All of the Fabulous Pets of the Southern Charm Cast Members
From Shep's Lil Craig to Patricia's pack of adorable pooches, we've got them all covered.
While the cast of Southern Charm might run the streets of Charleston, South Carolina, their pets run their human's lives (most of the time). And, let's be real: While watching the drama and relationship challenge is a lot of fun, seeing glimpses of their pets on screen and how the cast interacts with their little fur babies is just as entertaining.
The pets of Southern Charm take over the screen when they're on air. They command attention, whether they're barking for it or simply hamming it up in the background. Life isn't all that "ruff" for the pets of the current cast members and alums of Southern Charm, especially when they live as lavishly as Patricia's dogs, or have just as many friends as Shep's sweet little pup.
Read on to learn about the furriest friends in all of Charleston.
Venita Aspen's Dog, Charles
Every time Venita Aspen's adorable dog, Charles is seen in her home, the pooch is walking around the yard or lazily lounging on Venita's very stylish furniture.
Venita has told commenters on Instagram that Charles is a cavachon, which is a mix between a Cavalier King Charles spaniel and a bichon frisé. This breed is typically small, attentive, and athletic, according to Daily Paws, which is perfect for Venita's girl-about-town lifestyle.
Shep Rose's Dog, Lil Craig
Yes, Shep Rose's adorable French bulldog is named after his owner's good friend and fellow Southern Charm cast member, Craig Conover — though dog and man look vastly different from one another. Shep explained the reason for the moniker in an interview with The Daily Dish in July 2022.
"The genesis of Lil Craig is this: My dad was a lawyer for many years. He's retired now. And he had a client that owned a giant farm. And the client affectionately named a mule after my dad. My dad's name is Rip so one of the mules was named Rip," he said. "I was a child at the time, and I thought that was so funny. It's an homage rather than a jab, trust me."
Just like his namesake, Lil Craig seems to be busy with his travels — all of which are documented on his Instagram account, @goodboycraig — but he also loves kicking back and chilling in Charleston. Whether he's hanging out in the mountains of North Carolina or visiting the golf course, Lil Craig is down for a good time.
RELATED: Paige DeSorbo Answers A Big Question About Her and Craig Conover's Future
But if you ever find yourself face to face with Big Craig at his Charleston store, Sewing Down South, don't ask him where Lil Craig is — it is Shep's dog, after all.
"People coming in the [pillow] store just think Lil Craig is gonna be there," Craig told The Daily Dish in July 2022. "And like, I don't know where Lil Craig is. Stop asking me."
Rest assured that Lil Craig is with Shep, even while Shep jet sets around the world. Not a bad life for this dog.
Patricia Altschul's Five Dogs
If you can count on Patricia Altschul for anything, it's the fact that she will be wearing a fabulous caftan or be followed by her five super cute dogs wherever she goes. To get the introductions out of the way, Patricia's dogs are: Peaches, a white Pomeranian; Chauncey, a pug; Siegfried and Roy, two more pugs; and Monty, the Lagotto Romangolo (who technically belongs to Patricia's son, Whitney Sudler-Smith).
(Although Whitney claims to have five dogs in the bio of his Instagram profile, he does live with Patricia when he isn't at his home in Los Angeles, so he could just be claiming Patricia's.)
Anyone who knows Patricia knows that her dogs are her life — it's why the entire cast of Southern Charm came to her house to watch Peaches and Lil Craig get married in a dog wedding in Season 8, complete with a best man (Austen Kroll), maid of honor (Madison LeCroy), and a wedding cake. Unfortunately, the romance didn't last for too long.
In September 2022, Patricia announced that Peaches and Lil Craig were going their separate ways. "I'm sorry to report that Peaches and Little Craig have separated..." she wrote in the caption of the post. "Surprisingly, it turns out he has a commitment phobia. Please respect their privacy at this time."
Taylor Ann Green's Dog, Penelope
Taylor Ann Green also has her dog, Penelope (also known as Penny) to keep her company and cuddle up to at night.
Taylor first got Penny in August 2022 — around the time of her break-up with Shep — and posts the cutest photos of her to the dog's personal Instagram account, @goodgirlpenny520, where you can see the French bulldog playing with her ball, hanging out with her mom, and taking naps. Now that sounds like the perfect life to me.
Leva Bonaparte's Three Pets
When Leva Bonaparte isn't running her super successful bars on King Street or raising her son, Lamar (who she likes to call Little) she's the mom to some pretty sweet pets — two cats and dog. There's her dog Lucifer (who goes by the nicknames Jooj, Jooji, Luce, Miss Lucee), who knows how to wear some serious accessories.
Leva adopted their first cat, Memo, in February 2021, even though Lucifer was a little apprehensive to welcome the new addition to the family.
But Lucifer must have not been too mad for long, because Leva announced in April on Instagram that they adopted another cat. Although Leva has not yet shared the name of her kitten, you can see from her Instagram posts starring the little one that everyone is so in love with it — especially Little.
Naomie Olindo's Cat, Omelet
The cast of Southern Charm might be mainly dog people, but Southern Charm alum Naomie Olindo is a full on cat lady. Naomie adopted her whipped cream-loving cat, Omelet, on an impulse, according to an Instagram post from July 2022, and seems to be very happy with her decision.
Longtime Southern Charm fans will know that Naomie had a cat named Gizmo with whom she filmed over the years. In May 2021, shared on an Instagram story that Gizmo passed away at 18 years old. "To say this little cat lived a FULL life is an understatement," she wrote in the post.
Considering that he was once a full star on the show at one point, she was very right.
Landon Clements's Dog, Clementine
Southern Charm Season 4 alum Landon Clements adopted her dog Clementine nearly five years after her time on Southern Charm and has been smitten with the pup ever since.
"When I picked you up, I could have never imagined the year that I was about to face," Landon wrote in the caption of an Instagram post celebrating the dog's first birthday. "You have been everyone's emotional support dog and kept us all laughing and in good spirits."
Kathryn Dennis' Dog, Lil Gucci
Sure, Kathryn Dennis may have her hands full with her two young kids, but that hasn't stopped her from becoming a dog mom, too. In January 2022, Kathryn and kids welcomed a miniature red poodle named Gucci, also known as Lil Gucci, also known as "G."
The pup not only has bright red hair to match its adopted mom, but has also brought her comfort. "Lil Bubba gets me through the times when I'm without my children," she wrote in the caption of an Instagram post from March 2022.
