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 Ali (George'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?
Ali: We started the account back in September 2021 during Covid lockdown, we found ourselves going to the local dog park a lot! Most days that we were at the park, we would meet other locals who either had their own dog/s or who wanted their puppy fix! After the 12th person at the dog park asked us if George had Instagram, I finally decided to give it a go! With the help of some very excited fellow dog mums, I learnt how to create posts and slowly after that, reels :) One of my first and main goals through Instagram was to create breed awareness, it was and still is very rare for us to come across other yorkies even though we go to lots of doggie events.
What do you think sets your dog apart from other dogs on social media? What makes them unique or particularly interesting to your followers?
Ali: His size, his adorable features and his sassy personality sets him apart from other dogs. George is quite unique in that he is just under 2kg and has long, shiny golden locks so he gets noticed wherever he goes. With zero interest in toys and being very picky with food and treats, George is the ultimate stereotypical snooty little handbag dog. Not a huge fan of walking, George often insists on being carried in my arms or in a luxury padded carrier bag. Also not a fan of getting dirty, George will go out of his way to avoid puddles or muddy paths. Usually he tries to find a way to walk around them or he will stop, look up at me with his irresistible puppy eyes and refuse to continue until I come and get him. Another area of interest for us is fashion, before Instagram, George had five tops/jumpers. Now he has a wardrobe with well over 200 items of clothing, harnesses and leads and several boxes of fashion accessories - bows, bandanas, sunglasses and spectacles, jewellery and random bits and pieces. George definitely loves his fashion, on more than one occasion, he flat out refused to leave the house until he was wearing a jacket! He also exhibits diva behaviours when his hair isn't tied up properly!
How do you come up with ideas for your dog's posts and content? Do you have a specific creative process?
Ali: I wouldn't say that I'm very creative at all lol, I'm honestly just a down-to-earth dog mum who wants to give George and his sisters the best that I can. I am passionate about dogs obviously and supporting community events so we go to as many doggie events and playdates as possible. Being a pawrent to very small dogs, its always been very important for me to ensure that they are comfortable around both big and small dogs and this is why I try and give them as much social interaction as possible. I see our Instagram account as a way of capturing memories; places we've been, products we've bought, gifts that we've been given, experiences that we have shared together and friends that we have made.
Have you ever faced any challenges or negativity on social media, and how have you dealt with it?
Ali: We honestly haven't come across any challenges or negativity, we have been blessed to be around a supportive, dog loving community. I generally promote products that we have personally bought and love or that we have been gifted and regularly use. The businesses that we represent as ambassadors are genuinely lovely and committed to their love for dogs. We've been fortunate enough to meet several of the business owners and have nothing but respect and admiration for their efforts in keeping their businesses a success. We are not the type of account that just promotes anything because its free and we have turned down several offers just because they weren't quite the right fit for us. Trust and honesty are crucial to help our account grow and we welcome both followers and non-followers to contact us with any suggestions, improvements and concerns.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to start their own dog influencer account or share their dog on social media?
Ali: Go for it! It's an amazing journey, sure it's a hell of a ride with its ups and downs but it is also so incredibly rewarding not just to spend quality time with your dog but also to share your dog's life with people all around the world who are genuinely dog lovers too. Having an Instagram account for George has also taught me so much about him, we've done so many things together that we wouldn't have done otherwise. We have made some good friends that share our passion and interests so I don't feel like I'm on my own as a crazy dog mum! Instagram can be so much fun, you never know what opportunities are out there unless you give it a go!
How has your dog influenced your life outside of social media?
Ali: Social media can take up a lot of valuable time so we make sure to take some time out each week just to hang out without me photographing every thing George does. We spend a lot of time just cuddling and gazing into each others' eyes. Ours is literally a love story lol. Having moved countries just before the first lockdown, knowing very few people and living on my own for a while, I have to admit that I really did rely on George to get me up in the mornings, to go to bed when we needed to and sometimes to just get through the day. George has always been my loyal, constant companion and I couldn't be a prouder mum. He is everything to me and I don't think that words can express how much I deeply treasure and love him. He is my weakness.
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?
Ali: George recently had the opportunity to participate in Temptation Alley, the ultimate test in K9 Willpower where he had to make his way to me as quickly as possible without getting distracted by the plush toys, treats, tug ropes, balls etc. Well I am pleased to say that he did spectacularly except... he did get distracted and it wasn't from any of those things, being the natural-born model that he is, he very quickly spotted the cameraman and made a beeline straight towards him before turning around and making his way back to me!
What is your favorite thing about being a dog influencer?
Ali: The opportunities to discover new products and dog-friendly experiences. We are so incredibly grateful for the love, positivity and support that we get from our followers.
Lastly, what's next for you and your dog on social media? Any exciting plans or projects in the works?
Ali: We will be planning more dog-friendly experiences and adventures this year and perhaps even a couple more appearances on TV and in newspapers. We would love to participate in some larger scale community and dog-friendly events in the city. One of our goals this year is to explore as many dog-friendly cafes as possible and our ultimate wish would be for Australia to allow pets in the cabins on flights so that I could travel the country with my very best friend.
