DOGFLUENCERS: Meet Chief, The Australian Cattle Dog

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 Michelle (Chief'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?

Fleri: I woke up one day to a notification that “@chief_acd started following you” on Instagram. I was confused until I realized my husband created Chief an account! I challenged myself to try it out for a few weeks, and ended up making some incredible connections in the dog training community.

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

Fleri: Chief has a personality bigger than his smile. He can only hear out of one ear, but that has never slowed him down. We love to show our followers the reality of owning a high energy breed, and of course add some comedy to it! I can say with honesty that Chief is as silly, athletic, and hard working as I portray him to be on our account.

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

Fleri: I try to post novel ideas that are true to who we are. I also try to make sure our content is valuable to our followers. That value can be in the form of a laugh from Chief’s antics, or a “how to” on a fun new trick we learned.

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

Fleri: This summer, Chief was attacked by a dog while we were on a neighborhood walk. I posted a reel about the incident to help others learn how to defend themselves in this scenario. The reel gained a lot of traction, which always comes with negativity. I leaned into the positive, supportive comments and let the negative ones slide. Social media only shows a fraction of who we truly are so it is important to remember that when someone tries to judge you based on an eight second video.

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

Fleri: Be real, and stay positive. Make the experience enjoyable for yourself and it will show in your content. Don’t forget it is called SOCIAL media- be social! I have made so many connections through Chief’s account that have opened doors for us that we didn’t even know existed. Don’t be afraid to reach out to people even as a small account. The Instagram dog community is an amazing place to find yourself!

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

Fleri: Chief has changed my entire lifestyle. He keeps me fit, gets me outside more, and has taught me to be more social. Chief and I have taken training classes together, learned new dog sports, visited new places, and made new friends on our journey to improve ourselves. Our training gives me a sense of pride and accomplishment that I didn’t know I was missing. Chief has changed my life forever as he sparked my passion for dog training. I am beyond grateful to have this incredible dog in my life!

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?

Fleri: This summer, I took Chief for a hike on a weekday. At the summit, we ran into a children's day camp group. To this day, I laugh thinking of all of the dog breeds (and otherwise) that the kids mistook Chief for! We heard “He’s a fox, no he’s a poodle, no way he is a hyena, no he’s a husky. He looks like a billy goat on those rocks!” Cattle dogs aren’t a very popular breed in our state so I appreciated the kids’ creative attempts at guessing his breed!

What is your favorite thing about being a dog influencer?

Fleri: We have found an incredibly supportive community to have our backs as we navigate dog training and being new to dog sports. We started a trick training challenge, where other accounts challenge us to learn their favorite trick, and we were shocked by how many wanted to participate! I love being able to collaborate with like minded people who support our goals.

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

Fleri: We launched “Chief’s Trick Training Challenge”! Other dog accounts challenge us to learn their favorite tricks. We document our progress in our stories then post a reel collaborating with the other account to show off both of our dogs rocking the trick. If you want to challenge us, you can submit your trick through the form in our bio! So far, we have learned back stall, reverse weaves, a freestyle orbit, and my favorite- how to open and flush a toilet! If you don’t want to participate, stop by our account and show your support by cheering us on. We have some exciting tricks coming up!