Hamish, the 7-year-old ‘Narcissist’

Mike Voight and Hamish’s favorite walk is SFSU’s sun-soaked campus.

Seamus Geoghegan, Staff Writer • March 21, 2025

Hamish poses with his ball on a walk through the Quad on Feb. 5, 2025. “I like bringing him here because it’s quiet,” said his owner, Mike Voight. Photo by Seamus Geoghegan/Xpress Magazine.

If you’re strolling through the Quad on a sunny afternoon, you might run into Hamish, the 7-year-old standard poodle or “narcissist” as his friendly owner Mike Voight refers to him.

You’ll be able to tell it’s them from Hamish’s unmistakable strut and curly, almost red hair. As it turns out, it’s an important distinction from fur.

“Poodles have hair. They don’t have fur,” Voight said. The variance makes poodles hypoallergenic, something that was important for his partner of 36 years Brian Cleary.

Mike Voight and his 7-year-old standard poodle Hamish pose for a photo outside the Business Building on campus. Voight has been bringing Hamish on walks around SF State for the last three years. Photo by Seamus Geoghegan/Xpress Magazine.

A long-time city resident, Voight moved from Virginia to San Francisco 45 years ago. Why? “Youth,” he said.

It was here in San Francisco that Voight met Cleary. “He was an Irish dancer. I have two left feet,” said Voight.

Hamish came into the picture when Cleary retired. Voight grew up on a farm with dogs, but not the kind you run into here in San Francisco.

Mike Voight’s dog Hamish eagerly retreives a ball in the Quad on Feb. 5, 2025. Photo by Seamus Geoghegan/Xpress Magazine.

“Hamish has been to social obedience class,” Voight said. “He’s better fed than the dogs that we had when I was a kid on a farm.”

After a water main break released 700,000 gallons of water into Sigmund Stern Recreation Grove in 2021, Voight needed an alternative dog walking spot. A friend recommended he come to SF State.

“It’s just a lovely green area, you know, very nice, easy walk,” Voight said. “It’s beautiful to sit and, you know, just watch the sunset.”