Welcome to the ultimate destination for dog enthusiasts and social media mavens alike. At Dogfluencers, we're passionate about showcasing the best and brightest in the world of four-legged fame.
Whether you're looking for adorable photos, heartwarming stories, or expert tips on how to turn your own pup into a social media star, we've got you covered.
Today we got the honor of interviewing Amanda (Jax's Human). You can find a direct link to their Instagram here.
Here is their story:
Can you tell us about your journey to becoming a dog influencer? What inspired you to start sharing your dog's adventures on social media?
Schreiber: I wouldn’t say there was necessarily a plan, and we’re definitely a smaller creator right now, but I guess what inspired it is just loving to take pictures. I love to document and create memories through pictures and videos so it came organically to want to do the same thing with Jax! It’s so fun and honestly rewarding to share bits about him because for a little guy he has such a big personality.
What do you think sets your dog apart from other dogs on social media? What makes them unique or particularly interesting to your followers?
Schreiber: I’m just constantly amazed by Jax. Obviously I’m biased but he truly is the greatest pup ever hahah. He surprises me every day with little things he picks up on and quirks he has. To be honest, before Jax, I didn’t know much about dachshunds- but now with Jax being almost 5, I have learned so much. They have HUGE personalities and funny characteristics. They’re very sassy! I think people love to see how these little dogs come with such large attitudes. I truly believe Jax thinks he is a big dog. At the dog park there are obviously small dog and big dog sides, and he will just stare longingly at all the big dogs from outside the gate. Physically people tend to be really intrigued by Jax’s coloring. It’s called dapple and everyone always comments on it. He also has a little bit of an underbite which is irresistible. Another thing I think our followers enjoy seeing is where we live. We’re so lucky to be living in Tampa so we have access to say many beautiful places and Jax is a pretty good swimmer! It always surprises people to see him in the water. Part of me is also convinced he’s a human disguised as a dog haha. He’s so animated, he literally inserts himself into conversations and will let it be very clear when he wants something whether that be from impatient paw tippy taps, barking (a lot 😅) or his facial expressions. He’s only 4, but I often refer to him as an “old man” because that’s how he acts. He snores incredibly loud, he moans and groans when you wake him up, and “polices” other dogs at the dog park. Jax is incredibly emotionally intuitive, I have severe anxiety and OCD and he picks up on so much like when I’m upset or maybe doing behaviors that are harmful to me like picking at my fingers or nails. He’ll just come sit on my lap and give me kisses or do something to distract & comfort me, he’s super affectionate. He’s a huuuuuge mama’s boy, he truly is the greatest gift I could have asked for.
How do you come up with ideas for your dog's posts and content? Do you have a specific creative process?
Schreiber: I really don’t have much of a process at all! I basically just record all the time. That sounds crazy haha, but I enjoy it. Sometimes I will see an audio or video that I really like and know I want to make a post for, so in those cases I’ll plan out what I want to record and how to execute it. But usually I just capture whatever it is we’re doing, big adventurers or daily life and then the rest comes after. I’ve been so inspired by the pet influencer community and from there ideas just form. I think about things like how can I do this specifically related to Jax and his traits. One thing I do to try and stay a little bit organized or get all my ideas in one place is write them all down in my notes app. Then when I’m having a creative block I can look through my notes for inspiration!
Have you ever faced any challenges or negativity on social media, and how have you dealt with it?
Schreiber: Thankfully not much at all. I think really the only thing that I spent some time overthinking is someone mentioning that traits I posted about Jax were typical of “all dachshunds” so then it made me stress that I wasn’t doing enough, or my content wasn’t funny & unique enough. The comparison game will always be there, but I try to let that go because at the end of the day that’s not the kind of space or community I want. Every single dog is unique in their own ways, and for me I want Jax and I’s page to be fun and not so serious. We want to make people smile and laugh! The only other thing I think is easy to get sucked into are things like how often to post, the “good” times of day to post, the right kind of captions and comments and all the sometimes unwarranted advice that’s given. Those types of things can definitely get in your head!
What advice would you give to someone who wants to start their own dog influencer account or share their dog on social media?
Schreiber: Just do it! There’s 0 reasons not to. You will always have these memories with your dog or pet to look back on, and I’ve seen it as a way to do that even more. It inspires and motivates you to do more with your pet that maybe you wouldn’t have otherwise. I’ve learned about and discovered so many businesses, programs and local shops through social media. I think a piece of advice if you don’t know where to start is just choosing generic audios and trends! There are posts you can apply to all dogs and it’s just a matter of making it your own until you’re more comfortable branching out! It’s an opportunity to make friends potentially for your dog and you, and create a community of likeminded individuals who just want the absolute best lives for their fur babies. You can do it!! Jax and I will be here to support 🤍
How has your dog influenced your life outside of social media?
Schreiber: Jax has influenced my life outside of social media so much. For a while I really was only posting here and there on his account or just for big events like holidays and birthdays, so being more active on his social media is still newer. Going back to my anxiety/OCD is where I’d say he impacted my life the most. I got Jax with someone from a previous relationship (his family introduced me to the doxie obsession!) and when that relationship ended it was also around the beginning of COVID. I’m originally from Long Island, NY but have been in FL since 2015, so when all of these events happened at the same time, I was in a horrible place mentally. I genuinely don’t know what I would have done without Jax to keep me company. I was so depressed and lonely. I’ve always struggled with fears of being alone, but somehow this 12-pound (on a good day) little weenie was able to put a smile on my face every day and help me out of a really dark place. He was always there for me no matter what, never judged me, was so patient and understanding. It’s crazy to think that a little creature can provide so much compassion, comfort, and understanding. He has absolutely been my rock, and is my soul pup! Jax makes me laugh so hard, and helps me live in the moment more every day. I feel so lucky to have my lil buddy, my only hope is I do just as good a job for him as he does for me.
Can you tell us about a particularly memorable or funny moment you've had with your dog during one of your photo shoots or adventures?
Schreiber: This is hard! There’s so many…my favorite and most memorable times with him are probably at the beach. He loves it! He has such a good time meeting the other dogs and sunbathing. I haven’t posted too much about this yet- but something I’ve been wanting to capture and share is the relationship between my current boyfriend and Jax. Jax definitelyyyyy views my boyfriend as the “spare human.” He’s so protective over me and gets jealous super easily, so to see their interactions is so entertaining. Basically, my boyfriend has golden retriever energy and Jax just well…doesn’t. Hahah. Other than that I find the natural and organic content more fun. Just seeing Jax do his thing is the best.
What is your favorite thing about being a dog influencer?
Schreiber: The community and the memories that we make. Like I mentioned we’ve learned about so many different events and groups in our area through social media and influencing. Tampa is an extremely dog-friendly city, so that also benefits us because there are lots of other online friends around in real life, and there’s a lot going on for the dog community. For example, we just went to our first Weenie Dog Meet Up! It makes creating content a lot easier because there really is always something going for dogs and their humans. We have a few more dachshund meetups in the next few months.
Lastly, what's next for you and your dog on social media? Any exciting plans or projects in the works?
Schreiber: For now, we’re staying in Florida just enjoying our time. I’m hopeful to move a little bit closer to the beach, and to do some more traveling with Jax. I always thought “how would I travel with a dog” because that’s such a huge love of mine, but why not bring him along for the ride. We have more dachshund meetups in the next few months so I’m excited to document those and share in different ways. Our main goal is to keep growing our community and continue sharing how special Jax is. Hopefully we continue making people smile and laugh as our social media journey goes on!
