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 Ellee (Costa'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?
Keegan: To change the stigma around the XL bully breed and show people the real side to our dogs and not what they are portrayed on the news. XL bullies recently became a banned breed in the UK and added onto the dangerous dogs list, although we started our social media journey before this ban I have now made it my mission to show that life still has soo much in store for us even though Costa now lives his life with restrictions (muzzled and kept on a leash in a public place). I remember when I first got Costa and I felt lost, not knowing what’s best for him, what to feed him, how to train him. I used to cry when I took Costa for a walk as he was a bad puller and I felt soo alone. I decided to start social media to help other owners who had and have been in the same position as myself.
What do you think sets your dog apart from other dogs on social media? What makes them unique or particularly interesting to your followers?
Keegan: How gentle my dog is, many people are scared of large dogs especially XL bullies due to the bad press they get in the UK. I show people how gentle, kind, loving and smart this breed is and that responsible owners do own this type of dog. Being relatable on social media has played a huge part in our success, not being afraid to show the difficulties we face on a day to day basis, people not wanting to come near us, people not wanting their dogs to interact with Costa due to his size and breed. A lot of other owners have been in the same position as us and I show how we deal with day to day life.
How do you come up with ideas for your dog's posts and content? Do you have a specific creative process?
Keegan: I love to inform people, I struggled when I first got Costa never owning a big breed before, so I like to show people what we have done and how to train him. We do different videos from day in the life, training videos, feeding videos, skin care, we have lots of different content out there which helps other owners. When Costa was a puppy he was the most well-behaved boy and then the teenage phase hit and it hit hard. I struggled a lot, not knowing what was right or wrong or how to deal with the bad teenage months.
Have you ever faced any challenges or negativity on social media, and how have you dealt with it?
Keegan: All the time. A lot of people do not like this breed; they think they are dangerous and killers. I show people that good owners own this breed and they are fantastic companions. I deal with the hate by simply informing people, I use a soft approach as the hate really doesn’t define us. I know how good my dog is and how amazing he is, it breaks my heart that other people just see the outer version of him and not the inside. A lot of people also think that a certain type of person only owns this breed and that someone like myself who has a good job, mortgage, a loving family and ambitions simply don’t own XL bullies but we do and Costa is a true credit to us.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to start their own dog influencer account or share their dog on social media?
Keegan: Be honest. Honesty and transparency are key. Also being relatable, there are lots of dog influencer accounts who aren’t realistic and just show the good side. I try and be very honest and show how difficult it can be and the hard work and consistency you have to put into not just large breeds but any dog. I like to be open with my followers about the struggles we have faced and I get a lot of messages daily of people being thankful that I show that it hasn’t always been easy. Being firm and strict does help, setting boundaries, our breed thrives off knowing where they are in the pecking order.
How has your dog influenced your life outside of social media?
Keegan: Costa has changed my life soo much, the life lessons he has taught me have been a blessing. Patience is key, forgiveness and not holding a grudge. Costa is learning every day and so am I. He has taught me to enjoy the little things in life and not to take anything for granted. If I am having a bad day, he is there wagging his tail soo happy to see me, going out for walks together has simply helped my mental heath tremendously. I owe my life to him. He has been the best thing to ever happen to me, I have grown as a person and learned a lot through my dog.
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?
Keegan: Costa makes me smile every single day, he is constantly making me laugh. We had a big news channel come and do an interview with us, as we started Costa would come up to the presenter and who do the biggest farts, every time we went to film he would do fart. I felt soo embarrassed but we all just laughed as Costa would look at someone like it wasn’t him that was doing it.
What is your favorite thing about being a dog influencer?
Keegan: My favourite thing is meeting people who share the same passion as myself towards our dogs. I have met friends for life through being an influencer and I have also learned a lot. I don’t know it all but I know if I have a question I can always turn to our social media for advice. I will forever be grateful for the community I have become a part of.
Lastly, what's next for you and your dog on social media? Any exciting plans or projects in the works?
Keegan: Our plans for the future are to continue showing the world the real side to XL bullies. I never started social media to get free products or to become famous; I simply started to show the world how amazing my boy is and to be there for other dog owners. I plan to just keep doing our videos, living life and showing that our banned breed still lives life to the fullest.
