DOGFLUENCERS: Meet Niko, Nova, & Nabu, Instagram's Viral Dog Trio

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 Ashley (Niko, Nova, & Nabu'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?

Brezovsky: Creating an Instagram for my dogs started at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020. The country was "shutdown" and I wasn't working for a while because I was considered a "non-essential worker." This left me all the free time in the world to spend with Niko and Nova - and the timing was perfect because Nova was a young puppy, so it really allowed me the time to focus on training her. Everything started off as filming their daily shenanigans and cute moments as memories for me to look back on, but it soon evolved into much more. It was only a matter of time before dog lovers everywhere were captivated by their personalities and enjoyed the look into our daily lives. The biggest treat has been the expansion of our family to include my partner and Nabu! Together, we enjoy getting the dogs out for adventures and having the chance to share snippets of our lives with the world.

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

Brezovsky: We've dubbed ourselves the Bird Dog Gang, which our audience seems to love. Although three different breeds, Niko, Nova, and Nabu all share very unique qualities that set them apart from the common breeds we see often like golden retrievers, labs, or huskies. They are considered bird dogs, as well as pointers (although they seem to point at everything but birds, haha), and are very high energy. At the same time, they are the most loveable, velcro dogs and have very human-like personalities that never make for a dull day. A large majority of our followers are people who also own at least one of the breeds, so there is that commonality in the love we have for these dogs, but there is also the aspect of people seeking tips and guidance for these dogs that can be quite the handful to someone who hasn't done their research on the breeds. I love being able to share what I've learned throughout my dog mom journey to others if it means someone gets to make their dog's life better.

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

Brezovsky: 98% of the time I have no specific creative process. I'm constantly filming or taking videos strictly for my own memories, so there is no intent behind the raw footage at the time of filming. It's usually because something funny or cute is happening. Then, if I happen to hear an audio on an Instagram reel that seems fitting to a video I have in my camera roll, or see a trending reel, I take my raw footage to fit it to that. It wasn't until recently that I've started to dabble in coming up with original ideas and filming specific shots to fit that idea.

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

Brezovsky: There are definitely times videos have went viral that brought in people with negative things to say. Most of the time I ignore the comments, or even block them if necessary. I try not to give people the satisfaction of responding.

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

Brezovsky: Don't stress yourself out on trying to make perfect content. If there's one thing I've noticed, it's that the posts people seem to enjoy the most are the candid moments you capture naturally - not the forced poses you make your dog do to model off a cute bandana or whatever it may be.

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

Brezovsky: My dogs have been the perfect companions, especially when I was single and living alone. They helped me get out of the house, whether it be daily walks around the neighborhood, breed meet-ups at the park, or dog-friendly hikes. Believe it or not, I've even made friends with other dog accounts that I got the chance to meet in real life! I never imagined I would make new friends to hang out with as a result of making an Instagram for my dog.

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?

Brezovsky: I remember taking photos of Nabu the first day we brought him home. We had a mini photoshoot with him sitting in front of my partners Bronco. Any time I look back at those pictures I can't get over his cute, smooshy face with the wrinkles on his forehead and his giant ears and paws! He grew up so quickly.

What is your favorite thing about being a dog influencer?

Brezovsky: Being able to share my favorite moments of my dogs with the world. It's created a supportive community of like-minded people that I never would have had otherwise.

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

Brezovsky: I've thought on and off about dabbling in dog nutrition. I've become really passionate about what I feed my dogs and love sharing what I've learned along the way. There is nothing in the works at this time but, who knows, maybe I'll ended up taking a certification course someday and help share my knowledge with others!