‘No other dog we know of is capable of skating with others in a skatepark the way he does.’
Greg Denaro
Giotto
Australian Bulldog shredder
September2026
How did you end up with Giotto?
We have always had dogs. Prior to Giotto, we had a pair of very large dogs, a Neapolitan mastiff and a Neapolitan mastiff cross. They were beautiful dogs but when they passed away, we decided to not get another dog as the pain of their loss was great. As they say, time can heal and a year later we started to think about getting another pup. We did extensive research, spoke to other dog owners, looked at different breeders and different breeds etc. As we were not getting any younger, we searched for breeds that were docile, quiet, not needing too much exercise etc. and eventually landed on the Australian Bulldog breed as it had similar characteristics to the British Bulldog. What we ended up with was Giotto, an incredibly active and frenzied character who chases fun at every turn, is inquisitive and interested in everything that is going on around him, is intensely obsessive about skateboarding, swimming and absolutely nuts about surfboards. We have no idea why he is as he is, but it makes life so interesting and incredibly fun.
‘While he rode ugly, smashing into things, it was the beginning of a crazy ride so to speak that none of us ever anticipated or expected. The rest is history.’
When and how did he discover skateboarding?
We knew he had a thing for skateboards from the get-go. When he was just a little fella, about three months old, we were out for one of his first walks. Two boys came past riding their skateboards making that familiar clacking sound that skateboards make. Giotto sprang into action, trying to get at the boards. His strength and determination was ridiculous for such a little guy. We thought that he was reacting negatively to the sound of the boards but the opposite was actually the truth. We got him a cheap little kiddies skateboard which he used as a companion toy and would just sit on it in the middle of the kitchen or drag it over to where he was eating or sleeping, but never really attempted riding it. As he got older, Giotto kept attempting to steal people’s boards whenever we passed them and we had to play avoidance by going onto the other side of the road. Shortly after, COVID hit, and we were all sentenced to isolation. The streets were barren, and no one was around, and two and a half years passed before we came out of ‘hibernation’. On one of those first walks when people started coming out, we once again passed a couple of young guys on skateboards and now, with Giotto full grown, he lunged and almost took my shoulder out! We were stunned at how intense he was. One of the skaters said, “looks like he needs his own board!” So, Giotto was now more than three years old. While we were doing our Christmas shopping, we ended up in K Mart. There were some very cheap boards on sale including this large cruiser board with bigger than normal wheels. It looked fairly uncool which is probably why it was so cheap, but we were sure that Giotto was not going to be fussy. We threw the board into the backyard and said to him to, “have at it”. He grabbed it in his mouth with great fervor, disappearing into the deep bowels of our backyard. We walked away without giving it another thought. A couple of days later I came home late from work and heard Giotto barking loudly. We looked in the backyard and there he was, pushing the board up and down the grass slopes in the yard. He was actually jumping and pushing it with his nose. We had a thought and took the board and Giotto down the street to a carpark which, at 10pm, was pretty much barren, and there, he rode the board immediately for the first time. While he rode ugly, smashing into things, it was the beginning of a crazy ride so to speak that none of us ever anticipated or expected. The rest is history.
‘One of the skaters said, “looks like he needs his own board!”’
Have other dog owner’s reached out if you could train their dogs or provide tips?
Yes, other dog owners have reached out to us from time to time and we constantly get asked how we went about training him. There is little we can say other than, to us, it is clear that this is an inherent passion and desire within the dog himself. I actually do not believe you can train a dog to ride a skateboard in the way that Giotto does it and I have not seen any dog on social media that is as good as he is that has not developed in the same way he has. We actually believe that he is currently the best in the world, no other dog we know of is capable of skating with others in a skatepark the way he does. He is completely aware of his surroundings and very sensitive to other skaters whom he loves to bits! If your dog fires up the very first time he hears and sees a skateboard and shows an intense interest, even as pup, then you may have a skater on your hands. Keeping them skating is the trick, and it is a lot of work. The bearings have to be cleaned often which means pulling the wheels apart, removing the bearing seals, washing the bearings until they run smoothly and then oiling and reassembling. The best thing you can do is find different scenarios for your dog that provide a variety of situations, and you will find that this will stimulate him. Giotto has been skating now for almost 4 years, and we regret not having started him when he was just a little pup, 7 years ago. Who knows how much even better he would be. Anyway, it keeps us moving and has enabled us to make some wonderful new friends.
‘He is particularly popular in Brazil where there is a strong skateboarding culture.’
You mentioned in our previous conversation that you started your own board company specifically for dogs. How different are they to the standard boards and is there demand for it?
No, I didn’t start a board company for dogs although I have contemplated it. I get asked often about his boards and yes, I design and build them as regular type skateboards don’t really suit 4 legged skaters as well. The boards might be best described as ‘cruisers’ but are modified to ensure the dog’s comfort and safety. Once those factors are taken care of, the rest falls into place. Once I started making his boards, his improvement went through the roof. The more comfortable he got, the better he became. After a number of prototypes using cheap ply, I landed on a formula based on Giotto’s shoulder width and body length and based on hours of observation of the way in which he rides, propels himself and jumps on and off his board. The other criteria involved the types of trucks and the types of wheels, dimensions and hardness etc. It may seem a bit over the top, but I have genuinely found that subtle differences in the design and the individual elements that go to make up his boards have a significant effect on what he is actually able to accomplish. Longer boards are more stable (road running), shorter boards are more maneuverable (skatepark skating).
Last question. If you could interview one person?
I’m not sure how to answer this. There is nobody I am really keen to talk to about Giotto’s skating. I have watched many videos trying to get a better understanding of why Giotto likes to do what he does and read many articles and have found basically that most so-called experts who write on skateboarding dogs and who have never actually owned one, pretty much do not know what they are talking about. All the great skating dogs over the years have one thing in common, they were passionate about skateboards in the first instance. I know this may put some people’s noses out of place, but I am certain they know what I am saying. That said, I would love to talk to the owners of the great skating dogs over the years such as Otto from Peru, Tillman, Chowder and a few others, just to compare notes. No one else would understand what it would take to feed our pups’ obsession!