Elite gymnast Livvy Dunne, who along with her fellow LSU Tigers took home the 2024 NCAA gymnastics championship in April, is a dog mom to one super cute pup — her golden retriever, Roux, who just turned one.
The pair go just about everywhere together, whether it be Louisiana or Pittsburgh to visit Livvy’s boyfriend Paul Skenes, an MLB player for the Pittsburgh Pirates (he also attended LSU and is Roux’s other “pawrent”).
Now, Livvy and Roux have taken on a project together — the two star in an episode of the just-released Purina Pro Plan docuseries Fueled By, available to watch at proplansport.com.
The on-screen role is a good fit for the energetic pup who “is not camera shy,” Livvy says. “I think she’s a little model.” (See the Instagram @ThatGirlRoux for more proof).
The short series of 2- to 3-minute episodes also features World Champion swimmer Michael Phelps, track star Lolo Jones, sportscaster Erin Andrews — and their dogs! Watch and you’ll get a glimpse into how these four-legged best friends give their humans strength and motivation, and you’ll help a good cause too.
“I think this is super cool what Pro Plan is doing,” Livvy says. “For every view of the Fueled By docuseries, between now and the end of October, Pro Plan will donate $1 (up to $150,000) to Athletes for Animals to help animals with no home find a home, and I think that is amazing. I’m just super honored to be partnered with Pro Plan.”
Livvy sat down with Country Living to talk about her special relationship with Roux and what to expect in the docuseries.
On deciding to bring Roux into her life
“I’ve always been a dog person,” Livvy says. “We had a family dog growing up. Her name was Biscuit, and she was a golden retriever. I was homeschooled growing up, so she was my best friend.” After Biscuit passed away, Livvy always knew that she would want another dog eventually.
When she and Paul decided to become dog parents together in October 2023, they were looking for a companion who would be a distraction from their respective sports — who wouldn’t care how good they did in the gym or how fast they threw the ball.
“We just wanted a dog that gave us unconditional love, and that’s what we got. So Roux is super special to us,” Livvy says.
The original plan was for the pup to keep Paul company during spring training, but “I ended up taking her because I wanted her all to myself,” Livvy laughs. “She never ended up going with him to spring training, so she stayed with me in Louisiana.”
Don’t worry too much for Paul, though — he still gets to see both often. “I have been going to Pittsburgh a bunch to visit Paul, and I try to bring her with me as much as I can make the drive,” Livvy says.
On choosing the perfect dog name
The name Roux is inspired by the Louisiana cooking staple roux, a key ingredient in gumbo that can be used to thicken all sorts of sauces. “I just thought that made for a very cute name, and we both went to LSU,” Livvy says. When she ran the name by Paul, he loved it too.
On who keeps who on their toes
Between a gymnast and a puppy, the puppy wins this round! “Oh, man. Roux definitely keeps me on my toes,” Livvy says. “Whenever I’m with her, that’s usually my down time. I’ll be at my house just chilling, but she gets me off the couch and she gets me going. She wants to run around and play. She’s a little athlete in herself, so she’s keeping me active. I just think that dogs can really help with an active lifestyle and help you live a healthier lifestyle, which is super important.”
To expel all that puppy energy, “Rue loves Benebones — she gnaws on those all day long. And most of the time, she just loves to run outside,” Livvy says. “She is super active, and that’s why I feed her Purina Pro Plan Sport. Because she’s still a puppy, I want to fuel her body with only the best ingredients so that she can have enough energy to play with me all day.”
On what she hopes you take away from the docuseries
“I hope that people take away my unconditional love for Roux, first of all, because she’s wonderful and she’s a huge blessing in my life. Throughout the chaos of my life, between traveling and my active lifestyle and gymnastics, she grounds me and loves me no matter what. And I hope that people can feel that through the screen,” Livvy says. “She’s amazing. She’s my best friend.”
Terri Robertson
Terri Robertson is the Senior Editor, Digital, at Country Living, where she shares her lifelong love of homes, gardens, down-home cooking, and antiques.
