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 Kaylee (Doerak'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?
Peters: I had no intention of becoming a dog influencer with the idea that I would now have 2k followers. I started sharing our stories because I always shared things about my companion horse on my horse social media. This didn't work and I decided to stop and when Doerak came my way, I started sharing things about me and Doerak. It all started with the conversation I shared with Doerak's breeder. During Doerak's puppyhood I shared a lot about how I was doing with raising, training, learning tricks and so on. When Doerak was 5 months old, we started the therapy dog training at the Pets4Care Foundation and I wanted to share the things we learned here and our growth with others to create openness about the struggles we faced together, but also I. I have a history of depression, burn-out and an attachment problem, the latter probably stems from being removed from home as a baby. Doerak gave me a lot of support, but I ran into my own themes and doubts. I wanted to share this in order to be more open about "as a therapist in training you are not perfect" and "raising a dog is perfect". No, it was mainly a lot of training. I also get a lot of inspiration from my fellow influencers such as @kiki.thetrickborder and @trickdog.mace, they have been my inspiration to also teach Doerak tricks and share the process. I share our learning process together to create openness about the fact that having or raising a dog is not perfect. I also share it if, for example, Doerak cannot learn a trick properly or if we make a mistake during agility lessons or obedience. That's just part of it because a dog is not a robot. Through the therapy dog training I have learned a lot about dog behavior and sometimes I share videos about Doerak's dog behavior, but also, for example, when Doerak plays with other dogs, I share the signals of all the dogs. I believe that not everyone always makes enough effort to sincerely understand the dog. I think that's a shame and I especially want to inspire people❤️
What do you think sets your dog apart from other dogs on social media? What makes them unique or particularly interesting to your followers?
Peters: That we are open and honest about everything! We share ups but when we have downs we share them too. Sometimes Doerak may be less focused, yes we share that too. A dog is not a robot and can just be a dog. In addition, Doerak is of course a certified therapy dog and that is also interesting to follow for many people because not much is known about this yet. We have made new friends through Instagram and we see our best friend and her dog twice a month to do something together. I think Doerak and I are also good at bringing people together and finding common things in each other. Doerak is also the cutest sheltie ever haha
How do you come up with ideas for your dog's posts and content? Do you have a specific creative process?
Peters: I now have 4 collaborations for which I create content every week. I also share what I like/like with a suitable photo. I share reels about agility and trick training, but also about Doerak's character and sometimes funny things we experience😊 How do I come up with that content? Well, I don't always follow trends, that also sets me apart. Doerak and my bond are very strong and I try to convey that on my account. That is my inspiration to create content.
Have you ever faced any challenges or negativity on social media, and how have you dealt with it?
Peters: No, I don't get hate comments or anything, but I do think that a disadvantage of social media is that if you share the "imperfect" picture that others seem so perfect in relation to you... I suffered from that for a while and then I took a short Instagram break for myself and honestly admitted why. I received so many sweet reactions from everyone that it's not a problem at all and all your followers are a great support ❤️ Another disadvantage is that the bond between you and your dog can only consist of social media if you have a If you have a very large account, fortunately this is not the case with me.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to start their own dog influencer account or share their dog on social media?
Peters: Be unique! And share what makes you and your dog unique! Like me and Doerak: He is a certified therapydog. I shared our journey to get there😊
How has your dog influenced your life outside of social media?
Peters: My life was very unstable in terms of my feelings. I just came out of my depression and I was still in therapy. I couldn't believe that that little puppy would accept me unconditionally. In the winters I often had winter blues and didn't go outside much, but now I go outside a lot and I have discovered new hobbies. I have also become much less anxious about strangers and I am again the spontaneous, sweet and social Kaylee that I could not be before. Doerak has actually made me me again❤️ We even discover new places together that I would otherwise never visit without him and without him I would not have met my current best friend Amber and Bodhi from @bodhi.the.sheltie. I am very grateful to Doerak for all this🥰
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?
Peters: Doerak has a mind of his own and is afraid of water. We went to take pictures on a jetty near water. Doerak found it very exciting and once on the jetty he immediately wanted to walk off again. Doerak only stayed seated if I offered security. Only then can you see how your dog trusts you
What is your favorite thing about being a dog influencer?
Peters: Meet new people! I met so much new people in the past 2 years! Amber and Bodhi from @Bodhi.the.sheltie, Jake and Mirelle from @jake.the.aussie01, Jingle and Ismaï from @Jingleberner and on events I saw a lot other dogfluencers! But these people and dogs became friends❤️
Lastly, what's next for you and your dog on social media? Any exciting plans or projects in the works?
Peters: We want to post more trick and agility reels and maybe buy a professional photo camera to professionalize our photo's
