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 (Dublin'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?
Cosgriff: Dublin’s social media journey is all over the place, but really, it’s my way of “preserving” her. To have a special place that shows her cuteness and personality forever. I could have easily kept everything in an album on my phone – but that seems selfish and it’s way more fun to share her with other pet owners who understand cute aggression and pet obsessions.
The inspiration behind creating a page for Dublin came from all sorts of places. Long before we got Dublin, I stumbled upon the Instagram pages of Amber and Cairo (@cairothereddoberman) and Charles and Ruby (@rubydooby_do) and thought, "Wow, their dogs are so well trained, and so cute.” I was mesmerized.
What do you think sets your dog apart from other dogs on social media? What makes them unique or particularly interesting to your followers?
Cosgriff: I think what sets Dublin apart is her name, but also her personality. She is the sweetest thing, loves cuddles, chill and wants to run after a tennis ball 98% of her day. We catch her sitting and/or sleeping with the ball in her mouth quite regularly.
Honestly, we’re just an average-ish family documenting Dublin. I have zeeeero background in content creation and I just post pictures and videos that I think are cute. I say “average-ish” because my husband is in the military, and he was gone a lot. What brought attention to her page was this coming home video I posted after my husband was deployed. I didn’t expect it to go viral, but it did.
How do you come up with ideas for your dog's posts and content? Do you have a specific creative process?
Cosgriff: I capture moments where I think she is being cute, which is all the time, lol. I mostly post content on Dublin’s stories – I think it’s a good representation of her personality and what she is doing in real time. Other than that, sometimes I get inspo from what other people post, or what’s trending at the time with an individualized spin that matches Dublin’s personality.
Have you ever faced any challenges or negativity on social media, and how have you dealt with it?
Cosgriff: Yeah, I think anyone on social media will experience challenges and/or negativity at some point. The way I deal with negativity is I sit and reflect how my potential behavior could be received by the other person. I will ask myself what the outcome would be if I respond – either defensively or neutrally. If I feel like it would turn into a back-and-forth heated conversation, then I don’t respond.
Sometimes if it’s a comment where it seems like the person is unfamiliar with the topic, then I will provide some education in a neutral tone. I have also validated someone’s point when it doesn't match my own. At the end of the day, I just remind myself what I can control, which is myself and not other people.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to start their own dog influencer account or share their dog on social media?
Cosgriff: I would say… DO IT! Post pictures, videos, memes, whatever you want of your dog. I love seeing other people’s pets and what they are doing. The community around the pet community is fun and so supportive. It’s fun when you make friends from other states too because they can give you advice on good places to take your dog and if you’re lucky, you may even get to meet!
Fun fact: Social media is actually how we (re)connected Dublin with her brother (Odin) and half-brother (Ares) AND created a lifelong friendship with their humans (added bonus)!
How has your dog influenced your life outside of social media?
Cosgriff: Dublin has done so much for us. She’s taught us what it feels like to experience true unconditional love. She’s taught me a lot about who I am as a person and how I “parent.” She has given me companionship throughout my husband’s deployments and work trips and through my mom’s cancer journey and her passing. We’re more active and try to take her on adventures whenever we can! There’s just so much! My husband often says to me, “Can you imagine what our life would be like if we didn’t have Dublin?”
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?
Cosgriff: I’m always holding a treat or a ball to get Dublin’s attention. The most recent was the St. Patrick’s Day photo I took. I put a headband on Dublin and glasses, and she froze. She looked like a seal and had huge eyes. I couldn’t stop laughing.
What is your favorite thing about being a dog influencer?
Cosgriff: My favorite thing about being a dog influencer is the community! I love sharing Dublin and seeing other people’s posts. I also love seeing the similarities in personalities across other Dobermans.
Lastly, what's next for you and your dog on social media? Any exciting plans or projects in the works?
Cosgriff: Just the same old, same old. Taking cute photos and videos of her and hopefully going on more adventures once it warms up!
