DOGFLUENCERS: Meet Oatmeal, The Oat Goat

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 Adria (Oatmeal'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?

Barich: I first went viral for my honest shapewear reviews, but when Oatmeal stood up on his hind legs in our backyard above-ground swimming pool one day, I just knew it would send the internet wild. So I started a series called "Pool Time," sharing daily videos of our swimming adventures, featuring Oatmeal's beloved "Oat Boat" and all of his various quirks. He has now become the star of my accounts! We no longer have a pool of our own, but we travel around to visit them together whenever we can.

What do you think sets your dog apart from other dogs on social media? What makes them unique or particularly interesting to your followers?

Barich: Oatmeal is genuinely one of the weirdest dogs I've ever met. I'm not sure if he was born this way or if I raised him to be like this, but he just has so many quirks. Between his paws that are too small for his body (I call them his "little tiny baby cat paws"), the fact that he says "woo!" instead of barking, and his habit of standing up like a T-rex in bodies of water— Mr. Meal is one strange pup.

How do you come up with ideas for your dog's posts and content? Do you have a specific creative process?

Barich: Every week I cycle between educational posts about how to safely swim/travel/take care of a dog, "Pool Time" videos, "Can I Get a Woo" videos (where I list off different things and Oatmeal says "woo" if he likes them), content of us going on adventures, and having oatmeal try on toddler shoes

Have you ever faced any challenges or negativity on social media, and how have you dealt with it?

Barich: I self-trained Oatmeal to be my service dog for anxiety, and when I started sharing content about this online, people automatically assumed I was lying so I could bring him places with me. This kept me from traveling for a while because although Oatmeal helps immensely with my anxiety, I was now anxious about everyone around me assuming he was fake (especially since I don't "look" like I need a service dog). However, through therapy and continuing to train Oatmeal, I regained my confidence in how necessary he is for me to live a normal life, and now I occasionally share service dog content on my socials again!

What advice would you give to someone who wants to start their own dog influencer account or share their dog on social media?

Barich: 1. Always put the health and safety of your dog first. Don't force them to do something that will stress them out or put them in danger for the sake of a viral video; it's not worth it.

2. Study 4-5 accounts that inspire you and pay attention to their most viewed posts. Don't blatantly copy them, but try to incorporate elements of their successful posts into your own unique content, this will help you grow an audience.

How has your dog influenced your life outside of social media?

Barich: Oatmeal helped me through one of the toughest years of my life. I had a breakup and my ex kept a dog that we shared, I had to move back in with my parents, my mom had a heart attack, and I lost 2 family members unexpectedly. Creating goofy videos with Oatmeal and training him to be my service dog was the only joy I had for the longest time. He's a huge reason why I've been able to find happiness again.

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?

Barich: One day I threw a ball into the pool for Oatmeal to fetch, but instead of jumping into his Oat Boat to retrieve it (like he usually does), he jumped into my floatie and started spinning around on it before finally jumping into the water. I posted that video online and it has over 50 million views on YouTube alone!

What is your favorite thing about being a dog influencer?

Barich: Really fun and unique brand partnerships! I'm a social media consultant so I geek out on that kind of stuff.

Lastly, what's next for you and your dog on social media? Any exciting plans or projects in the works?

Barich: We want to throw more dog pool parties! We're also excited to continue our "Pool Time" series this summer, so stay tuned!