes. He thinks it’s pretty cute.
7:01am
By now I’m starving—I love food! Papa feeds me breakfast. It’s usually something fresh like Petchefy, which is made in Miami, or Farmer’s Dog. But I also get yummy snacks like peanut butter and even carrots.
7:02am
I take my pills to help me feel better, with a ton of peanut butter.
8am
We walk to get a pup cup at Starbucks and El Bagel for my dad—yum! He then has to put me in the stroller for the ride home because I don't like walking for too long.
9am
I check my DMs and respond to people. Everyone’s so nice!
10am
I lay by the pool with my papa.
Noon
We open the presents sent to me in the mail. They stack up fast if I don’t stay on top of it.
1pm
We head to the Design District to check out the latest styles. My dad bought me a Gucci raincoat last week, and Goyard bowls from the Bal Harbour Shops.
3pm
Time for a stroller walk around Morningside Park. There’s so much space to run around and lots of new friends to meet, but I get tired pretty fast.
5pm
I get to guest star in one of my papa's pizza reviews, like I did at Square Pie City. If I’m a good girl, I get to try some myself. (I am always a good girl.)
6pm
7pm
I lay on the couch with my dad and watch TV. Life is good.
9pm
*Yawn* *Big stretch* Bedtime!