On Gilmore Girls, the fictional town of Stars Hollow is home to quirky residents like Lorelai Gilmore, Taylor Doose, and Miss Patty, but it's also home to Lorelai's adorable dog, Paul Anka. When Rory dropped out of college and moved into Emily and Richard's home, Lorelai felt the absence and did what many empty-nesters do: bought a pet.
In real life, Paul Anka is portrayed by a dog actor named Sparky. He's a Polish Lowland Sheepdog and was 14 years old when the revival, A Year in the Life, hit Netflix. It's assumed that Lorelai named her new dog Paul Anka based on his song "Puppy Love" (we all know how much Lorelai Gilmore loves her pop culture references.
Eating Steak With Luke
In the episode "Fall" in A Year in the Life, Luke is left at home alone with Paul Anka while Lorelai went on a hike to find herself after the passing of her dad. She had to do some soul-searching to find out what she really wanted in life (and why she was so stagnant with Luke).
Luke has always liked Paul Anka but wasn't as attached to him as Lorelai was. In the scene, Luke is telling Paul Anka about the steak he's making and how ridiculous it is that he's even getting a steak. The way Paul Anka looks at Luke while waiting for his meal was adorable.
The Day Lorelai Adopted Him
When Rory moved out, Lorelai was occupied with the inn and Luke but her house was quiet. She had been taking care of someone for 20+ years and now they were gone. Luckily for her, a pet adoption convention opened up in Stars Hollow and Lorelai found Paul Anka.
Paul Anka's real name was Cocoa, but Lorelai couldn't have a dog named Cocoa, could she? The townspeople were concerned when they saw Lorelai near the animals because she doesn't keep them alive long enough but Paul Anka was different. He was Lorelai's second baby.
The Night He Got Sick
When Paul Anka started playing with Lorelai's shoes and waiting in front of Rory's bedroom door, Lorelai thought he was just being a silly dog. But hours later, she realized that Paul Anka was sick. She stayed up all night with him trying to make him feel better.
It broke her heart seeing Paul Anka lethargic and in pain and blamed it on Kirk's shady doggy daycare. Luckily, Paul Anka pulled through but seeing Lorelai so upset was devastating. She was lucky to have Luke by her side.
He Loves Pizza (And Hates Salad)
In the episode "The UnGraduate," Lorelai and Luke were having work done on Lorelai's house. In one scene, a few of the workers were having a beer and petting Paul Anka. Lorelai showed them his new tricker where he barks every time she says "Pizza!". Funny enough, when Lorelai said "salad," Paul Anka stays silent and looked at her with a pained expression.
The Day He Met Rory
When Rory decided to re-enroll at Yale and made amends with Lorelai, she met Paul Anka for the first time. There were a lot of things Rory missed out on while she was away, including the renovations and a new dog.
When Rory walked down the steps, she was stunned to see an adorable Paul Anka sitting on the coffee table. She tried to shoo him away but Lorelai told her that was Paul Anka's favorite spot. The only way to gain Paul Anka's trust was to put sugar on her toes and let him lick it off — and she did!
At The Winter Festival
At the Stars Hollow Winter Festival, Lorelai and Rory create a fortune teller booth with the town's fluffiest fortune teller, Paul Anka — though, in retrospect, the costume and the "Doggy Swami" sign are more than a little insensitive.
However, this was still a memorable scene as Lorelai was feeling down after finding out that Luke had a secret daughter he didn't tell her about. Paul Anka the fortune teller was the only thing that could lift her spirits.
Did Paul Anka Like Rory Better?
In "The Perfect Dress," Rory was leaving Stars Hollow to go back to Yale. Lorelai walked her to her car to make sure she had everything she needed but didn't want her to leave without a hug from Paul Anka. After calling Paul Anka's name again and again, he was nowhere to be found.
But lo and behold he was already in Rory's car waiting for her! As it turned out, Paul Anka liked Rory better than Lorelai and wasn't ready for her to leave. He looked so cute sitting in the front seat.
His Comfort Shoes
When Christopher and Lorelai were giving their relationship another try, Christopher had to resume the role of doggy daddy. Luke was there when Lorelai adopted Paul Anka, and now Christopher had to play catch up and get used to all of Paul Anka's quirks. This included all of his needs. Lorelai packed him an overnight bag with all of his favorite things: green tennis balls, blankets, and of course, his comfort shoes! The shoes she packed were his favorite to chew (plus it would keep him from chewing Christopher's).
Luke Squared
In A Year in the Life's "Winter," times were heavy because of Richard's passing. Lorelai felt the lingering pain from his loss but she always feels herself in her small town. In one scene, Lorelai went for a walk with Paul Anka and dressed him as Luke. He wore a plaid shirt and had a notepad and pen attached to his neck. All he was missing was a baseball cap, but Lorelai told Luke none were big enough. Paul Anka sure did look cute, though!
When He Met His Namesake
In "The Real Paul Anka," Paul Anka (the dog) finally met his namesake! Lorelai had an odd dream where she took Paul Anka for a walk. But it wasn't her dog; it was the actual singer. Suddenly, Paul Anka the singer was gone and is replaced by her dog. The two kept switching places throughout the dream, but it ended oddly when Stars Hollow turned completely white and Lorelai woke up.