Lewis Hamilton's Dogs: Roscoe's Story and the New Puppy

Who Was Roscoe, Lewis Hamilton's Bulldog?

Roscoe's breed and personality

Roscoe was an English Bulldog, adopted in 2013, the same year Hamilton joined Mercedes AMG F1. He wasn't Hamilton's first bulldog — that was Coco, a rescue Hamilton took in during 2014 when she was facing euthanasia due to poor health, and who stayed with him until her death from heart problems in 2020.

Roscoe's paddock and red-carpet fame

Roscoe wasn't a background pet. From walking beside Hamilton on red carpets to appearing in awards ceremonies like the 2014 Sports Personality of the Year, Roscoe became a fixture in the F1 world, often seen by Hamilton's side on the podium, at races, and even starring in commercials. By the time of his death, Roscoe had built a sizable social media following with more than 1.4 million followers on his own Instagram account — a bigger platform than most drivers on the grid.

Roscoe's Death — What Happened

The end came fast, publicly, and painfully. Hamilton suggested his bulldog had caught pneumonia, and as doctors sedated him for tests, Roscoe's heartbeat stopped; the heart came back, but Roscoe went into a coma. He had also been diagnosed with pneumonia earlier that year, in April. Hamilton missed team commitments to stay with him — he withdrew from Friday's Pirelli tire test to accompany Roscoe at the hospital, with Ferrari reserve driver Zhou Guanyu replacing him.

Four days later, on September 29, 2025, Hamilton confirmed the worst. He wrote on Instagram: "After four days on life support, fighting with every bit of strength he had, I had to make the hardest decision of my life and say goodbye to Roscoe. He never stopped fighting, right until the very end. I feel so grateful and honoured to have shared my life with such a beautiful soul, an angel and true friend. Bringing Roscoe into my life was the best decision I ever made, and I will forever cherish the memories we created together."

He also gave the exact timing: "He died on Sunday evening, 28th September in my arms." Reports on Roscoe's age varied slightly between outlets — ESPN and Sky Sports both reported he was 12, while a later ESPN follow-up and Motorsport.com put him at 13 — but every account agreed on the cause and the timeline. Hamilton called it the "hardest decision" of his life to put his bulldog to sleep on that Sunday after he contracted pneumonia.

The reaction from the sport itself was immediate. The FIA's official Instagram account commented on Hamilton's post, writing "The FIA family is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Roscoe. Our thoughts are with you Lewis." Formula 1's own account posted a tribute too, and days later at the Singapore Grand Prix, Hamilton told reporters "lots of messages... quite overwhelming to be honest to see just how many people Roscoe touched around the world and really heartwarming to receive."

Lewis Hamilton's New Puppy

Breed and name

Speculation started early in 2026, when Hamilton shared photos of his latest moments in January, including a series of adorable pics with a litter of white puppies — fans immediately asked whether one belonged to him. The wait ended in late July, when a Maine-based breeder confirmed the news before Hamilton did. Hamilton had acquired the puppy from US-based breeder Goldiva Goldens; Halo is Hamilton's first dog since the passing of his beloved English bulldog, Roscoe. Unlike his two bulldogs, Halo is a golden retriever sourced from Goldiva Goldens, a Maine breeder that raises its puppies in a home environment with a focus on family socialization. If you're curious what the breed is actually like day to day, our golden retriever guide covers temperament and care basics.

The breeder announced the handoff directly: "We're excited to fly Ms Halo to Los Angeles to Formula 1 Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton. Dog trainer Kirstin McMillian, who is a three-generation animal trainer, flew to Maine yesterday." Hamilton kept continuity with his previous dogs on that front too — Hamilton retained Kirstin McMillian, the Los Angeles-based animal trainer who previously worked with Roscoe and Coco.

The Kim Kardashian connection

The reveal doubled as a relationship story. The puppy's introduction took social media by storm, especially after Hamilton's partner Kim Kardashian posted a photograph with the dog. The two have been linked since being photographed together at Super Bowl LX in February, and by May had brought their families together for a dinner at Nobu Malibu. Neither Hamilton nor Kardashian has formally confirmed the relationship in a statement, but as one outlet put it, before Roscoe there was Coco, a rescued English bulldog — and a golden retriever puppy fits neatly into that scene with Kardashian now in the picture. It's worth being clear that this is what's been reported and photographed publicly, not confirmed by either party directly.

Why F1 Fans Love Hamilton's Dogs

Part of it is simple exposure — a dog that rides in team cars and sits trackside during a grand prix weekend is going to end up in more camera frames than almost any other celebrity pet in sport. But part of it is that Hamilton has never treated his dogs as props. Roscoe's death came five years after Hamilton lost another famed companion, Coco, also an English Bulldog who traveled with Hamilton and Roscoe, and who died in 2020 due to heart problems. Two decades-long bulldog companionships, both documented publicly through the highs of red carpets and the lows of hospital rooms, built a level of attachment most athlete-pet relationships never reach. It's the same instinct that keeps people scrolling through our own breed pages — the appeal of a dog with a real personality on camera, not just a cute thumbnail.