DOGFLUENCERS: Meet Francisco, AKA Frankie

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 Savannah (Frankie'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?

When I first adopted Frankie, I was in a very difficult time in my life. I wanted to be able to capture the good moments and all of Frankie’s firsts we have together so that later I could look back and see even though things were hard; that there’s always silver linings. I wanted to create a scrapbook for myself of all the adventures, toys, and experiences Frankie will have. All of this also worked well as a way for me to express myself and put all of that restless energy somewhere. My inspirations come from a few different places but the biggest inspiration was Winston the Ween’s account! I’m in love with Christina Kirkman and Winston! I really wanted to put a smile on someone’s face like they had for me. I want to entertain and make other people laugh even on those hard days! If Frankie can brighten someone’s day who has been going through it and needs a little sunshine I hope I can bring that to them.

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

Frankie is extremely vocal, if he doesn’t like something he’s not shy about telling you. On the flip side he’s also a lover boy and will be super vocal about the things he loves like pup cups and going on rides. He also has such a sweet relationship with my siblings cat, they are besties! It’s been fun for people to see and enjoy their goofy relationship. We have also gotten very sweet comments about his coat coloring and how fluffy he is. He is considered to be a blonde Yorkie but the term the breeder coined was “Gold Dust” which sounds so fancy and magical! His coat definitely gives off espresso vibes! I think having a different look from the standard breed coloring we normally see helps differentiate us too.

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

I’m very new at all of this. I’m still in the beginning stages of learning and also staying consistent. Normally at the beginning of the week I will look for trending audios on both Tik Tok and Instagram. I’ll scroll through what’s trending, what’s being done, what’s not being done and make a big notes app of all my potential ideas and notes. From there all throughout the week we will film when I get home from work. I’ve learned to film more than what I think I’ll need just so I have enough to edit and use. A huge thing that’s helped me with content is finding thing and experiences Frankie will react to. I follow accounts that talk about dog friendly activities and spaces in my city. That then gives me so much filming opportunity and enrichment for Frankie since he’s the busiest dog I know!

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

Funnily enough, I haven’t dealt with it on social media but I have in my real life. There are so many ways to raise a dog and because of that everyone feels as though their way is right so therefore what you are doing is wrong. Every dog and every dog owner is so different and different things work for different dogs. I don’t think there’s necessarily a wrong or right way to raise a dog. There are better and best ways! Frankie is in his teenage phase and training hasn’t been the easiest, I’ve had to pivot with my approach to certain behaviors. It’s a trial and error until I find something that works for both Frankie and I. In a lot of situations, I’ve just had to acknowledge what the person is saying and take what resonates and leave the rest. The person that knows your dog the best is you! I’m confident in my decisions and how I train Frankie so I don’t think too much about other peoples opinions.

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

I would tell them to do it! I love the community that I’m slowly building and other creators in the space have been nothing short of wonderful! Not only has it been fun to see how other people react to Frankie but it’s also built a really strong bond between us. All the time we get to spend together and all the fun activities we get to go do while also documenting it all has been such a cool experience. One piece of advice that someone gave me was that not every post or TikTok is going to be the best. Some will do great and others won’t and that’s okay! Regardless of the numbers the real thing that matters is if you and your dog are having fun doing it!

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

Frankie has influenced me so much in the time that we’ve spent together. He’s very much my emotional support buddy, I take him everywhere with me! When I have him with me my anxiety is very toned down compared to if he wasn’t with me. Since I’ve had him I feel like I’ve been able to push myself to do things that would normally scare me or I would shy away from. I will always be a work in progress but I have gained so much confidence in myself and I can attribute that to Frankie!

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?

Just recently I got Frankie a pair of summer shoes for the hot summer pavement. After I put them on I could tell he was embarrassed to walk around but when he did he was running and hopping and making me and everyone else in the room laugh. The little wobbly unstable back legs made everyone smile and laugh and it felt good to see something as simple as dog shoes make everyone happy. Of course Frankie loved all the attention we were giving him along with the copious amount of treats!

What is your favorite thing about being a dog influencer?

My favorite thing about it is the creative aspect of it all. I love to edit photo and video and transform things into a final product. I’ve been experimenting with what kind of content I’m making and the type of editing and it’s all been really fun to see what people are most drawn to. I also can’t forget the time and experience Frankie and I get. Since I’m filming with him the time we do get together after work is very focused on him. He gets my one on one attention from the minute I walk through the door.

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

A big goal of mine is to work with some of the brands we love and potentially get into a little dog modeling! We’ve filled out a few applications for modeling gigs in our area so it will be super exciting to see what comes of that. I’m still so new to all of this and continuing to build a community so anything could happen!