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 Sascha (Parker'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?
Crasnow: I started Parker's page just as a way to keep my bombardment of puppy images off of my personal instagram. When she was 6 months old, I introduced her to buttons as a way to communicate, and she picked it up quickly. I decided I wanted to catch those on camera like I had seen others do, and also so I had a record of her communication journey!
What do you think sets your dog apart from other dogs on social media? What makes them unique or particularly interesting to your followers?
Crasnow: I think what sets Parker apart are her sense of humor and the diversity of things she engages in. She has such a strong personality and is super sassy and silly. Both with her buttons when she sasses me or makes a poop joke, and when she just incessantly sploots looking over her shoulder with a side-eye, her personality comes through in a way that I think people find entertaining and engaging. She also does a lot of things! She uses the buttons to communicate, but she also hikes, hangs out on patios in town, does an array of dog sports (FASTCAT, barn hunt, agility, and we're training nosework and flyball), and just likes playing fetch and hanging with her dog friends. She lives a very full and active life which I think people enjoy watching!
How do you come up with ideas for your dog's posts and content? Do you have a specific creative process?
Crasnow: Mostly Parker generates her own content through the presses. Whenever we have an exchange that I think is either interesting, or heartwarming, or funny, I'll pull the footage in the moment. That way I have a backlog of videos ready to be edited and post when I'm ready. For still photos, I try to do a mix of candids taken on my phone and taking my real camera out for a proper photo shoot. I also keep my eye out for trends that I think make sense for us to do (I don't just do a trend cause its a trend, it has to be something I feel I can do something that fits us!) or if I have a random idea I'll throw something together and post it! I try to act in the moment rather than agonize too long about perfecting something (because then I find I won't ever post!)
Have you ever faced any challenges or negativity on social media, and how have you dealt with it?
Crasnow: Oh definitely. People have very strong reactions to dogs (and other animals) using the buttons to communicate. Some people think its a scam, some people thing its anthropomorphism, and some people just like to use it as an excuse to make misogynistic comments (the internet is a wild place!). I have a pretty thick skin and am surrounded by people in my real life who appreciate me and what I'm doing with Parker, so it doesn't really get to me. I find that most people react out of fear: "if this is real, then what does that say about how I've treated my dog/cat/guinea pig?!" People don't like their worldviews challenged! When possible, I try to engage people in a discussion about what they are opposed to, and I've started a series of videos debunking common misconceptions (turn negativity on its head to be productive for content creation!). And when they're just there to be belligerent, I channel Parker's sassy humor back at them :).
What advice would you give to someone who wants to start their own dog influencer account or share their dog on social media?
Crasnow: Just do it! Don't overthink it. Don't try to be anyone other than yourself. You'll find the people who resonate with you. Find people whose accounts you like and engage with them genuinely! Build your own community among your peers as well as your followers. And just press post!
How has your dog influenced your life outside of social media?
Crasnow: Oh man... so much! Parker has introduced me to a world of dog sports that I didn't know existed, and a ton of incredible people that I've met through that. She also constantly reminds me of the importance of advocating for oneself and that it is okay to say no if you don't want to do something or ask for something different if you didn't get what you wanted!
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?
Crasnow: It's hard to pick just one! But one moment that is burned into my brain was when we were on one of our road trips to meet up with other talking dog friends. We were at our friend @bastianandbrews cabin and I was standing around with Parker chatting with some other folks. Parker was rummaging around in a bush and then sheepishly lifts her head out of the shrubbery with a SNAKE IN HER MOUTH! I immediately stopped mid sentence and screaming "oh my god drop it!" which she did, and the snake slithered back into the bushes. It was a garter snake so it wasn't venomous but it still gave me a heart attack. But once I got over that I couldn't stop laughing. The image of her sheepishly standing there with a snake dangling out of either side of her mouth is just such a ridiculous image.
What is your favorite thing about being a dog influencer?
Crasnow: The community. I have met such amazing people who have introduced me to dog sports, training methods, enrichment, so many sources of knowledge I wouldn't have otherwise had about dogs. I've also been able to talk to people about their own dogs and their stories of communication (with and without buttons), and what their dogs who are no longer around might have said if they had had buttons (something I think about in relation to my first dog Asty all the time). There is a whole group of people who I talk to daily now that I didn't know before starting Parker's account... and I love that.
Lastly, what's next for you and your dog on social media? Any exciting plans or projects in the works?
Crasnow: We do have two really big things happening later this year that we can't talk about yet... but keep your eyes peeled on our page for that. We're going to be continuing our dog sports and our communication and road tripping to meet some new talking dog and cat friends later this year!
